Ring Ratings Update: Dougie fires back at Mauricio Sulaiman

The unlucky pattern of achieved veterans and contenders exiting The Ring rankings because of inactivity continues.

Nevertheless, earlier than we get to that, enable your favourite Editor-In-Chief to reply to the transient however viral anti-Ring Journal tirade spewed by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman final week.

Replying to a query about The Ring’s determination to not put its vacant flyweight championship on the road for the Sunny Edwards–Jesse Rodriguez IBF-WBO title unification bout, Sulaiman stated the next:

“I don’t know why media, champions and promoters give any credit score to a Ring journal belt that solely threatens the credibility of the game,” Sulaiman told iFL TV during an interview final Thursday on the sanctioning group’s conference in Uzbekistan.

“They’re a enterprise. They generate income. They’re biased.”

Photographs fired, however I’m not going to shoot again with intent to kill by delving into all of the sorted particulars of the various many years of his group’s shenanigans and chicanery. A) I don’t have the time or house on this column (it might actually take weeks and a multi-part sequence to cowl all of it), and B) hordes of followers have already finished that on social media and the remark sections underneath the articles on his current hissy match.

I’ll simply say this:

The president of the sanctioning group that proudly attaches its belt and its model to pseudo-boxing occasions and exhibitions like Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. John Gotti III, and Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou ought to by no means point out the phrase “credibility,” not to mention accuse others of threatening the credibility of a sport thought of renegade earlier than my grandfather was alive.  

The man in control of the sanctioning group that proudly put out a press launch stating that Jake Paul would be part of its cruiserweight rankings if the content material creator-turned-boxer defeated unaccomplished prospect Tommy Fury this previous February mustn’t speak about credibility or accuse others of being “biased companies.” 

I’ve nothing towards Paul, in actual fact he impresses me, however the younger man had six professional fights previous to going through Fury – these bouts have been vs. an influencer, a former NBA participant and three light MMA veterans. Fury had eight professional bouts vs. rank journeymen. Paul-Fury was an eight-rounder. 

Jake Paul and Tommy Fury pose for a photograph with the WBC Diriyah Champion belt throughout their press convention on February 23, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photograph by Francois Nel/Getty Photos)

Attaching WBC belts and the WBC model to crossover stars just like the Paul brothers and KSI (and their occasions) has every thing to do with enterprise (cash and publicity), and little or no to do with sport. Sulaiman’s group has a wealthy (pun meant) historical past of displaying favoritism to the extra fashionable, revenue-driving fighters of the game, no matter their ranges.

The WBC’s determination to bring Ngannou (0-1) in at No. 10 in their heavyweight rankings over far-more certified contenders, akin to Filip Hrgovic or Zhilei Zhang, has little or no to do with sport, very a lot to do with enterprise, and the selection is clearly biased in favor of the recent identify with big-event/crossover enchantment. 

To say in any other case is a slap within the face to clever boxing followers and media. 

We all know why Sulaiman insists on permitting Jermall Charlo to maintain the WBC middleweight title though the unbeaten Texan hasn’t defended it in 40 months. It has little or no to do with Charlo’s psychological well being, and really a lot to do with retaining Charlo’s adviser, PBC boss Al Haymon, blissful. 

In the meantime, an trustworthy hard-working contender like Carlos Adames (No. 2 in The Ring rankings) has needed to accept holding the WBC’s interim title for greater than a yr. Thoughts you, Adames paid a sanctioning payment to struggle in a troublesome 10-round title elimination bout vs. Sergiy Derevyanchneko in 2021. He paid a sanctioning payment to struggle for and win the WBC interim title with a third-round KO of undeserving (however guess the place he’s from?) Juan Macias Montiel final October. He paid a sanctioning payment in protection of the interim belt with a hard-fought ninth-round stoppage of Julian Williams in June. 

Why isn’t Adames the complete WBC champion by now? The reply is evident to anybody with a mind. He’s not the PBC’s favored son, so he’s not the WBC’s favored fighter. Hey, it’s good for enterprise to maintain Haymon blissful.

Carlos Adames celebrates successful the WBC’s 160-pound interim title together with his knockout victory over Juan Macias Montiel final yr.

An identical state of affairs performed out at heavyweight in the course of the years previous to the pandemic, when Dillian Whyte needed to settle with being the WBC silver beltholder for greater than a yr – paying the sanctioning charges for 4 “title bouts” – all with the promise of going through then-WBC champ Deontay Wilder. Even after successful the WBC interim belt in 2019 – thoughts you, Wilder was wholesome and energetic throughout this time – Whyte needed to look forward to his shot (and was handed over in favor of Dominic Breazeale, who had gained a WBC elimination bout only one struggle faraway from getting thumped by Anthony Joshua).

Whereas Whyte shouldn’t be as trustworthy and hard-working as Adames, it wasn’t honest what the WBC did to him. (Did I point out that the brash Brit additionally held their “worldwide title” in late 2016? Extra sanctioning charges! – LOL.) The underside line is that, at the moment, Wilder was a PBC favourite son and Haymon didn’t need to cope with Eddie Hearn or threat his unbeaten American KO artist towards Whyte, so the WBC didn’t pressure a title shot till Fury held their belt. 

So, going again to Sulaiman’s query about why fighters, media and promoters give The Ring’s rankings and championships credit score and respect. The reason being as a result of this publication’s rankings are based mostly on fighters’ advantage; not on who promotes/manages/advises/broadcasts them, or how well-known they’re, or how a lot cash they generate, or the nations they signify.

I perceive why Edwards is upset about The Ring flyweight championship not being on the road for his December 16 showdown with “Bam.” He needed to EARN his No. 1 ranking by defeating then-IBF beltholder Moruti Mthalane, prospects Jayson Mama and Muhammad Waseem, and formidable former 108-pound titleholder Felix Alvarado in succession. 

Edwards didn’t break into and climb up The Ring’s flyweight rankings by preventing for and defending a bunch of “regional” Ring belts and secondary Ring world titles (that we charged him charges for).

Earlier than I transfer on, I simply need to state for the document that I’ve no drawback with the WBC getting cash from sanctioning charges (and different charges concerned with the group’s “inspectors”). The boxing world is aware of the deal and the fighters and/or their representatives keen dole out their money.

I’ve an issue with Sulaiman calling The Ring a enterprise that threatens the credibility of the game. My dude, when it’s “pay to play” to maneuver up your rankings and to struggle in your world titles (as it’s with the opposite three main sanctioning organizations), your operation is clearly a enterprise. And, once more, I’m not mad at you for operating a enterprise. Extra belts equals extra money. That’s good for your online business, however that’s not good for the credibility of the game.

Sufficient. For now.

Again to the rankings.

Editor’s Notice: This replace covers November 1-11. Don’t ask about Shakur Stevenson, Emanuel Navarrete, Robson Conceicao, Diego Pacheco, Nick Ball, and so forth. These Ring-rated fighters are being mentioned this week and their motion within the rankings will likely be detailed within the subsequent Scores Replace article.

After November 4, the Ring Scores Panel agreed to drop heavyweight Deontay Wilder, tremendous middleweight Anthony Dirrell, junior middleweight Liam Smith, and bantamweight Gary Antonio Russell from the rankings because of inactivity of their respective weight lessons (Smith would stay ranked at middleweight, the place he has fought since final September).

Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) had not fought since scoring a first-round KO of Robert Helenius final October. Nevertheless, the identical day senior editor Brian Harty eliminated Wilder from the rankings, veteran reporter Dan Rafael broke the information that the previous WBC heavyweight beltholder would face Joseph Parker on a mammoth December 23 present in Saudi Arabia. 

Famous Adam Abramowitz on the day of the official announcement: “In that the Wilder struggle was introduced at present towards Parker. I believe we must always reinstate Wilder within the rankings. He did have a struggle lined up; it simply hadn’t been introduced formally.”

Replied Harty: “He was solely out of the rankings for about 5 minutes. I used to be within the course of of constructing the web site record adjustments on Saturday when the rumor tales began to pop up, so Doug determined to carry off on dropping him.”

Not so for the others. Dirrell (43-3-2, 25 KOs), a former two-time WBC titleholder, has not fought since struggling a ninth-round KO to Caleb Plant final October.  

Russell (19-1, 12 KOs) has not fought since dropping a 10-round technical determination to Emmanuel Rodriguez final October. 

Smith (33-4-1, 20 KOs) has been energetic, however not within the 154-pound weight class, the place he hasn’t fought since stopping Jessie Vargas in 10 rounds final April. 

RING RATINGS UPDATE (as of November 11):

CRUISERWEIGHT – Noel Gevor Mikaelyan enters at No. 5 after scoring a third-round stoppage of Ilunga Makabu, who exits the rankings. 

“Mikal Cieslak stopped Tommy McCarthy in seven rounds to retain his European title,” famous Anson Wainwright. “Very strong efficiency and is within the 11-15 vary.:

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT – Anthony Dirrell exits because of inactivity. Edgar Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) enters at No. 10.

Demetrius Andrade and William Scull have been additionally thought of.

“We will’t herald Andrade with a straight face,” famous Tom Grey. “He’s had one struggle on the weight towards an undistinguished opponent in Demond Nicholson.

“Regardless that Berlanga has stopped taking guys out since he stepped up at school, I’d say he’s extra deserving proper now. He’s overwhelmed Nicholson and another first rate fighters on the weight. The underside half at 168 is shallow to say the least.

“Andrade will are available in fast sufficient if he beats Benavidez.”

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT –  Liam Smith exits because of inactivity. Serhii Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs) enters at No. 10.

LIGHTWEIGHT – Raymond Muratalla advances to No. 8 following an eighth-round stoppage of unbeaten Diego Torres.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT – Joe Cordina stays at No. 4 following a good majority determination over unrated-but-capable Edward Vazquez. Albert Bell stays at No. 10 after a second-round stoppage of light veteran Jayson Velez.

“Jamel Herring stopped Nicholas Molina in a single spherical,” famous Wainwright. “Nonetheless early however within the shake up ready for a much bigger alternative subsequent trip.”

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT – TJ Doheny enters at No. 10 after stopping unbeaten prospect Japhethlee Llamido within the opening spherical.

BANTAMWEIGHT – Gary Antonio Russell exits because of inactivity. Daigo Higa (20-2-1, 18 KOs) enters at No. 10. 

JUNIOR FLYWEIGHT – Adrian Curiel enters at No. 2 after scoring a KO-of-the-Yr-candidate second-round stoppage of Sivenathi Nontshinga, who dropped to No. 4 and later No. 5. Elwin Soto advances to No. 4 (bumping Nontshinga to No. 5) following a 10-round determination over unrated Jose Ramirez Armenta.

“Nontshinga was stunningly knocked out by Curiel in two rounds,” famous Wainwright. “Coming in Curiel had 4 knockouts, so didn’t look a puncher; simply goes to indicate by no means choose a guide by its cowl! Regie Suganob gained a 12-round unanimous determination over Ronald Chacon to get again within the win column. Sadly for him, even with the win, he’s the man to drop out.”

Electronic mail Fischer at [email protected]. Observe him on Twitter and IG at @dougiefischer, and be part of him, Tom Loeffler, Coach Schwartz and mates through Tom’s or Doug’s IG Reside most Sundays.

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