Devin Haney high welterweight, Conor Benn, David Benavidez, extra: Boxing rankings for December 2025

Heavyweight (Restrict: None)

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• Titles: WBC – Oleksandr Usyk, WBA – Oleksandr Usyk, IBF – Oleksandr Usyk, WBO – Fabio Wardley

• Upcoming Notable Fights: Justis Huni vs Kiki Toa Leutele, 12/6 … Kubrat Pulev vs Murat Gassiev, 12/12 … Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul, 12/19 … (3) Agit Kabayel vs Damian Knyba, 1/10 … (8) Moses Itauma vs Jermaine Franklin, 1/24

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Notes: Nothing huge occurred within the division in December within the ring, however we did see Oleksandr Usyk lastly, formally hand over the WBO title he positively had no intention of obeying re: obligatory orders, which means that Fabio Wardley is now the WBO champ and Usyk is as soon as once more now not undisputed. I believe we’ve actually received to cease overstating what “undisputed” means in a four-belt period. Not solely is it a group of belts which might be individually not all that revered and infrequently not even all that credible, however the declare is tough to carry down, and mainly by design. It’s a advertising and marketing gimmick at this level, like just about something with boxing that used to actually imply one thing.

Anthony Joshua can be again within the rankings in January if he handles his enterprise with Jake Paul this month. It’s not that beating Jake Paul means a lot, however Joshua is out on inactivity, in any other case he would completely rank above a variety of the blokes right here and it’d be a troublesome ask for even probably the most ardent Joshua haters to make a good case in any other case. I imply, Efe Ajagba? Grandpa Zhang? Hrgovic and Chisora, even?

We should put together ourselves for the concept that Jake Paul can be ranked if he knocks out AJ, too. It’s unlikely, however higher to be ready than not.

Cruiserweight (Restrict: 200)

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• Titles: WBC – Badou Jack, WBA – Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, IBF – Jai Opetaia, WBO – Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez

• Upcoming Notable Fights: (1) Jai Opetaia vs Huseyin Cinkara, 12/6 … (4) Badou Jack vs (5) Noel Mikaelyan, 12/13 … Muhsin Cason vs Nick Kisner, 12/6 … (2) Zurdo Ramirez vs David Benavidez, 5/2

Mild Heavyweight (Restrict: 175)

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• Titles: WBC – David Benavidez, WBA – Dmitry Bivol, IBF – Dmitry Bivol, WBO – Dmitry Bivol

• Upcoming Notable Fights: Atif Oberlton vs Eric Robles, 12/6 … Imam Khataev vs Adam Deines, 12/11 … Craig Richards vs Dan Azeez, 12/20 … Willy Hutchinson vs Ezra Taylor, 1/24

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Notes: You could possibly have David Benavidez at No. 2 after his wipeout win over Anthony Yarde, and I thought of the bump up. There was thought that Benavidez would struggle Artur Beterbiev subsequent, however his intentions are to maneuver as much as cruiserweight to struggle Zurdo Ramirez subsequent Could, although should you take heed to him in any other case it doesn’t sound like he’s 100% set on leaving 175 behind, both. That may simply be the most effective, largest supply he had, and he sees it as a very good struggle. It’s a good struggle.

Yarde stays in, barely, however that spot is ripe for the choosing if somebody makes an announcement, as is the No. 9 slot now occupied by Joshua Buatsi, who slips slightly after a questionable win over Zach Parker. Truly, all the again half is kinda there for the taking.

Tremendous Middleweight (Restrict: 168)

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• Titles: WBC – Terence “Bud” Crawford, WBA – Terence “Bud” Crawford, IBF – Terence “Bud” Crawford, WBO – Terence “Bud” Crawford

• Upcoming Notable Fights: (6) Diego Pacheco vs (7) Kevin Sadjo, 12/13 … Callum Simpson vs Troy Williamson, 12/20 … Jacob Financial institution vs William Scull, 1/31 … Oliver Zaren vs TBA, 1/31

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Notes: A lot has been product of The Ring dropping Canelo Alvarez from their pound-for-pound record. Actually, he’s been a questionable pound-for-pound high 10 man for a number of years. He’s clearly not who he was and that’s been the case for some time now. He’s nonetheless fairly a very good fighter, however he’s in the long run days of his run.

Middleweight (Restrict: 160)

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• Titles: WBC – Carlos Adames, WBA – Erislandy Lara, IBF – Janibek Alimkhanuly, WBO – Janibek Alimkhanuly

• Upcoming Notable Fights: (1) Janibek Alimkhanuly vs (3) Erislandy Lara, 12/6 … Jesus Ramos Jr vs Shane Mosley Jr, 12/6 … Derek Pomerlau vs Dylan Biggs, 12/20 … Nikita Tszyu vs Michael Zerafa, 1/16 … Shakiel Thompson vs Brad Pauls, 1/24

Notes: Conor Benn in all probability isn’t staying at 160, as he’s talked about fights at 154 and 147, however for the second he needs to be ranked right here after trouncing Chris Eubank Jr, who stays in however in all probability wouldn’t have crushed any of those guys within the form he was in for the Benn rematch.

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Ought to Eubank retire? Yeah, perhaps. Finally it comes down to 2 questions for me:

Is he nonetheless able to being a viable fighter with a transfer again as much as 168? Sure.

BUT

Is he able to attaining something he hasn’t already? And my reply there isn’t any.

Eubank has by no means been an awesome fighter. He’s pieced collectively a reasonably empty win column over his profession. He’d crushed no person value their salt earlier than shedding to Billy Joe Saunders in 2014, build up solely on the worth of his identify. To be honest to Eubank, he picked up higher wins after he misplaced to Saunders, however he beat a variety of “OK for the second” opponents and not one of the wins aged properly or something, his most notable victories coming over guys on the best way out (Arthur Abraham, James DeGale) or through fluke (Matt Korobov) earlier than strong victories over Liams Williams and Smith in 2022-23, although he additionally first needed to lose to Smith. And he additionally misplaced to George Groves in 2018 and now to Benn in a rematch.

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He’s made cash. He’s been an attraction. He is an effective fighter and a troublesome man with an oddly-handled, scattershot profession that featured near-constant turnover in trainers and promoters. He’s 36 now, he simply took a beating, and it’s exhausting to ascertain a state of affairs the place Eubank goes as much as 168 and begins beating contenders, as a result of he’s by no means actually crushed contenders earlier than.

So yeah, retirement is one thing he ought to think about. If he’s set financially, if he sees a path to do OK after boxing — and there can be choices, he’s a well-spoken man with a well-known identify and he appears good on digicam — then perhaps it’s time to get out whereas the getting is nice, or not less than not awful.

Tremendous Welterweight (Restrict: 154)

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• Titles: WBC – Sebastian Fundora, WBA – Abass Baraou, IBF – Bakhram Murtazaliev, WBO – Xander Zayas

• Upcoming Notable Fights: Ben Mahoney vs Winston Hill, 12/6 … Adel El Garmaoui vs TBA, 12/1 … (9) Tim Tszyu vs Anthony Velazquez, 12/17 … (2) Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Josh Kelly, 1/31 … (5) Xander Zayas vs (7) Abass Baraou, 1/31

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Notes: Vergil Ortiz destroyed Erickson Lubin and now the sights are totally set on Ortiz vs Boots Ennis in 2026. All of it appears doable and often no person has two guys get into a hoop and discuss trash with out having a deal fairly properly in place if not solely. I do know I is usually a little bit of a killjoy, and it’s not a bit, it’s simply how I’m due to how boxing is, however I’ll be tremendous clear instantly: Ortiz vs Boots is a nice struggle on paper.

Lubin’s out, Andreas Katzourakis bounces again into the No. 10 slot he briefly held earlier than Boots Ennis hit the division. Now he’s again. What a curler coaster. The division can be quiet in December apart from Tim Tszyu making an attempt to get again on observe, however heats up with world title fights in January.

Welterweight (Restrict: 147)

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• Titles: WBC – Mario Barrios, WBA – Rolly Romero, IBF – Lewis Crocker, WBO – Devin Haney

• Upcoming Notable Fights: Pat McCormack vs Conah Walker, 12/6

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Notes: Devin Haney is mainly no person’s favourite fighter, and his scenario is odd in that we noticed him lose a struggle and get knocked round by Ryan Garcia, however Garcia 100%, completely failed a drug take a look at, and whereas it’s not potential to actually, precisely perceive the diploma to which Garcia’s enhancement or not bothering to make weight improved his efficiency, the info are the info, that win was overturned — and will have been — and Haney stays formally undefeated.

He additionally appeared sharp, sensible, and reinvigorated successful the WBO title in November, and he simply flat out-classed Brian Norman Jr. Haney might not have carried out a MASTER CLASS!!! as shill commentators at all times default to after a robust determination win, however he positively gave B-Norm some classes within the ring, taught him slightly about ranges, and should have given the Norman group a wake-up name that adjustments should be made. They received to a sure stage, and the following stage was an excessive amount of. Possibly it’s time to make a nook change.

Talking of trainers, dads, trainer-dads, and the Haneys, Invoice Haney is, like his son, not precisely a wide-scale fan favourite, however he deserves a variety of credit score. Whereas he has stayed in his son’s nook when Devin has lengthy since been capable of afford to pay an elite coach, he famously took the youthful Devin round to varied high trainers within the adolescence, the place clearly not solely was Devin studying varied issues and placing collectively a full package deal, however so was Invoice.

And as a “controversial” mouthpiece, Invoice jogs my memory of Angel Garcia, and I mentioned this in regards to the Garcias and I’ll say it in regards to the Haneys. When Angel or Invoice draw that struggle week consideration, do the trash speaking, make call-outs, all that stuff, they’re drawing that fireside to themselves and letting Danny and Devin focus extra on the duty at hand. Danny talked a good quantity on his personal, so does Devin, nevertheless it by no means turns into the main focus, and so they aren’t those media search out or get drawn to, as a result of that media is aware of the higher, juicier quotes are going to return from the daddy, and particularly now, no person’s actually searching for a very good story, they’re simply searching for a very good headline.

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Coach-fighter relationships are a sophisticated factor. Not each fighter is similar and an enormous a part of their success is how they really feel mentally. Some guys do properly in huge camps, numerous fighters round, a head coach that perhaps isn’t capable of give them all their time, however they maximize what time there’s. Some want that full focus from a selected coach to remain centered and sharp. It’s all about chemistry, and it’s totally different case-to-case, there’s not one factor that works for everybody. May Devin Haney get a greater coach than Invoice? Yeah. Are fathers typically problematic as trainers? Yeah. However not at all times. And I believe Devin is somebody who simply does higher when he’s comfy, and it’s a snug trainer-fighter chemistry for him with Invoice. They’re on the identical web page, Invoice’s focus is evident and thus so is Devin’s. Father-son corners don’t at all times work, for positive, however additionally they don’t at all times flame out spectacularly. I believe that is one which works and can be career-long.

As for the division, Devin deserves the highest spot proper now. Rolly Romero, Mario Barrios, and Lewis Crocker are a weak crop of titleholders in any other case, however they’ll have their probabilities to raised solidify themselves. I’ve probably the most doubts that Barrios can. Ryan Garcia says he’s going to struggle Mario in early 2026, however Ryan Garcia has “introduced” a variety of fights through the years that didn’t materialize, and albeit simply likes to listen to himself discuss a variety of the time. It would occur, it may not.

There may be the lingering presence of Manny Pacquiao, who may struggle Rolly Romero but in addition would possibly work out a significant cash deal for a Grandpa Scrap with Floyd Mayweather. The division lacks identify energy in the meanwhile, and the largest struggle would positively be a Haney-Garcia rematch, if Garcia can return and beat Mario Barrios, as a result of proper now Garcia just about completely lacks credibility after stinking out Instances Sq. in his limp loss to Rolly. However Garcia beating Barrios would give him the win, a WBC title, and a unification grudge match with Haney. Boxing’s winds shift on a regular basis, and may achieve this dramatically, and a very powerful factor to everybody concerned in making an attempt to make huge fights is catching that wind on the proper time. In actuality, Garcia beating a man who can’t beat Abel Ramos or outdated man Pacquiao might not say a complete lot about him, however it should shortly change the notion of him in comparison with his present standing, after which you have got a wind to catch for the Haney rematch.

Tremendous Light-weight (Restrict: 140)

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• Titles: WBC – Subriel Matias, WBA – Gary Antuanne Russell, IBF – Richardson Hitchins, WBO – Teofimo Lopez

• Upcoming Notable Fights: Pitbull Cruz vs Lamont Roach, 12/6 … Jake Wyllie vs Paul Fleming, 12/6 … Tito Mercado vs Antonio Moran, 12/13 … Kevin Hayler Brown vs Cletus Seldin, 12/13 … Carlos Utria vs Mujibillo Tursunov, 12/20 … (3) Subriel Matias vs (9) Dalton Smith, 1/10 … (1) Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson, 1/31

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Notes: Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson is now official for January 31, in order that’s some huge information to get 2025 off to a scorching begin on this division.

We’re in a wait-and-see state of affairs with Subriel Matias proper now. He failed a drug take a look at, however his struggle with Dalton Smith in January isn’t formally off but.

Light-weight (Restrict: 135)

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• Titles: WBC – Shakur Stevenson, WBA – Gervonta “Tank” Davis, IBF – Raymond Muratalla, WBO – Abdullah Mason

• Upcoming Notable Fights: (10) Maxi Hughes vs Bakhodur Usmonov, 12/12 … Gabriel Flores Jr vs Joe Cordina, 12/13 … Taiga Imanaga vs Armando Martinez, 12/27 … (3) Andy Cruz vs (6) Raymond Muratalla, 1/24

Notes: Abdullah Mason and Sam Noakes each raised their inventory with their struggle, which noticed Mason win the vacant WBO title. That was actually an awesome struggle, should you nonetheless haven’t seen it, you owe it to your self to observe two guys giving large effort in a battle, each making an attempt to win their first world title, each digging in and preventing their hearts out.

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Shakur Stevenson is transferring as much as 140 to struggle Teofimo however he’ll sit right here till after that struggle and he decides what division he plans to remain in. If he wins, in all probability stays at 140. If he doesn’t, may come again down.

Tremendous Featherweight (Restrict: 130)

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• Titles: WBC – O’Shaquie Foster, WBA – Lamont Roach, IBF – Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez, WBO – Emanuel Navarrete

• Upcoming Notable Fights: (3) O’Shaquie Foster vs Stephen Fulton, 12/6 … (10) Jazza Dickens vs Hayato Tsutsumi, 12/27 … Henry Lebron vs Juan Tapia, 1/3 … Liam Wilson vs Rodex Piala, 1/16 … Leigh Wooden vs Josh Warrington, 2/21 … (1) Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez vs (2) Emanuel Navarrete, 2/28

Featherweight (Restrict: 126)

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• Titles: WBC – Stephen Fulton, WBA – Nick Ball, IBF – Angelo Leo, WBO – Rafael Espinoza

• Upcoming Notable Fights: Luis Alberto Lopez vs Miguel Arevalo, 12/13 … Brandon Mejia vs Muhamet Qamili, 12/20 … Liam Davies vs Zak Miller, 1/24 … Kyonosuke Kameda vs Kai Watanabe, 2/19

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Notes: Robeisy Ramirez is out attributable to inactivity, and given how his final struggle ended and Prime Rank’s, you recognize, incapacity to really placed on their very own exhibits in the meanwhile, unsure when or if he’ll struggle once more, truthfully. Ra’eese Aleem is available in after a very good win in Japan, and he sits as Angelo Leo’s doubtless obligatory after the eliminator.

Tremendous Bantamweight (Restrict: 122)

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• Titles: WBC – Naoya Inoue, WBA – Naoya Inoue, IBF – Naoya Inoue, WBO – Naoya Inoue

• Upcoming Notable Fights: (5) Shabaz Masoud vs (9) Peter McGrail, 12/6 … Arturo Popoca vs Cesar Vaca, 12/13 … Jose Salas vs Landile Ngxeke, 12/13 … (3) Ramon Cardenas vs Erik Robles, 12/18 … (1) Naoya Inoue vs (4) Alan Picasso, 12/27 … (6) Sebastian Hernandez vs Junto Nakatani, 12/27 … (10) Toshiya Ishii vs Jun Ikegawa, 1/13

Bantamweight (Restrict: 118)

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• Titles: WBC – Takuma Inoue, WBA – Antonio Vargas, IBF – Vacant, WBO – Christian Medina

• Upcoming Notable Fights: (2) Seiya Tsutsumi vs Nonito Donaire, 12/17 … Kazuki Nakajima vs Jon Jon Jet, 12/18

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Notes: Takuma Inoue wins one other world title and is again into the highest three; you would make a No. 1 case for any of these high three guys proper now. Tenshin Nasukawa doesn’t slip a lot, he was aggressive in opposition to Inoue and stays a contender who nonetheless would possibly win a world title, even in all probability will as long as he stays aggressive.

Tremendous Flyweight (Restrict: 115)

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• Titles: WBC – Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, WBA – Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, IBF – Willibaldo Garcia, WBO – Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez

• Upcoming Notable Fights: (9) Willibaldo Garcia vs Kenshiro Teraji, 12/27

Notes: Bam Rodriguez now has three of 4 world titles, however Fernando Martinez doesn’t drop any. Rodriguez is only a lot higher than everybody else within the division, and no person else has made a lot of a robust case for the No. 2 spot as a substitute of Martinez.

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Modifications elsewhere: Tomoya Tsuboi is in after a robust, clear win over Carlos Cuadras, he appears like a extremely strong professional after simply three fights. Willibaldo Garcia, who holds the IBF belt, is in at No. 9, and Ryusei Kawaura at No. 10. Falling out are Kazuto Ioka, who’s transferring as much as 118; Suzumi Takayama, who has gone inactive; and Cuadras, for the loss.

Flyweight (Restrict: 112)

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• Titles: WBC – Ricardo Sandoval, WBA – Ricardo Sandoval, IBF – Masamichi Yabuki, WBO – Anthony Olascuaga

• Upcoming Notable Fights: Abraham Perez vs Adrian Yair Ibarra, 12/12 … Erick Rosa vs Luis De La Mora, 12/13 … (3) Anthony Olascuaga vs Taku Kuwahara, 12/17 … (4) Seigo Yuri Akui vs Vencent Lacar, 12/17 … (2) Masamichi Yabuki vs (5) Felix Alvarado, 12/27

Mild Flyweight (Restrict: 108)

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• Titles: WBC – Vacant, WBA – Kyosuke Takami, IBF – Thanongsak Simsri, WBO – Rene Santiago

• Upcoming Notable Fights: Thammanoon Niyomtrong vs Junior Leandro, 12/4 … Toshiki Kawamitsu vs Kenshi Noda, 12/9 … (2) Kyosuke Takami vs (3) Rene Santiago, 12/17 … Daiya Kira vs Ivan Garcia, 12/31

Minimumweight (Restrict: 105)

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• Titles: WBC – Melvin Jerusalem, WBA – Oscar Collazo, IBF – Pedro Taduran, WBO – Oscar Collazo

• Upcoming Notable Fights: TBA