How 168-pound division shapes up post-Terence Crawford

How 168 pound division shapes up post Terence Crawford

The Ring’s Super Middleweight Rankings:

1. Canelo Alvarez: 63-3-2, 39 KOs

The former two-time undisputed super middleweight champion was looking to face Crawford in a rematch. Now, Alvarez can aim to reclaim the crowns he lost once he’s ready to return to the ring at 36 against a fresh pool of opponents. According to manager and trainer Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez will likely skip fighting on his traditional date around Cinco de Mayo and instead recover following hand surgery to return in September.

2. Osleys Iglesias: 14-0, 13 KOs

The power-punching Cuban southpaw stopped Vladimir Shishkin in September to become the IBF No. 1 mandatory challenger.

3. Christian Mbilli: 29-0-1, 24 KOs

Mbilli notched the WBC interim title in June with a first-round knockout of Maciej Sulecki. Mbilli fought to a split draw against Lester Martinez in September. The WBC stripped Crawford of the title earlier this month for not paying sanctioning fees. Mbilli hasn’t been elevated to full champion status yet as discussions take place for a possible matchup against Jaime Munguia.

4. Lester Martinez: 19-0-1, 16 KOs

Crawford's stablemate showed a solid account of himself by fighting to a split draw against Mbilli. But Mbilli is moving on to make more money elsewhere instead of pursuing a rematch he originally showed interest in. Martinez plans to return in February against a yet-to-be announced opponent.

5. Diego Pacheco: 25-0, 18 KOs

The 24-year-old's 2025 campaign was unspectacular with unanimous decision wins against Steven Nelson, Trevor McCumby and Kevin Lele Sadjo. Pacheco was knocked down in the Sadjo fight earlier this month as he retained secondary WBO and WBC titles. Immediately afterward, Pacheco called for a clash against Jaime Munguia, but it was revealed that Riyadh Season is interested in staging him against Hamzah Sheeraz.

6. Jose Armando Resendiz: 16-2, 11 KOs

Resendiz scored one of the leading candidates for Upset of the Year when he beat Caleb Plant by split decision for the WBA interim title in May. As for Resendiz’s next fight, discussions have taken place for a possible matchup with Edgar Berlanga.

7. Caleb Plant: 23-3, 14 KOs

The former longtime super middleweight titleholder had a shocking split-decision loss against Jose Armando Resendiz in May. The defeat momentarily spoiled Plant's long-anticipated pitting against Jermall Charlo. But the matchup should still take place next for the idle attractions.

8. Hamzah Sheeraz: 22-0-1, 18 KOs

Sheeraz scored a spectacular fifth-round stoppage win against Edgar Berlanga in July during his division debut to headline the Ring III card in New York. Sheeraz is trending toward returning to the ring in February on a Riyadh Season show in Saudi Arabia.

9. Bruno Surace: 26-1-2, 5 KOs

Surace rose from the canvas, and obscurity, to score the Upset of the Year in 2024 by knocking out Jaime Munguia with one punch in the sixth after losing every round before that. Munguia won the rematch in May by unanimous decision, but that was clouded by his positive test for exogenous testosterone, a banned performance-enhancing drug.

10. William Scull: 23-1, 9 KOs

The former IBF titleholder landed the opportunity of a lifetime by fighting Canelo Alvarez in May, but the Cuban delivered a lackluster performance that was arguably the most forgettable fight of the Mexican's career under the limelight. Scull is next set to face undefeated Danishman Jacob Bank on January 31.

Notable names outside of The Ring’s top 10 rankings at 168 pounds (in alphabetical order):

Erik Bazinyan: 32-1, 23 KOs

Bazinyan had a forgettable 2025 marked by several injuries that canceled his comeback fight against Steven Butler multiple times. Bazinyan has not fought since a 10th-round knockout loss against Jaime Munguia in September 2024.

Edgar Berlanga: 23-2, 18 KOs

Berlanga was viciously knocked out by Hamzah Sheeraz in July in five rounds. Opponents are attracted by what they perceive as limited skills in Berlanga, paired with a fervent Puerto Rican fan base that pays to watch him. The brash-talking and polarizing Berlanga should be back in a big-time fight in 2026, perhaps against Jose Armando Resendiz.

Jermall Charlo: 34-0, 23 KOs

The former 154- and 160-pound titleholder made his super middleweight debut in May and fought for just the second time in four years when he knocked out Thomas LaManna in six rounds. Charlo is trending toward a fight against Caleb Plant, a PBC stablemate and heated rival.

Darius Fulghum: 14-1-1, 12 KOs

Fulghum suffered a majority decision defeat against Bektemir Melikuziev in May and had a forgetful majority draw against David Stevens in November.

Bektemir Melikuziev: 16-1, 10 KOs

Melikuziev knocked down and beat Darius Fulghum by unanimous decision in May during a WBA title eliminator.

Jaime Munguia: 45-2, 35 KOs

Munguia linked up with trainer Eddy Reyneso and got revenge by beating Bruno Surace via unanimous decision in May. But the win turned out to be a controversial one when Munguia tested positive for the banned substance exogenous testosterone. In September, the test was ruled as a false positive "caused by accidental contamination with pregnenolone, a legal, non-banned substance."

Kevin Lele Sadjo: 26-1, 23 KOS

Sadjo, a 35-year-old from Cameroon, had a coming-out party of sorts earlier this month to knockdown Diego Pacheco during a competitive unanimous decision defeat.