The Ring first introduced its divisional ratings in 1925. A century later, it’s no exaggeration to claim that these independent rankings are the most respected and talked-about in world boxing.

The Ring Ratings Panel is made up of a dozen experts from around the world. Opinions are shared, debate takes place, and the final decision on who should be ranked where is decided democratically every week. It sounds easy, but this can be an arduous and time-consuming process.

Here I will be going through each division in reverse order, working my way up from strawweight to heavyweight, looking at each ranked fighter's respective achievements and gazing into my crystal ball to determine what might lie ahead.

After a busy 2025, it's time to compile another divisional breakdown.

Next up is cruiserweight (200-pounds), which has some intriguing potential matchups at the top of the division but unfortunately they don't seem to getting made at the moment. As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people's opinions.

RECORD: 28-0 (22 KOs)

THE PAST: Opetaia represented Australia at the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 Commonwealth Games before turning pro in 2015. The 30-year-old southpaw claimed the national and OPBF cruiserweight titles. He got his big break when beat Ring and IBF titlist Mairis Briedis to Australia (UD 12) in July 2022. He scored a couple of easy wins before being stripped of the IBF title but regained again by besting Briedis (UD 12). He has retained his title three titles against middling opposition.

THE FUTURE: He will face wholly undeserving mandatory Huseyin Cinkara on Dec. 6.

RECORD: 48-1 (30 KOs)

THE PAST: Ramirez turned professional at 18 and went on to win the WBO super middleweight title against Arthur Abraham (UD 12). "Zurdo" made five successful defenses before moved up in weight and became the WBA mandatory. He lost his unbeaten record to Dmitry Bivol (UD 12). That moved to cruiserweight and claimed the WBA title by beating Arsen Goulamirian (UD 12) last March and unified with WBO titlist Chris Billam-Smith (UD 12) eight months later. He retained his titles against Yuniel Dorticos (UD 12) on June 28.

THE FUTURE: The Mexican had shoulder surgery in July and will miss the remainder of the year.

RECORD: 21-2 (13 KOs)

THE PAST: Billam-Smith won his first nine fights before tasting defeat against compatriot Richard Riakporhe (SD 10). The Englishman rebounded, collecting the British, Commonwealth and European titles before claiming the WBO title by beating Lawrence Okolie (MD 12) in May 2023. He retained twice stopping Mateusz Masternak (RTD 8) in December 2023 and six months later disarmed Riakporhe (UD 12) in a rematch. CBS lost his title to Ramirez (UD 12) last November but beat Brandon Glanton (UD 12) on April 26.

THE FUTURE: Nothing scheduled at the time of writing.

RECORD: 28-2 (22 KOs)

THE PAST: Cieslak turned professional in 2013 and won his first 19 fights before losing WBC titlist IIunga Makabu (UD 12) in the Congo, in January 2020. He later headed to England and lost to then WBO beltholder Lawrence Okolie (UD 12) in February 2022. The 36-year-old stopped former light heavyweight titlist Jean Pascal (TKO 4) for the WBC interim title in Canada, on June 28.

THE FUTURE: It has been mandated that he will face Yamil Peralta but so far neither side has come to an agreement.

RECORD: 20-1-1 (19 KOs)

THE PAST: Rozicki reeled off 13 consecutive wins. He moved up to bridgerweight for a shot at the vacant WBC title and came up short against Oscar Rivas (UD 12) in October 2021. After dropping back to cruiserweight he appeared lucky to get his hand raised against tricky Argentine fighter Yamil Peralta (SD 12) in May 2022. He notched five wins before fighting Peralta (D 12) a second time and looked to have done enough last December.

THE FUTURE: Injury saw him nix his on Oct. 25 return.

RECORD: 29-3-3 (18 KOs)

THE PAST: Jack represented his father's country of birth Gambia at the 2008 Olympics. He turned professional in Sweden in 2009 before heading to America where he later claimed the WBC super middleweight title from Anthony Dirrell (MD 12) in 2015. He made three successful defenses before holding then-WBC light heavyweight titleholder Adonis Stevenson to a 12-round draw. He lost against Marcus Browne (UD 12) and Jean Pascal (SD 12) but rolled back the years picking up the WBC title from IIunga Makabu (TKO 12) in February 2023. After a two-year hiatus he returned and regained his title against Noel Mikaelyan (MD 12) on May 3.

THE FUTURE: Rumor has it he could face Opetaia in a unification on Jan. 31.

RECORD: 27-3 (12 KOs)

THE PAST: Mikaelyan turned professional in 2011 and won several regional sanctioning body baubles before dropping a close decision to Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (SD 12) in an IBF eliminator in May 2017 but lost against Mairis Briedis (UD 12) in November 2018. The 35-year-old claimed the vacant WBC belt by stopping IIunga Makabu (TKO 3) in November 2023. He was unable to defend his title for over a year and when he fought, he was beaten by Jack (MD 12) on May 3.

THE FUTURE: He wants a rematch with Jack after the close nature of their first fight.

RECORD: 17-1-1 (9 KOs)

THE PAST: Peralta represented Argentina at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. As a professional, he claimed WBC regional and South American titles. When Peralta travelled to Canada, he controversially lost to Ryan Rozicki (SD 10) in May 2022. He rebounded to beat Thabiso Mchunu (SD 10) in South Africa last March and then returned to Canada, holding Rozicki to a draw in the rematch last December.

THE FUTURE: He's assessing his options.

RECORD: 17-0 (10 KOs)

THE PAST: Mosquea was born in the Dominican Republic before basing himself out of France, where he made his professional debut in 2019. The 31-year-old won the vacant French title in March 2023 before levelling up and winning the European title by beating Cheavon Clarke (SD 12) last December.

THE FUTURE: Still recovering from an arm injury that forced him to give up the European title.

RECORD: 18-0 (13 KOs)

THE PAST: Safar won his first six fights in his native Sweden before heading stateside in 2019. He fought limited opposition before taking the scalp of faded former light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (UD 10) last May. The 32-year-old signed with Golden Boy and fought in Cancun against Roberto Silva (TKO 5) on March 29.

THE FUTURE: He'll return on the undercard of Vergil Ortiz-Erickson Lubin in Dallas on November 8.

RECORD: 13-0 (7 KOs)

THE PAST: The Londoner's progress was slow after turning over in 2018, until he won the English title shutting out fellow unbeaten Nathan Quarless (UD 10) last September and beat Mikael Lawal (UD 10) six months later. He bested Cheavon Clarke (UD 12) to become British champion on April 26.

THE FUTURE: Potential return late this year or early next year.

Yuniel Dorticos, Brandon Glanton, Mateusz Masternak, Lenar Perez and Mike Perez

Click here for the pound-for-pound review, as well as countless more divisions assessed - the strawweights, the junior-flyweights, the flyweights, the junior bantamweights, the bantamweights, the junior featherweights, the featherweights, the junior lightweights, the lightweights, junior welterweights, welterweights, junior middleweights, middleweights, super middleweights and light heavyweights.

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk and you can follow him on X @AnsonWainwr1ght.