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 first half of 2025, it's time to compile another divisional breakdown.

Next up is junior featherweight (130 pounds), which is a division that has plenty of depth inside and outside the top 10. On any given night someone could upset the establishment, such as when Charley Suarez gave Emanuel Navarrete serious trouble, and Jazza Dickens shocked Albert Batrygaziev.

As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people’s opinions.

RECORD: 23-3 (12 KOs)

THE PAST: Foster lost twice early in his career at lightweight, against Samuel Teah (UD 8) and Rolando Chinea (SD 8). However, the 31-year-old Houston native found his stride at 130, notably taking the unbeaten record of Jon Fernandez (UD 10), stopping grizzled former world title challenger Miguel Roman (KO 9), and dominating Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (UD 12) between 2018 and 2022. Those wins earned him a fight for the vacant WBC title against Rey Vargas, and he put on a clinic to win a 12-round unanimous decision in February 2023. He scored a thrilling last round knockout over Eduardo Hernandez (TKO 12) eight months later in Mexico to keep the title, squeezed by Abraham Nova (SD 12) in February of last year and lost his belt in controversial fashion to Robson Conceicao (SD 12) in July of last year before regaining it (SD 12) in a rematch in November.

THE FUTURE: He'll defend his title against Stephen Fulton on Oct. 25.

RECORD: 39-2-1 (32 KOs)

THE PAST: Navarrete burst onto the scene to claim the WBO junior featherweight title at the expense of Isaac Dogboe (UD 12) in December 2018. The heavy-handed Mexican stopped Dogboe (TKO 12) in the first of five defenses before moving up in weight. The 30-year-old bested previously unbeaten Ruben Villa (UD 12) to claim the WBO title in October 2020 and went on to make three defenses, notably topping Joet Gonzalez (UD 12) before again moving up in weight. He got off the canvas to stop Liam Wilson (TKO 9) to claim the vacant WBO title in February 2023 and was then too active for Oscar Valdez (UD 12) before defending the title against Robson Conceicao (D 12) the same year. He jumped to lightweight in an attempt to win the vacant WBO title but was beaten by Ivan Baranchyk (SD 12) in May of last year before dropping back to 130, where he stopped Valdez (KO 6) in December and is coming off a controversial no-contest against Charley Suarez (NC 8) on May 10.

THE FUTURE: A rematch with Suarez appears likely for the fall.

RECORD: 24-1 (9 KOs)

THE PAST: Cacace made his professional debut in 2012. After going unbeaten through 15 fights, he lost a British and Commonwealth title fight to Martin J. Ward (UD 12). Two fights later, he claimed the British title by beating Sam Bowen (SD 12). After one defense, he won a thriller against Michael Magnesi (SD 12) and followed that up against Damian Wrzesinski (UD 12). However, the tall 36-year-old's big opportunity came after a year off when he faced previously unbeaten IBF boss Joe Cordina (TKO 8) in May of last year. He vacated the IBF title instead of facing relatively unknown but dangerous Eduardo Nunez. He has gone on to score big wins over Josh Warrington (UD 12) last September and Leigh Wood (TKO 9) in May.

THE FUTURE: Had agreed to face Raymond Ford in Riyadh on Aug. 16 before a back injury ruled him out. Once fit and healthy, he'll be out in another big fight.

RECORD: 25-1-2 (10 KOs)

THE PAST: After success in the amateur ranks domestically, the American turned his attention to professional boxing in 2014. He was held to a draw by former two-time world title challenger Orlando Cruz but went on to earn a shot at then WBO titlist Jamel Herring in 2019, losing a unanimous decision. The 30-year-old recalibrated with four wins before beating Hector Luis Garcia (SD 12) for the WBA title in November 2023. He successfully defended it by beating Feargal McCrory (TKO 8) seven months later. He got the opportunity to move up in weight and face hugely popular WBA 135-pound titlist Gervonta Davis and gave the defending champion all he could handle en route to a 12-round draw this past March.

THE FUTURE: It looked as if he'd get a deserved rematch with Davis on Aug. 16 only for Davis to find himself in trouble, and the date fell out. Davis then went in another direction and will face Jake Paul. Roach will hope to build on a career-best performance to get another big fight, possibly against Shakur Stevenson.

RECORD: 28-1 (27 KOs)

THE PAST: The Los Mochis native toiled in near anonymity in Mexico for several years, winning all but one his fights – a loss to Hiram Gallardo (UD 6) – inside the distance, with only three opponents getting past the sixth round. The 28-year-old puncher's big break came when he went to Tajikistan and stopped iron-jawed Shavkatzhon Rakhimov (TKO 11). "Sugar" beat up and stopped faded, but still serviceable former title challenger Miguel Marriaga (TKO 6) in August of last year. Unable to get a fight with Cacace, he instead beat Masanori Rikiishi (UD 12) for the vacant IBF title in Japan on May 28.

THE FUTURE: He'll have home advantage for a change when he faces former two-time world title challenger Christopher Diaz (30-5, 19 KOs) on Sept. 6.

RECORD: 20-3-1 (10 KOs)

THE PAST: The Brazilian fought in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics before winning gold at the 2016 Rio Games. He worked his way through the ranks as a professional and gave then-WBC titlist Oscar Valdez fits before losing a contentious 12-round unanimous decision in 2021. He rebounded strongly, taking Xavier Martinez’s unbeaten record (UD 10), but lost a second world title fight against then WBC/WBO kingpin Shakur Stevenson (UD 12) in his next two fights. He twice got off the canvas to hold WBO titlist Emanuel Navarrete to a draw in November 2023. He then finally got over the hump, winning a world title in his fourth attempt by edging past Foster (SD 12) to pick up the WBC belt in controversial fashion. However, he lost it in a rematch (SD 12). He has since returned with a win in Brazil.

THE FUTURE: The 36-year-old is doubtlessly planning his next move and looking toward another title opportunity.

RECORD: 37-2 (32 KOs)

THE PAST: Hernandez turned professional at 16, in 2014. He ploughed through his first 28 opponents, with only three hearing the final bell, before he was stunningly derailed by Roger Gutierrez (KO 1) in 2019. He rebuilt with six wins before running out of gas against WBC titlist O'Shaquie Foster (TKO 12) in heart-breaking fashion in October 2023. "Rocky" has returned with three wins, including a dominating decision over Rene Tellez (UD 12) last February.

THE FUTURE: Hernandez had eye surgery a couple of months ago and will look to return later this year or early in 2026.

RECORD: 18-0 (10 KOs)

THE PAST: Suarez was a good amateur, winning gold at three Southeast Asian Games and representing The Philippines at the 2016 Olympics. He turned professional at the relatively advanced age of 30, and after getting the usual leg up at home, he began fighting overseas. Suarez came from behind to stop Paul Fleming (TKO 12) in March 2023 in Australia. He won three fights in America. Then, this past May, he gave WBO titlist Navarrete all he could handle. Suarez was unfortunate when a cut suffered by Navarrete that ended the fight was attributed to an accidental headbutt, after which the champ was awarded a technical decision victory. Replays later demonstrated that a cut caused the cut, and the fight was ruled a no-contest.

THE FUTURE: Hopefully he gets to run it back against Navarrete next.

RECORD: 18-1-1 (8 KOs)

THE PAST: Ford won 14 of his first 15, the lone blemish being an early draw. The New Jersey southpaw scored a come from behind last-round stoppage over Otabek Kholmatov (TKO 12) to claim the vacant WBA featherweight title in March of last year. The 26-year-old lost his championship in a close-run battle with Nick Ball (SD 12) three months later. He then decided to move up to junior lightweight and has scored wins over Orlando Gonzalez (UD 10), Thomas Mattice (UD 10) and Abraham Nova (UD 10) on Aug. 16.

THE FUTURE: Ford is settled into 130 pounds. He'll be eyeing a world title in the not too distant future.

RECORD: 36-5 (15 KOs)

THE PAST: The Liverpudlian has been a professional since 2011. He lost to Kid Galahad (TKO 10) for the British junior featherweight title back in 2013 but claimed the title by beating Josh Wale (UD 12) in 2015. He came up short when WBA ruler Guillermo Rigondeaux broke his jaw and stopped him in two rounds the following year. He scored solid wins over Nathaniel May (UD 10) and Leigh Wood (MD 10) in 2019 and 2020 but was again beaten by Galahad (RTD 11) when they contested the vacant IBF 126-pound title in 2021. After working his way back, his career lay in ruins when Hector Sosa (KO 10) scored an upset stoppage in July 2023. However, the 34-year-old southpaw breathed new life into his career by beating Zelfa Barrett (UD 10) in February and then, when brought in as fodder, he shocked Albert Batyrgaziev (KO 4) in July.

THE FUTURE: Will likely look to cash in on his new standing in a big fight. The likes of Cacace or Ryan Garner would be interesting.

Andres Cortes, Ryan Garner, Mark Magsayo, Hayato Tsutsumi and Oscar Valdez

Click here for the pound-for-pound review, as well as the first six divisions assessed - the strawweights, the junior-flyweights, the flyweights, the junior bantamweights, the bantamweights, the junior featherweights and the featherweights.