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 welterweight (140 pounds), has seen five of last year's top 10 drop out either because they lost or moved up but still remains a strong division with several intriguing matchups. As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people's opinions.

RECORD: 22-1 (13 KOs)

THE PAST: Lopez represented Honduras at the 2016 Olympics. After turning professional, the big puncher caught the eye with highlight-reel knockouts against Mason Menard (KO 1), Diego Magdaleno (KO 7) and Edis Tatli (KO 5) before demolishing IBF lightweight titleholder Richard Commey (TKO 2) in December 2019. The 28-year-old became undisputed lightweight king when he edged past Vasiliy Lomachenko (UD 12) in October 2020. An often-postponed bout and outside-the-ring drama meant Lopez didn’t face IBF mandatory George Kambosos for 13 months and, when he did, he shockingly dropped a 12-round split decision. Lopez promptly moved up to 140 pounds and looked less than stellar winning two fights before returning to his best impressively outboxing Josh Taylor (UD 12) to become Ring and WBO titlist in June 2023. However, has gone through the motions against Jamaine Ortiz (UD 12) and Steve Claggett (UD 12) in subsequent title defenses before beating Arnold Barboza (UD 12) on May 2.

THE FUTURE: He has been linked with several big fights, which could include a move to welterweight, but nothing has been scheduled.

RECORD: 20-0 (8 KOs)

THE PAST: Hitchins represented his ancestral home of Haiti at the 2016 losing to Gary Antuanne Russell in the Round of 16. He signed professional forms with Mayweather Promotions but often flattered to decide before switching to Matchroom in late 2022. Since then, he has impressively beaten Yomar Alomar (RTD 6), shut out then unbeaten John Bauza (UD 10) and very former title challenger Jose Zepeda (UD 12) in September 2023. He struggled with the aggressive Argentine fighter Gustavo Lemos (UD 12) in April 2024 but claimed the IBF title from Liam Paro (SD 12) last December. He beat former Ring/undisputed lightweight king George Kambosos Jr. (TKO 8) in definitive fashion on June 14.

THE FUTURE: His contract with Matchroom has finished and while they haven't negotiated an extension it remains possible as Hitchins works out his next move Is Eddie Hearn Ready To Bury Hatchet With Richardson Hitchins?

RECORD: 23-2 (22 KOs)

THE PAST: Matias turned professional in 2015. The Puerto Rican won his first 13 all inside the distance and stopped unbeaten Maxim Dadashev in 11 rounds in July 2019. The Russian tragically passed away after the fight. That may have affected Matias, who was surprisingly listless and beaten by against Petros Ananyan (UD 10) in February 2020. The 33-year-old has bounced back to take the unbeaten records of Malik Hawkins (RTD 6), Batyrzhan Jukembayev (RTD 8) and stopped Ananyan (RTD 9) in a rematch. The heavy-handed wrecking ball bludgeoned previously unbeaten Jeremias Ponce (RTD 5) to claim the vacant IBF title in February 2023 and made one successful defense against Shohjahon Ergashev (RTD 6) before surprisingly losing his title in a homecoming defense against Liam Paro (UD 12) in June 2024. He recalibrated with a pair of wins before edging home against Alberto Puello (MD 12) to become WBC titlist on July 12.

THE FUTURE: He is due to face his mandatory challenger Dalton Smith late this year after his promoter, Fresh Productions, won a purse bid to stage the fight and have said they intend to in November.

RECORD: 24-1 (10 KOs)

THE PAST: Puello worked his way up through the ranks in his native Dominican Republic and holds wins over experienced campaigner Patrick Lopez (TKO 7), previously unbeaten Jonathan Alonso (UD 12) and big-punching Ve Shawn Owens (UD 10). When Josh Taylor was forced to vacate the WBA title, Puello was matched with Batyr Akhmedov to fill the vacancy in June 2021. The 31-year-old used his tricky southpaw skills to edge past Akhmedov by split decision. He tested positive for clomiphene and was stripped of his title. He returned and then edged past Gary Antuanne Russell (SD 12) in June 2024, to pick up the WBC Interim title which was then upgraded to the full title. He beat Sandor Martin (SD 12) in March in his only defense before coming up short against Matias (MD 12).

THE FUTURE: Puello has had a lot of close fights and may have to drop down a level and get back in the win column before a big opportunity comes his way.

RECORD: 32-1 (11 KOs)

THE PAST: Barboza played American football in his teens, bulking up to 210 pounds, before dropping a huge amount of weight and returning to boxing. Barboza edged fellow prospect Mike Reed (UD 10) in 2018. He has won the NABF title against Manuel Lopez (UD 10) and made two defenses, stopping former world titleholder Mike Alvarado (KO 3) and William Silva (KO 5). The 33-year-old, who is a more steady than spectacular performer, beat former world title challenger Alex Saucedo (UD 10), took Danielito Zorrilla's (UD 10) unbeaten record and beat former two-division titleholder Jose Pedraza (UD 10) in February 2023. However, struggled against Sean McComb (SD 10) in April 2024 but returned to form with wins over former unified titlist Jose Ramirez (UD 10) last November and beat Jack Catterall (SD 12) in Manchester, England, in February but lost his unbeaten record when he challenged Ring/WBO titlist Lopez (UD 12) on May 2.

THE FUTURE: Potentially he could return on a Golden Boy card in the next few months.

RECORD: 26-1 (16 KOs)

THE PAST: Paro turned professional in 2016. He moved through the ranks initially winning the Australian national title and then various sanctioning body regional titles. He beat the likes of Steve Gago (UD 10), previously unbeaten pair Yomar Alamo (SD 10) and Brock Jarvis (KO 1). He stepped up by beating Montana Love (KO 6) in December 2023. However, the 29-year-old southpaw caused one of the upsets of the year by going to Puerto Rico and unseating the fearsome IBF titlist Subriel Matias (UD 12) but lost his title in his first defense to Hitchins (SD 12) in December. He has returned with a win in his homeland against Jonathan Navarro (RTD 5).

THE FUTURE: Paro is headed to welterweight where he will face unbeaten David Papot (30-0-1, 5 KOs) in an IBF title eliminator in Tennyson, Australia on September 18.

RECORD: 18-1 (17 KOs)

THE PAST: Russell is the younger brother of former WBC featherweight titlist Gary Russell Jr. and bantamweight contender Gary Antonio Russell Jr. he was a standout amateur and represented the U.S. at the 2016 Rio Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals. After transitioning to the professional ranks, Russell was impressive with wins over former world champions Viktor Postol (TKO 10) and Rances Barthelemy (TKO 6) in 2022 but 29-year-old southpaw's inactivity (just three fights since) have held him back. In one of those fights, he appeared unlucky losing to Alberto Puello (SD 12) when they contested the WBC Interim title last June. However, he rebounded with a strong showing to dominate Jose Valenzuela (UD 12) to become WBA champion on March 1.

THE FUTURE: Perhaps he can force his way onto a PBC show in the fall, otherwise it'll be another one fight year for him.

RECORD: 42-3 (15 KOs)

THE PAST: The Spanish veteran turned professional in 2011. He claimed the national title before coming up short when he fought for the European title against Anthony Yigit (UD 12) in September 2017. However, at the second time of asking he picked up the title stopping Andrea Scarpa (RTD 9) in July 2019. He made two defenses before upsetting Mikey Garcia (UD 12) in October 2021. That led to a fight against Teofimo Lopez, who he dropped but lost a controversial 10-round split decision. He kept active with two low-level wins before narrowly losing to then WBC titlist Alberto Puello (SD 12) on March 1.

THE FUTURE: Likely to have to stay active and hope another big opportunity comes.

RECORD: 18-0 (13 KOs)

THE PAST: The Brit enjoyed a productive amateur career, he was the European Youth champion in 2014, Commonwealth Youth bronze medalist in 2015 and ABA champion in 2018. However, he saw his hopes of going to the 2016 Olympics expunged when his weight class changed. After switching to the professional side of the sport in May 2019, he began working his way up, winning British, Commonwealth, European and WBC regional titles. The 28-year-old owns wins over Sam Maxwell (TKO 7), former world title challenger Jose Zepeda (KO 5) and, in his most recent outing, he beat Mathieu Germain by lopsided 12-round unanimous decision on April 19.

THE FUTURE: It appears he'll have to dust off his passport to go to Puerto Rico to face WBC titlist Subriel Matias in November.

RECORD: 24-0 (19 KOs)

THE PAST: Hiraoka was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Ghanaian father. Although he wasn't a noted amateur but had boxed from the age of 4. He turned professional at 17 and after six fights spent time honing his craft in Las Vegas under the watchful eye of Roger Mayweather and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. After returning to Japan the 29-year-old has landed the vacant national title by stopping Jin Sasaki (TKO 11) in October 2021 and, most recently, picked up the WBA interim title by impressing against veteran warhorse Ismael Barroso (TKO 9) last September.

THE FUTURE: It is rumoured that he will end his year of inactivity when he returns in November.

RECORD: 23-0 (16 KOs)

THE PAST: Delgado represented Mexico at the 2016 Olympics, losing in the opening round. After turning professional the following year, his progress was initially slow. However, after signing with Top Rank this began to pick up and he has scored wins over previously unbeaten Bryan Flores (SD 10), dominated Jackson Marinez (TKO 5) and edged home against Elvis Rodriguez (MD 10) on April 5.

THE FUTURE: The 30-year-old seems ready for something more significant and will hope to see action in the fall.

Adam Azim, Arthur Biyarslanov, Oscar Duarte, Jose Valenzuela and Emiliano Vargas.

Click here for the pound-for-pound review, as well as eight more divisions assessed - the strawweights, the junior-flyweights, the flyweights, the junior bantamweights, the bantamweights, the junior featherweights, the featherweights, the junior lightweights and the lightweights.