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 eight months of 2025, it's time to compile another divisional breakdown. Next up is middleweight (160-pounds), the weakest it's been in years and in dire need of a facelift. As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people's opinions.

RECORD: 17-0 (12 KOs)

THE PAST: Alimkhanuly won gold at the 2013 World Championships before representing Kazakhstan at the 2016 Olympics, where he lost at the quarter-final stage. As a professional, he moved quickly and took apart Danny Dignum (KO 2) to win the vacant WBO interim title in May 2022. When Demetrius Andrade didn't return to middleweight, Alimkhanuly was upgraded to full champion. The 32-year-old southpaw looked average in a 12-round decision win over short-notice challenger Denzel Bentley before returning to impressive form, stopping Steven Butler (KO2) in May 2023. Five months later, he dismissed Vincenzo Gualtieri (TKO6), adding the IBF title to his collection in their October unification.

Weight-related issues saw a fight last summer fall out against Andrei Mikhailovich but when the fight was rebooked for Australia last October, Alimkhanuly proved far too good en route to a ninth-round stoppage. He enjoyed a homecoming in Astana on April 5, stopping unbeaten contender Anauel Ngamissengue.

THE FUTURE: He's had many X debates with WBC ruler Carlos Adames that so far haven't born fruit for them to fight. Top Rank are working on his next move.

RECORD: 24-1-1 (18 KOs)

THE PAST: Adames was first noticed at junior middleweight, where he beat Frank Galarza (TKO 4) and Patrick Day (UD 10). The powerful Dominican was upset by Patrick Teixeira (UD 12) when bidding to win the vacant WBO interim title in November 2019. After returning to action, he won two fights before scoring a career-best win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko (UD 10) in December 2021.

He became WBC interim titleholder when knocking out Juan Macias Montiel (KO 3) in October 2022 and retained his title stopping former unified junior middleweight titlist Julian Williams (TKO 9) in June 2023. The 31-year-old was made up to full champion and defended his title against Terrell Gausha (UD 12) last June and impressed against Hamzah Sheeraz but was held to a 12-round split draw on February 22.

THE FUTURE: It would be great to see him and Alimkhanuly square off, though he also owes longtime mandatory challenger Meiirim Nursultanov a fight.

RECORD: 35-3 (25 KOs)

THE PAST: Eubank learned on the job as a pro before narrowly dropping a decision to the much more experienced Billy Joe Saunders (UD 12) way back in November 2014. He stepped up to 168 pounds and bested Arthur Abraham (UD 12) and iced Avni Yildirim (KO 3) before dropping a decision to George Groves (UD 12) in February 2018 during the World Boxing Super Series tournament in February 2018.

He bounced back with a win over James DeGale (UD 12) in February 2019 and has since dropped back down to 160 pounds. The 36-year-old was shockingly stopped by Liam Smith (TKO 4) in January 2023 but returned eight months later with a comprehensive 10th-round stoppage in their rematch. Eubank outpointed Conor Benn over 12 rounds in a heated historical rivalry dating back to their father's days on April 26.

THE FUTURE: He will rematch Benn on November 15.

RECORD: 8-0 (7 KOs)

THE PAST: The Cuban won gold at the World Championships in 2021 and 2023. Inbetween, he engaged into professional bouts in Mexico. After deciding to focus on the professional ranks, he has been a regular sparring partner for boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez and appeared on his undercards. He caught the eye by taking apart experienced pros Alejandro Barrera (TKO 7) in June 2024, Angel Ruiz (TKO 5) last February and gatecrashed the world rankings by dominating longtime contender Kyrone Davis over 10 rounds on May 31.

THE FUTURE: He's tabbed to stay busy on against an as yet unknown opponent in Hollywood, Florida, on October 12.

RECORD: 15-0 (5 KOs)

THE PAST: Isley was a standout amateur, who represented the U.S. at the World Championships in 2017 - winning bronze - and the delayed 2020 Olympics, where he reached the Round of 16. Turning pro in early 2021, he's steadily moved through the ranks.

The 27-year-old holds notable wins over rugged spoiler Vladimir Hernandez (UD8) in November 2023 and fellow prospect Javier Martinez (UD10) last June. Since then, he has since cemented his contender status with 10-round points victories over Tyler Howard last November and Etoundi Michel William on June 7.

THE FUTURE: Top Rank are working on his upcoming fight.

RECORD: 21-0 (9 KOs)

THE PAST: Oliha won his first 16 fights in his native Italy before impressing during a sparring session with William Scull, after which he was snapped up by AGON and fought under the German promoter.

Since then, the 27-year-old has beaten unbeaten pair Julio Alamos and Faton Vukshinaj over 12 rounds before stopping Alexander Pavlov three rounds into an IBF eliminator. He had been due to face Austin Williams on July 19, only for an eye injury to curtail that fight.

THE FUTURE: Stayed busy this month with a third-round stoppage against Croatian journeyman Ivan Njegac so will likely have something bigger - potentially rebooking the Williams eliminator - either later this year or in early 2026.

RECORD: 20-0 (10 KOs)

THE PAST: McKenna was a good amateur, racking up over 160 fights and notably won gold at the European Schoolboy championships before heading stateside where he made his professional debut at 18, in December 2017.

After nine wins in America, he found himself fighting in the UK post-COVID. He beat Uisma Lima via 10-round decision in June 2023 but got his big break when claiming the scalp of former junior middleweight champion Liam Smith on April 26's Eubank-Benn undercard.

THE FUTURE: He has yet to announce anything but has stressed a desire to face unified champion Janibek Alimkhanuly.

RECORD: 19-1 (13 KOs)

THE PAST: Williams made his debut on the Juan Francisco Estrada-Srisaket Sor Rungvisai undercard in April 2016. After winning his first 10 fights he met fellow unbeaten Chordale Booker, scoring an impressive first-round knockout in April 2022.

A 10-round decision win over fringe contender Steve Rolls further advanced his career in September 2023, before "Ammo" took on Hamzah Sheeraz in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

He had his share of early success before being dominated and stopped in 11 rounds in June 2024. The 29-year-old southpaw has bounced back with three wins to put himself within striking distance of a world title shot.

THE FUTURE: He's made his way back after the Sheeraz defeat and had hoped to face Oliha in July, perhaps that will be rescheduled to take place next.

RECORD: 21-3-1 (17 KOs)

THE PAST: Bentley has been a professional since October 2017. After picking up 13 wins, he drew with Mark Heffron over 10 rounds in September 2020. Just two months later, the two met in a rematch and Bentley got the jump on Heffron, forcing his rival to retire after four rounds to capture the vacant British title. He met Commonwealth titleholder Felix Cash five months later and was stopped in three rounds.

After a comeback win, he reclaimed the British belt by taking Linus Udofia's unbeaten record with a 12-round split decision nod in May 2022. Having stopped Marcus Morrison to defend the Lonsdale belt on Sept. 16, he got a short-notice call for a surprise WBO world title clash against Janibek Alimkhanuly that November, losing a spirited 12-round decision.

Two fights later, the 30-year-old was upset in a British title defence by Nathan Heaney (UD12) in November 2023. He regrouped again with two victories before outpointing Brad Pauls to regain the British crown, while adding European honours to his ledger in December.

THE FUTURE: He'd like a second shot at Alimkhanuly but instead, the WBO have ordered him to defend his No. 1 ranking against Endry Saavedra - expected for October 25 as part of the Fabio Wardley-Joseph Parker undercard.

RECORD: 18-1-2 (3 KOs)

THE PAST: Taylor turned professional at 140-pounds back in 2013. He lost his fourth fight to one-time prospect Ladarius Miller (UD 4) in April 2015. He grew into a welterweight and scored wins over unbeaten pair Jimmy Williams (UD 8) and Sanjarbek Rakhmanov (UD 8) in 2018. He held Olympian Paul Kroll to a draw at junior middleweight.

Searching for fights, he jumped to middleweight and upset Cuba's Yoelvis Gomez (UD 10) in July 2023. Since then, the 31-year-old Texan has won the NABF title against Ryan Adams (TKO 5) and made two defenses.

THE FUTURE: Looking to return in the not-too-distant future.

Fiodor Czerkaszyn, Elijah Garcia, Liam Smith, Jahi Tucker and Patrice Volny.

Click here for the pound-for-pound review, as well as a dozen 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 and junior middleweights