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 welterweight (147-pounds), at its weakest in years and looks bereft of the usual cadre of elite talent and took a further hit when now-former champion Jaron Ennis headed up to junior middleweight, searching for bigger tests at a more comfortable weight to make.

However, the good news is we may see some of the big junior welterweight names move up to potentially bring back the glory days. As always, please enjoy the debate and respect other people's opinions.

RECORD: 28-0 (22 KOs)

THE PAST: Norman made his professional debut at 17 and fought often in Mexico where he served his apprenticeship. He came to the fore after signing with Top Rank overcoming a few obstacles before dominating Quinton Randall over ten rounds before bludgeoning Giovani Santillan in-front of Santillan's San Diego fanbase to win the WBO interim title.

The 24-year-old looked like he'd levelled up after being elevated to full champion, impressively stopping Derrieck Cuevas (TKO 3) in March before icing Jin Sasaki with a fifth-round knockout of the year contender on away soil in Japan three months later.

THE FUTURE: Norman will face his career-best test in the form of two-division champion Devin Haney in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 22.

RECORD: 15-1 (9 KOs)

THE PAST: Stanionis turned professional after an excellent amateur career concluded at the 2016 Olympics. The 31-year-old Lithuanian moved to America and his aggressive style allowed him to adapt quickly to the professional ranks.

He owns wins over Justin DeLoach (KO 9), Thomas Dulorme (UD 12) and overcame the previously unbeaten Radzhab Butaev (SD 12) to win the WBA title. A snake-bitten fight with Vergil Ortiz failed to come to pass, leaving him on the sidelines for an extended period. He returned against Gabriel Maestre (UD 12) in May 2024 but lost a unification to IBF counterpart Jaron Ennis (RTD 6) on April 12.

THE FUTURE: Stanionis will have a homecoming in Kaunas against Jubalani Makhense (16-2, 8 KOs) on September 27.

RECORD: 34-1 (18 KOs)

THE PAST: Santillan has been a professional since 2012. His career was something of a slow burn and took him until 2020 when he edged past former lightweight titlist and long-faded Antonio DeMarco (MD 10) inside The Bubble at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

Several fights later he upset Alexis Rocha (KO 6) in a career-best performance. However, just as we started to believe in him, he was well beaten in a homecoming by the aforementioned Norman (KO 10) in May 2024. The 33-year-old southpaw has returned with two wins, including outpointing Angel Beltran over ten rounds on May 10.

THE FUTURE: Nothing scheduled but it would be fair to expect him to see action in the fall.

RECORD: 17-0 (10 KOs)

THE PAST: Polanco represented the Dominican Republic at the 2020 (delayed to 2021) Olympics. After turning professional he made the usual steps but caught the eye with notable stoppages over Cesar Francis (TKO 5) in July 2023 and Keith Hunter (TKO 6) in December 2023. As the opponents have improved, so has the 26-year-old, stopping once-beaten Jean Carlos Torres (KO 2) in February, following by dominant decisions over former title challenger Fabian Maidana (UD 10) in May and then Quinton Randall (UD 10) on July 26.

THE FUTURE: A spot on promoter Top Rank's fall schedule is expected, when they figure out where their next TV deal is.

RECORD: 17-0 (10 KOs)

THE PAST: Giyasov was a standout amateur claiming silver at the 2016 Olympics before taking gold at the 2017 World Championships. After turning professional in early 2018, he has moved through the ranks, initially at 140-pounds before settling at 147-pounds.

The 32-year-old holds win over Christian Gomez (UD 10), Harold Calderon (UD 12) faded former title challenger Pablo Cesar Cano (TD 11) and struggled against Miguel Parra (SD 10) in July 2024. He beat Franco Ocampo (KO 4) on April 12 in a stay-busy assignment.

THE FUTURE: The Uzbek's career has stagnated as he continues to tread water waiting for his big opportunity, showing no sign of coming. The WBA's No. 1-ranked contender and a danger to new champion Rolando Romero, however, that may not come next.

RECORD: 25-2-1 (16 KOs)

THE PAST: Rocha was a good amateur and hit the ground running as a professional notching 16 consecutive wins before losing his unbeaten record to Rashidi Ellis (UD 12) in October 2020. To his credit the 28-year-old southpaw has bounced back strongly with seven wins, notably Blair Cobbs (KO 9), George Ashie (KO 7) and Anthony Young (KO 5) to become the WBO mandatory challenger.

However, he lost to Giovani Santillan (KO 6) in October 2023 but returned with wins over Frederick Lawson (RTD 7) in March 2024 and previously unbeaten Santiago Dominguez (UD 10) in July 2024 but was held to a draw by Raul Curiel (D 12) last December.

THE FUTURE: Yet to kick off his campaign this year. It will be interesting to see if he finds a spot on a Golden Boy show in the fall.

RECORD: 16-0-1 (14 KOs)

THE PAST: Curiel was a talented amateur, who fought Internationally, he boxed in the World Series of Boxing and also represented Mexico at the 2016. He turned professional on the undercard of Canelo-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in May 2017.

The 29-year-old won the vacant NABF title against Ferdinand Kerobyan (KO 9) in June 2022 and made five successful defenses, all inside the distance before stepping up against promotional stablemate Rocha (D 12). He beat previously unbeaten Victor Rodriguez (KO 4) on June 28.

THE FUTURE: He'll hope his promoter Golden Boy are able to place him on one of their shows before the end of the year.

RECORD: 29-2-2 (18 KOs)

THE PAST: Barrios turned professional as a teenager over a decade ago as a junior featherweight. Since then, the tall San Antonio native has filled out and claimed world titles at 140 and 147. He won the vacant WBA 140-pound title against Batyr Akhmedov (UD 12) but lost it in his second defense to Gervonta Davis (TKO 11). The 30-year-old jumped to welterweight and was beaten by Keith Thurman (UD 12) in February 2022 but rebounded to win the WBC title by upsetting Yordenis Ugas (UD 12) and has since successfully defended against Fabian Maidana (UD 12), Abel Ramos (D 12) and Manny Pacquiao (D 12) on July 19.

THE FUTURE: Perhaps an immediate rematch with Pacquiao to settle their score?

RECORD: 62-8-3 (39 KOs)

THE PAST: Pacquiao turned professional at 16 back in 1995. While still a teenager, he won the WBC flyweight title but lost it in his second defense. He jumped to junior featherweight where he began one of the most remarkable runs in recent times.

He went on to win world titles at junior featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight, as well as lineal titles at featherweight and junior welterweight during an unprecedented run where he scored huge wins over the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera (TKO 11/ UD 12), Ricky Hatton (KO 2) and Miguel Cotto (TKO 12).

He also bested Juan Manuel Marquez twice, as well as a draw and defeat, beat Erik Morales two of three and lost a 12-round decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr in May 2015.

It looked like the hugely popular Filipino would ride off into the sunset after taking Keith Thurman's unbeaten record and WBA title in July 2019 but lost to Yordenis Ugas (UD 12) before snapping a near four-year retirement to almost beat Barrios (D 12).

THE FUTURE: The 46-year-old has been installed as the WBC No. 1, so perhaps a second fight with Barrios beckons, WBA ruler Rolando Romero has also been mentioned.

RECORD: 22-1 (8 KOs)

THE PAST: Botswana-born Essuman arrived in England aged 11. He fought his way on to Team GB and made the switch to the professional side of the sport at the relatively late age of 27, in 2016. After settling into the pros, he stopped Chris Jenkins (TKO 8) for the British and Commonwealth titles in July 2021.

He made four defenses before dropping the titles to Harry Scarff (UD 12) in November 2023. A pair of wins last year put him in position to face and upset former Ring and undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor (UD 12) on May 24.

THE FUTURE: He'll be hoping to parlay the Taylor victory into something even bigger in the next few months.

Jack Catterall, Karen Chukhadzhian, Lewis Crocker, Paddy Donovan and Devin Haney

Click here for the pound-for-pound review, as well as ten 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 and junior welterweights.