What’s subsequent for Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and the remainder of the perfect junior welterweights?
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Simply final yr, the 135-pound division was the load class to look at, as Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis all known as it residence.
Now Lopez and Garcia marketing campaign at 140 kilos, and immediately, the junior welterweight division is without doubt one of the sport’s best weight courses. The injection of star energy from Lopez and Garcia is a pleasant enhance, however even with out them, the load class options elite fighters and a deep properly of contenders.
Division kingpin Josh Taylor recently vacated a third title, creating alternatives for a bundle of significant fights in a immediately wide-open weight class. Who’s primed to seize these titles and what marquee matchups are on the horizon? Let us take a look at the panorama at 140 kilos.
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The champion:
Josh Taylor
Taylor captured the undisputed championship in Might 2021 and was on high when he entered the ring in February to defend all 4 belts vs. Jack Catterall. Shockingly, Catterall appeared to win the combat, however the judges in Taylor’s native nation, Scotland, denied the challenger.
The 31-year-old deliberate to leap to 147 kilos, however the controversial nature and outcry for a rematch prompted him to stay at 140 for at the least another combat. There isn’t any deal but, however Taylor is in talks for a Nov. 26 rematch with Catterall.
In pursuing the return bout, Taylor vacated his WBC, WBA and IBF belts. He stays the WBO champion, a title he’ll possible defend towards Catterall in November.
“I’ll proceed to do no matter it takes to be able to make the rematch with Jack Catterall occur,” Taylor, who owns wins over Jose Ramirez and Regis Prograis in unification bouts, advised Sky Sports activities final week.
The belt-holder:
Alberto Puello
The 28-year-old Dominican had by no means confronted a world-class opponent till earlier this month when he claimed a vacant title with a split-decision victory over Batyr Akhmedov.
A talented counter-puncher promoted by PBC, Puello may discover himself matched with the winner of the IBF title combat between Subriel Matias and Jeremias Ponce subsequent yr.
The contenders:
Jack Catterall
Catterall wasn’t extremely regarded when he stepped by way of the ropes to combat Taylor, however he proved he may cling with the perfect at 140 kilos.
Catterall constantly beat Taylor to the punch and did a wonderful job dictating the tempo along with his jab. Did the Englishman merely put all of it collectively for one efficiency towards a champion who took him calmly?
Catterall ought to have an opportunity to show he is right here to remain in a rematch towards Taylor that is more likely to happen Nov. 26 in Glasgow.
Teofimo Lopez
Universally acknowledged as among the finest pound-for-pound boxers following his win over Vasiliy Lomachenko, Lopez now finds himself being doubted.
Lopez’s camp for the George Kambosos Jr. combat in November was tumultuous, and the combat adopted swimsuit.
After he was floored within the opening spherical, Lopez rallied to drop Kambosos in Spherical 10 however nonetheless misplaced his 4 135-pound titles by way of determination in a bloody affair that was later named ESPN’s Upset of the 12 months.
Lopez fought with a slight tear in his esophagus versus Kambosos, however after restoration, he made his 140-pound debut towards the unheralded Pedro Campa in August. Lopez didn’t impress whereas grabbing a victory via seventh-round TKO. He’s slated to return on Dec. 10 in New York, the place he’ll little question face higher competitors.
Ryan Garcia
Garcia wasn’t anticipated to depart 135 kilos so quickly, however following two consecutive fights at 140 kilos — together with a KO of Javier Fortuna in July — he insisted he was performed with light-weight.
After all, Garcia may return to 135 kilos for a superfight with Gervonta Davis; they continue to be in talks for a possible combat in December. Davis has additionally competed at 140 kilos, so the matchup may additionally happen at that weight.
Garcia stays a piece in progress below the steerage of coach Joe Goossen, however along with his mix of velocity and energy, he may quickly understand his huge potential.
Subriel Matias
A strong and volume-punching stress fighter from Puerto Rico, Matias may be one of many best-kept secrets and techniques in all of boxing.
In January, he avenged his lone skilled defeat with a ninth-round TKO of Petros Ananyan. Earlier in his profession, Matias confronted adversity after he handled the anguish of his tragic 2019 combat with Maxim Dadashev, who died afterward from injuries suffered in the bout.
Matias may quickly be part of Taylor and Puello as titleholders. He’ll be favored to defeat Ponce in a battle for a vacant belt this fall.
Regis Prograis
Outdoors of a detailed determination loss to Taylor in 2019, Prograis has cruised by way of the competitors. A southpaw boxer-puncher, Prograis has discovered problem attempting to land a significant combat since he misplaced his title, however he now has an opportunity to regain it.
There isn’t any deal but, however Prograis and Jose Zepeda had been ordered to combat for the vacant WBC title after Jose Ramirez handed on the title shot on account of his upcoming marriage ceremony.
With a victory over Zepeda, Prograis ought to be in additional significant fights subsequent yr, beginning with Ramirez, who’s in line for the winner.
Jose Pedraza
After holding a title at 130 kilos, Pedraza hasn’t been in a position to recover from the hump at junior welterweight, although he is all the time in aggressive fights. The latest instance: a draw with Richard Commey on Saturday.
Pedraza gave the impression to be on the shortlist for a December combat with Lopez, however the alternative may need slipped with out the victory over Commey. The Puerto Rican boxer got here near defeating Jose Ramirez in his lone title shot at 140 kilos and likewise dropped a choice to Lomachenko in a 135-pound title combat.
Richard Commey
The ability-puncher from Ghana grabbed a sliver of redemption with the draw towards Pedraza following a listless efficiency towards Lomachenko in December.
A former title-holder at 135 kilos, Commey misplaced his belt by way of second-round TKO towards Lopez. Now winless in his 140-pound debut, Commey may discover himself in a rematch with Pedraza.
Jose Ramirez
The previous unified champion defeated Pedraza in March in his first combat for the reason that loss to Taylor, and it figures to be his solely combat in 2022. Ramirez is ready to be married in October and handed up the chance to combat Zepeda in a rematch for a vacant title.
He’ll be the obligatory challenger for the winner of Prograis-Zepeda, although, and after the best way he carried out towards Taylor, Ramirez has an ideal probability to regain his belts.
He owns a 2019 victory over Zepeda by way of a disputed determination to go together with wins over Maurice Hooker and Viktor Postol.
Jose Zepeda
For the reason that loss to Jose Ramirez in 2019, Zepeda has reeled off 5 wins, together with a choice victory over Pedraza.
Most notably, Zepeda knocked out former champion Ivan Baranchyk in ESPN’s 2020 Struggle of the 12 months and scored a first-round TKO of Josue Vargas in October.
He is set to combat Prograis in a second crack on the title, and if no deal is struck, a handbag bid shall be held on Aug. 30.
Arnold Barboza
Barboza is campaigning for a combat with Teofimo Lopez in December, but it surely’s unclear if he has a shot at touchdown the chance.
He has but to face a fighter of Lopez’s caliber, and his most formidable opposition got here in his most up-to-date outing. That was a choice victory over Danielito Zorrilla in July, which adopted a choice win over Antonio Moran.
Gary Antuanne Russell
The youthful brother of former featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr., Antuanne Russell raised his degree of competitors considerably in his previous two fights. He was greater than as much as the duty.
The stress fighter scored a Tenth-round TKO of Viktor Postol in February and adopted up with a sixth-round stoppage of Rances Barthelemy final month.
Nonetheless simply 26, the southpaw figures to problem for a title in 2023.
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