Pound-for-pound: Srisaket Sor Rungvisai remains at No. 14
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai had an unusual distinction: The Thai slugger was the first fighter on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list — he’s No. 14 — to see post-lockdown action.
Sor Rungvisai (48-5-1, 41 KOs) defeated 40-year-old countryman Amnat Ruenroeng by a unanimous decision on Saturday in Thailand.
The former two-time junior bantamweight champion gave an impressive performance but he’ll have to beat a next-level opponent to climb the list. He remains at No. 14.
Who on the list fights next? That’s hard to say because scheduling is in flux but, apparently, No. 11 Artur Beterbiev’s light heavyweight title defense against Meng Fanlong on Sept. 25 is the next fight involving a fighter in the Top 15.
The only other matchup that is concrete is No. 15 Leo Santa Cruz vs. Gervonta Davis on Oct. 24.
No. 3 Canelo Alvarez was planning to return on Sept. 12 but he has yet to announce an opponent, which means the date could be pushed back.
No. 1 Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez (honorable mention) had a target date of Oct. 3 but that fight appears to be in jeopardy of collapsing over money.
No. 4 Naoya Inoue is expected to fight in the fall but no date or opponent is set.
No. 6 Gennady Golovkin is expected to defend his middleweight title against Kamil Szeremeta as soon as next month but nothing has been announced.
Welterweight contender Shawn Porter, an honorable mention here, will beat Beterbiev and Santa Cruz into the ring. He is scheduled to face German Sebastian Formella on Aug. 22, which isn’t likely to have an impact on the list.
The others could surprise us and announce a fight in the near future. We’re waiting.
Here’s a look at our Top 15.
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
- Vasiliy Lomachenko
- Terence Crawford
- Canelo Alvarez
- Naoya Inoue
- Oleksandr Usyk
- Gennadiy Golovkin
- Errol Spence Jr.
- Tyson Fury
- Juan Francisco Estrada
- Mikey Garcia
- Artur Beterbiev
- Josh Taylor
- Manny Pacquiao
- Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
- Leo Santa Cruz
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Miguel Berchelt, Mairis Briedis, Teofimo Lopez, Shawn Porter and Kosei Tanaka