Ring Magazine 140-lb Rankings: Teofimo Lopez The King

Ring Magazine has released its 140-lb ratings, with a few surprises. They have Teofimo Lopez as the King of the light welterweight division, and that selection doesn’t sit well with fans. WBO champion Teofimo (21-1, 13 KOs) has performed erratically since 2022, looking poor in three out of his last four fights and questioning himself.

Even more strange is Devin Haney being placed at #1 despite coming off a loss to Ryan Garcia on April 20th. The defeat has since been erased, but it is still a loss in the eyes of fans.

Haney looked so overmatched in that fight that it’s impossible to ignore the performance, which saw him hit the deck three times under the power of Ryan’s punches.

With how Haney looked in that fight, he shouldn’t be in the top 10, especially with him choosing to turn down a fight against Sandor Martin. Haney isn’t expected to return to 140 when he resumes his career, and that’s another reason why he shouldn’t be on the list. Ryan Garcia will be moving up to 147 when his suspension is up next April. So that’s a good reason why he’s not on the list.

Updated Ring Magazine 140-lb ratings

King Teofimo Lopez

1. Devin Haney
2. Jack Catterall
3. Jose Ramirez
4. Liam Paro
5. Alberto Puello
6. Subriel Matias
7. Josh Taylor
8. Andy Hiraoka
9. Richardson Hitchins
10. Jose Valenzuela

Jack Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) hasn’t beaten a world champion yet for him to be placed at #2 ahead of IBF 140-lb champion Liam Paro, who is #4, WBC champ Alberto Puello at #5 and WBA belt-holder Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela at #10.

Ring Magazine’s rankings don’t make much sense when the champions ranked below beltless fighters and the recently beaten Haney.

My 140-lb Rankings

King: Liam Paro

1. Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela
2. Jose Ramirez
3. Alberto Puello
4. Subriel Matias
5. Richardson Hitchins
6. Devin Haney
7. Jack Catterall
8. Andy Hiraoka
9. Josh Taylor
10. Teofimo Lopez

I would rate Catterall higher, but I didn’t like the way he reacted to the few shots that Regis Prograis hit him with last Saturday night. If Prograis had been able to cut off the ring on Catterall and put hands on him, he would have knocked him out.

Fighters like Matias, Ramirez, Puello, and Rayo are excellent at cutting off the ring. They have the kind of power that would stop Catterall.