WBO rankings: examining and explaining the changes for September 2024

Throughout the month, we keep track of the rankings put forth by the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO. Those rankings can be found here.

Every time those rankings are updated, we examine them to explore:

• Who rose 
• Who dropped
• Who’s new
• Who’s out

In this installment, we look at the WBO’s latest rankings, which were released on September 24, 2024. Unlike other sanctioning bodies, the WBO publishes explanations for its rankings changes. However, that page had not yet been updated as this article went to press.

Recent installments:

HEAVYWEIGHT

Anthony Joshua

Last month: #1

This month: #7

Reason: Joshua lost to Daniel Dubois (unranked by the WBO as he is the IBF titleholder).

Repercussions: Several fighters each moved up one slot: Tyson Fury is now #1, followed by Zhilei Zhang (#2), Martin Bakole (#3), Agit Kabayel (#4), Justis Huni (#5) and Moses Itauma #6).

Other random movements: Filip Hrgovic and Efe Ajagba switched spots. Hrgovic went from #10 to #9, while Ajagba went from #9 to #10. Hrgovic last fought in June, when he lost to Dubois. Ajagba last fought in April, when he edged Guido Vianello.

CRUISERWEIGHT

No changes this month.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Joshua Buatsi

Last month: #1

This month: interim titleholder

Reason: Buatsi defeated Willy Hutchinson (previously #2) for the WBO’s interim belt

Willy Hutchinson

Last month #2

This month: #7

Reason: Hutchinson lost to Joshua Buatsi (previously #1).

Repercussions: With Buatsi elevated to interim titleholder and Hutchinson moving down in the rankings, several fighters moved up two slots: Anthony Yarde (now #1), Albert Ramirez (#2), Jesse Hart (#3) and Zach Parker (#4). And with Hutchinson arriving at #7, two fighters moved down a slot: Ali Izmailov (now #8) and Oleksandr Gvozdyk (#9).

Conor Wallace

Last month: #9

This month: #5

Reason: Wallace defeated Jerome Pampellone (unranked) by split decision in August.

Jean Pascal

Last month: unranked

This month: #6

Reason: Pascal knocked out Terry Osias in September in a cruiserweight bout, yet that somehow landed him here in the light heavyweight rankings.

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT

Erik Bazinyan

Last month: #2

This month: #10

Reason: Bazinyan lost to Jaime Munguia (previously #5) in September.

Repercussions: Christian Mbilli moved up one slot (now #2).

Jaime Munguia

Last month: #5

This month: #3

Reason: Munguia defeated Erik Bazinyan (previously #2) in September.

Edgar Berlanga

Last month: #4

This month: #5

Reason: Berlanga lost to Canelo Alvarez (champion) in September.

Repercussions: With Munguia’s move up and Berlanga’s move down, Paulinus Ndjolonimu was elevated from #6 to #4, while Kevin Lele Sadjo moved from #7 to #6.

Alem Begic

Last month: #12

This month: #7

Reason: Begic defeated David Kerkmann (unranked) in September.

Mate Kis

Last month: #11

This month: #9

Possible reason: Uncertain. Kis last fought in May, defeating Zeljko Stegic (unranked).

Repercussions: With Kis moving up to #9 and Bazinyan dropping to #10, two fighters were pushed down two slots: Bektemir Melikuziev (now #11) and Vladimir Shishkin (#12).

Maciej Sulecki

Last month: #14

This month: off

Reason: Sulecki lost to super middleweight Diego Pacheco in August.

Repercussions: Ernesbadi Begue moved up from #15 to #14 and Steven Nelson entered at #15.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Meiirim Nursultanov

Last month: #4

This month: #7

Possible reason: Uncertain. Nursultanov last fought in November, when he defeated Julio Alamos. Maybe the WBO doesn’t remember the Alamos.

Repercussions: Moving up one slot each are Andrei Mikhailovich (now #4), Brad Pauls (#5) and Endry Saavedra (#6).

Chris Eubank Jr

Last month: #10

This month: off

Possible reason: Uncertain Eubank hasn’t fought since his September 2023 rematch win over Liam Smith. Or perhaps this is the WBO removing Eubank due to his upcoming fight on October 12 against Kamil Szeremeta for a title bestowed by the fringe IBO sanctioning body  

Repercussions: Cesar Mateo Tapia moved up from #11 to #10

Troy Isley

Last month: off

This month: #11

Possible reason: Uncertain. Isley’s last fight was in June, when he defeated Javier Martinez.

Other random movements: Shakiel Thompson and Mikkel Nielsen switched spots. Thompson went from #14 to #13, and Nielsen went from #13 to #14. Thompson last fought in April, knocking out Vladimir Georgiev, and is scheduled to fight on September 27. Nielsen last fought in May, stopping Renato Egedi.

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT

Erickson Lubin

Last month: #4

This month: #9

Possible reason: Uncertain. Lubin hasn’t fought since his September 2023 win over Jesus Ramos (currently #7 on this list). Ramos since fought in May, defeating Johan Gonzalez. 

Errol Spence

Last month: #5

This month: off

Possible reason: Spence hasn’t fought since his July 2023 loss to Terence Crawford.

Repercussions: With Lubin dropping and Spence off, five fighters moved up two spots: Takeshi Inoue (now #4), Charles Conwell (#5), Chordale Booker (#6), Jesus Ramos (#7) and Freudis Rojas (#8). And then two fighters moved up one spot: Slawa Spomer (now #10) and Brandon Cook (#11).

Jorge Garcia Perez

Last month: off

This month: #12

Reason: Perez defeated Ilias Essaoudi (previously #13) in September.

Ilias Essaoudi

Last month: #13

This month: off

Reason: Essoudi lost to Jorge Garcia Perez (previously unranked) in September.

Repercussions: Ardreal Holmes, who won his own fight in September, moved up from #14 to #13.

Ardreal Holmes

Last month: #14

This month: #13

Reason: Holmes defeated Hugo Noriega (unranked) in September, and there was a vacancy above him in the rankings.

Nikita Tszyu

Last month: off

This month: #14

Reason: Tszyu defeated Koen Mazoudier (unranked) in August.

WELTERWEIGHT

Giovani Santillan

Last month: #9

This month: off

Possible reason: Uncertain. Santillan’s last fight was in May, when he was knocked out by Brian Norman Jr.

Repercussions: Four fighters moved up one slot: Ekow Essuman (#9), Lewis Crocker (#10), Nicklaus Flaz (#11) and Jean Carlos Torres (#12)

Ricardo Salas Rodriguez

Last month: off

This month: #13

Reason: Rodriguez stunned Roiman Villa (unranked) via third-round knockout in September.

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT

Angel Fierro

Last month: #12

This month: off

Possible reason: Uncertain. Fierro last fought in June, when he lost to Alfredo Santiago.

Repercussions: Moving up one spot were Elvis Rodriguez (now #12) and Mykquan Williams (#13).

Rohan Polanco

Last month: off

This month: #14

Possible reason: Uncertain. Polanco last fought in June, when he defeated Luis Hernandez Ramos. Polanco is scheduled to fight on September 27.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Mark Chamberlain

Last month: #8

This month: off

Reason: Chamberlain lost to Josh Padley (previously unranked) in September

Repercussions: Katsuya Yasuda moved up one slot from #9 to #8.

Christopher Mouafo

Last month: off

This month: #9

Reason: Mouafo defeated Jonniel Laurente (unranked) in September.

Miguel Madueno

Last month: #10

This month: off

Possible reason: Uncertain. Madueno last fought in July, when he lost to Keyshawn Davis.

Repercussions: Two fighters moved up one slot: Sheriff Quaye (now #10) and Jose Matias Romero (#11).

Josh Padley

Last month: off

This month: #12

Reason: Padley defeated Mark Chamberlain in September.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT

Charly Suarez

Last month: #3

This month: #1

Reason: Suarez was supposed to face Andres Cortes but instead defeated late replacement Jorge Castaneda in September.

Repercussions: Suarez pushed two fighters down one slot: Albert Bell (now #2) and Cortes (#3).

Leigh Wood

Last month: #4

This month: #10

Possible reason: Uncertain. Wood’s last fight was in October 2023, when he defeated Josh Warrington.

Repercussions: Moving up one spot were Mark Magsayo (now #4) and Liam Wilson (#5).

Archie Sharp

Last month: #8

This month: #6

Possible reason: Uncertain. Sharp’s last fight was in July, when he lost to Ryan Garner.

Repercussions: Moving up one slot were Masanori Rikiishi (now #8) and Jackson Jon England (#9).

Angelo Pena:

Last month: off

This month: #11

Reason: Pena defeated Hiroki Hanabusa in September.

Repercussions: Moving down one slot were Neri Romero (now #12), Danny Quartermaine (#13), Carlos Maria Alanis (#14) and Yeerjialahasi Laayibeke (#15). The previous #15, Bryan Chevalier, is now off the list.

FEATHERWEIGHT

Stephen Fulton

Last month: #8

This month: #3

Reason: Fulton won a close fight with Carlos Castro in September.

Repercussions: Pushed down one slot were Arnold Khegai (now #4), Tomoki Kameda (#5), Luis Nery (#6), Jong Seon Kang (#7) and Kenji Fujita (#8)

Carlos Castro

Last month: #13

This month: #15

Reason: Castro lost a close fight with Stephen Fulton in September.

Repercussions: Kaisuke Matsuomoto moved up from #14 to #13. With Castro now at #15, Enrique Vivas was pushed off the list.

Raymond Ford

Last month: off

This month: #14

Possible reason: Uncertain. Ford’s last fight was in June, when he lost his WBA title to Nick Ball. Ford is scheduled to fight Orlando Gonzalez in November.

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT

TJ Doheny

Last month: #2

This month: off

Reason: Doheny lost to Naoye Inoue (champion) in September.

Repercussions: Moving up one slot were Carl Jammes Martin (now #2) and Dennis McCann (#3).

Elijah Pierce

Last month: #6

This month: #4

Reason: Pierce defeated Jose Sanmartin (unranked) in August.

Mukhammad Shekhov

Last month: #7

This month: #5

Reason: Shekhov defeated Zhong Liu (unranked) in September.

Repercussions: John Riel Casimero was pushed from #5 to #6.

Ramon Cardenas

Last month: #9

This month: #7

Possible reason: Uncertain. Cardenas last fought in April, when he defeated Jesus Ramirez Rubio.

Repercussions: Moving up one slot were Fillipus Nghitumbwa (now #9), Ye Joon Kim (#10) and Alan David Picasso (#11).

Sebastian Hernandez Reyes

Last month: #15

This month: #12

Reason: Reyes defeated Yonfrez Parejo (unranked) in September.

Repercussions: With #15 vacant, Cesar Vaca Espinoza took that slot.

Cesar Vaca Espinoza

Last month: off

This month: #15

Reason: In addition to Sebastian Hernandez Reyes’ moving up from #15, Espinoza scored an August victory over Luis Rodriguez Ocana.

BANTAMWEIGHT

Daigo Higa

Last month: #1

This month #3

Reason: Lost  in September to titleholder Yoshiki Takei.

Repercussions: Moving up one slot were David Cuellar (now #1) and Christian Medina (#2).

Landi Ngxeke

Last month: #6

This month: #5

Reason: Ngxeke defeated Genisis Libranza in September.

Repercussions: Jason Moloney dropped from #5 to #6.

Kenbun Torres

Last month: #11

This month: #10

Reason: Torres defeated KJ Cataraja by split decision in August, though that bout was essentially in the 115-pound weight class.

Reymart Gaballo

Last month: #12

This month: #11

Reason: Gaballo defeated Jeny Boy Boca in August, though that fight was at junior featherweight and Boca had a record of 14-15.

Repercussions: Torres and Gaballo moving up in the ratings meant Tenshin Nasukawa dropped from #10 to #12. 

JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT

KJ Cataraja

Last month: #1

This month: off

Reason: Cataraja lost a split decision to Kenbun Torres in August.

Roman Gonzalez

Last month: #3

This month: #1

Possible reason: Uncertain. Gonzalez last fought in July, when he defeated Rober Barrera. Of course, the WBO probably sees more money in titleholder Kosei Tanaka vs. Roman Gonzalez than if they had moved up the #2 fighter, Cristofer Rosales, into the #1 slot.

Francisco Rodriguez Jr.

Last month: #7

This month: #3

Reason: This big ol’ move up was wholly on the strength of an August win over a 14-3-3 fighter named Jorge Ignacio Villalobos.

Tetsuro Ohashi

Last month: #6

This month: off

Possible reason: Uncertain. While Ohashi lost in August to Ryusei Kawaura (unranked), that defeat came prior to the previous month’s rankings.

Kazuto Ioka

Last month: off

This month: #4

Possible reason: Uncertain. Ioka’s last fight was in July, when he lost in a unification bout with Fernando Martinez.

Repercussions: Moving down one slot were Juan Francisco Estrada (now #5) and Phumelele Cafu (#6).

Ryusei Kawaura

Last month: off

This month: #7

Possible reason: Uncertain. Kawaura defeated Tetsuro Ohashi (previously #6), that fight came prior to the previous month’s rankings.

Other random movements: Kenta Nakagawa, whose last fight was an April loss to Tetsuro Ohashi, dropped from #14 to off the list. Sikho Nqothole, who just scored a victory in September over the 9-5-1 Jafet Amukwa (unranked), was dropped from the list. 

Replacing them are Yahir Alan Frank Verdugo (now #14), who defeated Bairon Rodriguez in June; and Jayr Raquinel, who defeated Komgrich Nantapech in May.

FLYWEIGHT

Tobias Reyes

Last month: #10

This month: #8

Reason: Reyes defeated Jackson Zapata in September.

Repercussions: Pushed down one slot were Joselito Velazquez (now #9) and Galal Yafai (#10).

Jayson Mama

Last month: off

This month: #12

Possible reason: Uncertain. Mama said knock you out. Erm… Mama last fought in July at junior bantamweight, defeating Carlo Demecillo.

Repercussions: Pushed down one slot were Felix Alvarado (now #13) and Lorenz Duman-ag (#14).

Other random movements: Riku Kano went from #14 to off the list. He lost to titleholder Anthony Olascuaga back in July. But the #15 fighter Yoali Mejia Mosqueda remained in his position, likely thanks to his August win over Eldin Guinahon.

JUNIOR FLYWEIGHT

Mpumulelo Tshabalala

Last month: #15

This month: #6

Reason: Tshabalala scored a split decision over Junior Leandro Zarate in September.

Junior Leandro Zarate:

Last month: #6

This month: #15

Reason: Zarate lost a split decision to Mpumulelo Tshabalala in September.

MINIMUMWEIGHT

Luis Castillo

Last month: #1

This month: off

Reason: Castillo lost to WBC titleholder Melvin Jerusalem in September.

Repercussions: Several fighters moved up one slot: Victorio Saludar (now #1), Masataka Taniguchi (#2), DianXing Zhu (#3) and Panya Pradabsri (#4).

Edwin Cano Hernandez

Last month: #7

This month: #5

Possible reason: Uncertain. Hernandez last fought in May, defeating Michael Carmona. He’s expected to challenge Oscar Collazo for the WBO title in November.

Repercussions: Goki Kobayashi moved up one slot to #7 and Wilfredo Mendez moved one spot to #8.

Joey Canoy

Last month: #15

This month: #9

Reason: Canoy defeated Jonathan Refugio (unranked) in August.

Ginjiro Shigeoka 

Last month: off

This month: #13

Possible reason: Uncertain. Shigeoka last fought in July, losing his IBF belt to Pedro Taduran. 

Repercussions: The previous #13, Gerardo Zapata, was bumped to #15 while the #14 fighter, Christian Balunan, remained static.

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2 and @UnitedBoxingPod. He is the co-host of the United Boxing Podcast. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.