The tall, lean boxer-puncher won four titles in two weight classes and beat a string of top-tier opponents. Soto, who earned a unanimous decision over then-unbeaten Edward Heno in October, can bang, and this was also evident in a one-round wrecking job on Javier Alejandro Rendon in a nontitle bout in February. Now based in Minneapolis, the 22-year-old southpaw has two knockouts from as many professional fights since turning pro a year ago. Alvarez is partly a marketing phenomena, but he's also a skilled all-around boxer and former world champion who has been learning his trade in the professional ranks since he was a teenager. As a boxer, he competed from 1992 to 2008, winning multiple world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championship in three weight classes. Valdezs reputation took a hit when he tested positive for a banned substance yet was allowed to defend his title against Robson Conceicao in September but there is no denying his unusual all-around ability. His punching power has ensured an end to nine of his 14 fights within the first two rounds. At the very least, he'll be a fan favorite and a big attraction around his home of New Jersey. Despite being relatively young in the sport, the undefeated upstart from Tijuana destroyed Sadam Ali in 2018 to capture the WBO Super Welterweight World Title, which he has since successfully defended five times. Lets hold off writing his boxing obituary. He has great counterpunching skills, incredible timing, accuracy and power. However, strictly from a quality-vs.-quality standpoint, it doesnt get better than Crawford vs. Spence for all four welterweight belts. Hall of Fame: No Many believe that Hernandez should be in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The title became vacant when former champion Tyson Fury vacated the title. Top Rank is as good as anyone at moving and nurturing young boxers, and you get the sense that one day, as the fighters in the current crop of 130-pound belt holders eventually move up, Flores will be guided to a vacant title shot. [1] Mexico ranks second worldwide between countries with the most boxing world champions. The fans. indicates foreigner-born boxer that represents Mexico due to parent's nationality, residence or other circumstances. Note: David Benavidezs father is Mexican. However, strictly from a quality-vs.-quality standpoint, it doesnt get better than Crawford vs. Spence for all four welterweight belts. Carbajal is best known for his epic three-fight series with Humberto Gonzalez, stopping Gonzalez with one punch in their classic first fight before being narrowly outpointed in the last two. Ruiz fought on July 16 against 42 year old Josh Gormley (22-4, 21 KOs) at the Masonic Temple in Michigan. I wanted to be with the family, I started investing my money. Divisions: Three (130, 135, 147) Berlanga could become a title contender by early next year. As well as power, he also has great footwork, and his amateur record could only have been assembled through exquisite and technically refined boxing skills. Hector Tanajara, 3, 45. Future/ceiling/expectations: Haney has been linked to British fighter Luke Campbell for his next fight, while there are some big potential fights at lightweight in the future against fellow young sensations Ryan Garcia and IBF titlist Teofimo Lopez Jr.. Campbell, who has twice lost world title shots on points against elite opponents Lomachenko and Jorge Linares, would be the best opponent Haney has faced so far and a true test of his potential to become a standout star in the sport. Hometown: Albuquerque, N.M. With that in mind, here are the 10 best Mexican-American boxers today. Well believe it when we see it but momentum evidently is building toward a long awaited showdown between two of the sport's most respect champions in July. Ranking the 10 Best Mexican Fighters in Boxing Today This is the kind of fighter who comes along once in a generation. 10 in the latest ESPN divisional rankings -- and fights against rival contenders Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Liam Williams and Matt Korobov are good stepping stones over the next year. And remember: The top man on this list also tested positive for a PED. Accomplishments/biggest moment: That outstanding 130-2 amateur record, which includes international experience, indicates that Morrell undoubtedly has an exciting and successful professional career ahead of him. . The fighter: Mendez, a southpaw, has made two defenses of the WBO strawweight title and is part of a younger generation coming through to challenge the established order in boxing's lightest division. The fans. Any true boxing fan has to hope Beltran gets another chance to win the title he deserves before hanging up his gloves. Power? Lost to: Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley (twice), Bernard Hopkins, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao Birth: July 6, 1952 Haney made a successful first defense via a unanimous decision against Alfredo Santiago in November but suffered a right shoulder injury in the process. [77] This was his first fight with his new trainer Eddy Reynoso in his corner. Mielnicki took advantage of the opportunity, sending Cory Champion to the canvas in Round 2 and winning a four-round unanimous decision. Hall of Fame: Yes Background: Ortiz was one of the greatest fighters of all time regardless of ethic background. Magomed Kurbanov, 9, T34. You don't go 130-2 as an amateur in Cuba unless you are an extraordinary talent." -- Parkinson. [32], After a 9-month gap, Ruiz returned to the ring in September 2015 at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California defeating Joell Godfrey via unanimous decision over eight rounds, all three judges scored it 8072. In 2012, he made a brief trip all the way down to light flyweight to challenge the wrecking machine known as Roman Gonzalez. Future/ceiling/expectations: There has been talk of a showdown with unified lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, the best fighter in the division and ESPN's No. Miguel Vazquez is among the best defensive technicians in boxing. -- Kim. Ruiz showed good power and speed during the short fight. Future/ceiling/expectations: If Figueroa gets through a potentially tricky mandatory defense against Ronny Rios, the 23-year-old can become one of the standout stars at junior featherweight in 2021. Josue Vargas, 16, T29. He's knocked out four of his last six opponents, including former world champions Eric Morel and Alex Munoz. Thats a reasonable question. Diaz lost his title on the scale before his first defense against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in February, a fight that ended in a majority draw. He has since joined forces with respected trainer Eddy Reynoso, has lost weight and seems to be fully dedicated to the sport at the relatively young age of 31. He also has a victory over capable Maurice Hooker, who he stopped in six rounds in July 2019. Sign up for the Boxing Junkie newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning, A critical look at the past week in boxing Benavidez then lost his title again, this time when he came in overweight for his first defense against Roamer Angulo last August. The fighter: The 2016 US Olympian is looking to break into the world's top 10 at junior middleweight after compiling an unblemished 12-fight record. This fight showed Conwell's strength at the weight and was his fourth win inside the distance in his past five fights. Emanuel Navarrete will get a shot immediately after stepping up a division and relinquishing his WBO junior featherweight belt recently. Birth: Dec. 15, 1987 Birth / death: Nov. 28, 1951 / Sept. 7, 2016 [4][5][6] He is a former unified heavyweight champion, having defeated Anthony Joshua to win the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles in 2019 to become the first male boxer of Mexican heritage to win a world heavyweight championship. Mares lost the WBC featherweight title by shocking Round 1 KO to Jhonny Gonzalez last August. The fighter: Stevenson, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist, was signed with much fanfare out of the Olympics, and he hasn't disappointed. Alvarez deserves the respect he receives. In his most-recent outing, in January, he got up from a knockdown to stop former U.K. Olympic champion Luke Campbell with a single body blow in Round 7. Power? Marco Antonio Barrera is a three-division world champion and boasts a record of 67-7-0. For the purposes of my list, if BoxRecdoesn't rate them as Mexican, I have not rated them as such, either. Well, with Davis, thats a given. Record: 39-6 (30 KOs) The Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia fight was huge because of the fighters fanbases. Willis entered with a record of 131 in his previous five fights, including a split decision loss three months prior to Denis Bakhtov (337). He has turned himself into a complete fighter, one who can outbox you to win a wide decision or knock you out in brutal fashion. He is a professional boxer of Mexican descent who fights out of the US, and has a record of 35 wins, 2 losses, and 2 no contests. Birth / death: May 10, 1966 / June 7, 2011 Canelo Alvarez came out on top when The DAZN Boxing Show picked their best Hispanic fighters. He started his career as a super flyweight and lost just once, to future champion Juan Carlos Sanchez. These Two Latina Boxers Are on the Road to the US Olympics - Remezcla He lost his belt to the gifted Murodjon Akhmadaliev by a split decision in his first defense nine months later, a fight some believe he deserved to win. But as Munguia continues winning, an all-Mexican clash with Canelo at middleweight or super middleweight becomes a bigger possibility. The winner of the Ramirez-Taylor fight, which many believe is a 50-50 matchup, will reach new heights in the realm of public opinion. Rodolfo Gonzales, byname Corky, (born June 18, 1928, Denver, Colorado, U.S.died April 12, 2005, Denver), Mexican American boxer, writer, and civil rights activist who was a leading figure in the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and '70s. A chance at redemption in a rematch against Charlo, Lubin's No. He was only 45. Canelo lvarez - Wikipedia [64], Prior to the Dimitrenko fight, Ruiz put his name forward to replace Jarrell Miller and challenge Anthony Joshua (22-0, 21 KOs) for the unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles on June 1, 2019, after Miller was denied a license by the New York Athletic Commission because he failed three different tests for PEDs. On February 5, 2011, Ruiz knocked out Kelsey Arnold in the third-round and in the same month defeated Alvaro Morales via unanimous decision 5955, 5955, and 6054. Hall of Fame: Yes Accomplishments/biggest moment: Conwell looked sharp in his last outing, against Ramses Agaton in February, which might have been low-key away from the television cameras but was an important step forward in his career. His career is just beginning; let's see how he handles six-round fights by the end of 2020. Eduardo Hernandez, 8, T38. Future/ceiling/expectations: For the time being, Mielnicki will be guided carefully, and perhaps by the end of the year he'll be in six-round fights. Ryan Garcia shows off incredible punching speed as he works through drills at his house. [73] The fight was a low-key affair in which Joshua mainly stayed behind his jab. Because of his prowess as a boxer, he was known as the "fist" of the movement. He is ranked No. American boxer Devin Vargas (20-4, 8 KOs) was confirmed as his opponent in a scheduled eight round bout. BoxRec has him rated second among all active Mexican boxers and sixth overall. Michel Rivera, 9, T36. He should be the next standout from Japan who will win titles in multiple divisions. Sadriddin Akhmedov, 10, T31. BIGGEST WINNERS He had an awkward style but he was an excellent boxer with some pop in his punches who never failed to entertain. The next step in the career of Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) should be the most difficult, at least on paper: a meeting with one of the top, more-established 135-pounders. He was 46-0-2 and 11 years into his career when Paulie Ayala handed his first loss in 1999. The fight was televised on FOX and FOX Deportes. 9 Antonio Margarito (Mexican-American Former Professional Boxer) 18 5 Divisions: Three (126-135) Andrs Ponce Ruiz Jr. (born September 11, 1989) is an American professional boxer. He is a two-division world champion and at 33 remains one of the top featherweights in the world. In Mexico, boxing is considered a major sport, having produced over 200 world champions in professional boxing. And is Jaime Munguia, who fights DMitrius Ballard Saturday, on the list? Years active: 1971-92 BIGGEST WINNER The list, composed by a panel of ESPN boxing contributors, shines a spotlight on the best prospects in the sport as well as some promising up-and-comers, title contenders and a few fighters who are already world champions, including Teofimo Lopez Jr., Shakur Stevenson and Ryan Garcia. Theyre a combined 67-0 (52 Gervonta Davis delivered another spectacular performance on Saturday night in Las Vegas, stopping Ryan Garcia in seven rounds in a scheduled 12-pound 136-pound fight. This experience should serve him well in the future. His mother is from Ecuador. Here are the 10 best Mexican-American boxers of the modern era. -- Parkinson. [51] Ruiz knocked Vargas out in round one. Hometown: Sacramento, Calif. [46], Ruiz failed to become the first heavyweight of Mexican ancestry to win a world title when Parker won the bout by a majority decision. For the bout, Ruiz trained with Manny Robles. It was his best moment to date. A win against Lomachenko would make Lopez the sport's youngest superstar -- and he would've done it the right way. Hometown: Los Angeles Diego Pacheco, 6, T41. Future/ceiling/expectations: Colbert will hopefully get a chance to win the full version of the WBA title against Rene Alvarado down the line. Gervonta Davis. Record: 100-28-3 (54 KOs) Davis couldnt have performed much better than he did on a memorable Saturday night in Las Vegas. Ruiz had some success when he tagged Joshua to the head and body at the end of the fourth round, but Joshua remained firmly in control of the action. Accomplishments/biggest moment: While he started out slow in his defeat against Jamel Herring -- a fight for the WBO 130-pound title back in November -- Roach had some nice moments late in the fight. In the meantime, Munguia can try to climb closer to the middleweight top -- he is ranked No. Defeated: Danny Romero, Jorge Eliecer Julio, Cesar Soto, Manuel Medina, Mauricio Pastrana Note: Fundoras mother is Mexican, his father Cuban. Vergil Ortiz, the 2019 prospect of the year, returns to the ring Friday for his first fight of 2020. Top 10 Latin American Boxing Legends - PanamericanWorld He signed a promotional deal with Premier Boxing Champions in 2019. And he plans to move back down to 126, where he should be particularly strong if he can make the weight comfortably. -- Parkinson. Hall of Fame: Yes This compendium uses the same parameters used by the Mexico Boxing Commission to classify champions. In April 2013, he upset Brian Viloria to capture the WBA and WBO 112-pound belts. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. -- Kim. Titles: WBC featherweight (1976-80) Divisional rankings: Where do Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia land after their megafight? The fact is hes one of the best Mexican fighters of all time. Still, there is also a tendency among some fans to underrate Alvarez, due to his oversized popularity. But who is next best? Accomplishments/biggest moment: Back in the fall, Stevenson decisively outpointed Joet Gonzalez to win the vacant WBO featherweight title. It wasn't an easy task to rank them, but this incredible collection of talent shows that boxing is in good hands in the years to come. The fighter: Villa is a talented southpaw who had a good amateur career -- the Californian boxer was a two-time U.S. national Golden Gloves champion -- and his rapid rise as a professional is no surprise. I live here. Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Did Gervonta Davis make the top 10? Darmani Rock, 7, T41. Colbert will win a belt -- he's that good -- but his lack of power could be problematic as he moves up to 135 in the future. So far, he has a record of 57-1-2, with 39 KOs. Titles: WBO featherweight (2013); WBO junior lightweight (2013-14); WBC lightweight (2017-19); IBF junior welterweight (2018); IBF lightweight (2018) The fighter: You know all about Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and might even know a bit about Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora. 1 priority, but he is heavy-handed and can be expected to climb closer to a title shot in 2021. The fighter: Ortiz is the steak to Garcia's sizzle under the Golden Boy Promotions banner. After the fight, Ruiz said, "I think I got the win or at least a draw, I think I set the pace with my jab." The 22-year-old from Los Angeles, who fights Luke Campbell on Saturday, is striving to become the latest in a long line of great Mexican-American boxers, those of Mexican descent either born or reared in the U.S. Oscar De La Hoya might be the best known of the lot. [12] His 105 wins include two Mexican National Junior Olympics gold medals[14] and a title at the Ringside World Championships. Lost to: Errol Spence Jr. Future/ceiling/expectations: On Aug. 21, Nakatani is scheduled to fight for the vacant WBO flyweight world title against Giemel Magramo in Tokyo. Godfrey was a late replacement for Devin Vargas, who was unable to obtain a license from the California Athletic Commission. Divisions: Five (126-147) Lost to: Humberto Gonzalez (twice), Maurico Pastrana, Jacob Matlala He was in back-to-back Ring Magazine Fights of the Year in 1982 and 1983, thrilling decisions over Bazooka Limon and Cornelius Boza-Edwards. Sometimes it's not if you win a title, but how you do so. The scorecards read 9892, 9694, and 9991, all in favour of Ruiz who retained his titles. Future/ceiling/expectations: A big, money-spinning fight would be a clash against middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez -- or if that match doesn't materialize, a fight against any of the other world titleholders at 168 pounds. The fight was stopped after the third-round when Hamer indicated he did not wish to continue. But I predict the young star will be back on top eventually. And nothing has changed of late. He lost two of his first 11 fights but then went on a dominating run that culminated with a decision over T.J. Doheny to win the IBF 122-pound title in 2019. "[12], During his amateur career, Ruiz boxed to a 1055 record[11][14] under Cuban trainer Fernando Ferrer. Chavez became a five-time world champion in three categories: light, super featherweight and welter. Record: 42-6 (39 KOs) List of current world boxing champions - Wikipedia However, he has demonstrated that he has the goods there too. The fighter: Berlanga is a pure puncher, to the point that he has not only knocked out every opponent he has faced but has knocked out all 14 in the first round. Ruiz won the fight via a first-round knockout (KO). The fighter: Garcia is a reflexive fighter, with a lightning-fast counter left hook. The 10 greatest Mexican boxers of all time: has Canelo Alvarez - DAZN Ruiz's hand speed was showcased in this fight. The main goal for this bout was for Ruiz to get in some much needed rounds, having only completed less than a round in over a year. "[76], In his first fight since losing his world titles, Ruiz faced former WBC title challenger Chris Arreola on Fox PPV on May 1, 2021. Age: 31. Accomplishments/biggest moment: By defeating Samuel Salva for the title, Taduran became the latest in a long line of boxers from the Philippines to win a major world title. That allowed him to win the vacant WBC junior welterweight title by easily outpointing Amir Imam in 2018 and make four successful defenses going into his showdown with Taylor. 2 at lightweight by ESPN. This Saturday, he defends his WBC super bantamweight belt against Cristian Mijares on the Saul Alvarez-Alfredo Angulo card. And at 40, he remains the top active boxer from Mexico. Who has the edge? Ruiz landed 68 punches overall, compared to Dimitrenko, who landed 21 punches. He should remain a player at junior lightweight for the next few years. If he can beat Fulton, a true star will have been born. Future/ceiling/expectations: Ortiz returns Friday to face Samuel Vargas, and many already consider Ortiz a contender at welterweight. Davis might be the best technician in the sport. Future/ceiling/expectations: Soto might be behind the other champions in the division at the moment, but he has youth on his side and is expected to become more of a force in 2021. Ruiz fought again after three months at the same venue, this time knocking Ross Brantley down three times in round one, winning the bout via technical knockout (TKO). Meanwhile, Juan Francisco Estrada and Oscar Valdez are among the best Mexican boxers right now. And the stakes of a potential Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk matchup undisputed heavyweight championship are massive.