The proliferation of titles makes it troublesome for all however essentially the most astute followers to find out the cream of the boxing crop.
That’s why Boxing Junkie got here up with its “Nice Eight” characteristic, which names the perfect fighter in every of the unique eight weight lessons –heavyweight, gentle heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, light-weight, featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight.
Heavyweight consists of cruiserweight (and the WBA and WBC’s bridgerweight), gentle heavyweight consists of tremendous middleweight, middleweight consists of junior middleweight and so forth all the way down to flyweight, which incorporates junior flyweight and strawweight.
On this installment of “Nice Eight,” we discover the potential for an intriguing growth: Two of our champions — Juan Francisco Estrada (bantamweight) and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (flyweight) — are in talks to struggle each other.
Promoter Eddie Hearn mentioned he’s making an attempt to shut a deal for the fighters to fulfill for Estrada’s 115-pound title on June 29 in Phoenix.
The principals are at completely different levels of their careers.
Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) is a two-division champion who has proven no indicators of decline — he’s coming off a second victory in his third struggle in opposition to future Corridor of Famer Roman Gonzalez — however he’s 33 and has been combating professionally for 15-plus years.
The Mexican additionally hasn’t been energetic. The second victory over Gonzalez passed off in December 2022 and he hasn’t fought since. He had been in talks to face fellow titleholder Kazuto Ioka final December however negotiations broke down.
Estrada has received eight consecutive fights since he misplaced a majority resolution to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2018, a setback he later avenged.
Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) is a rising star. The 24-year-old Texan has reeled off one spectacular victory after one other to affix Estrada on many credible pound-for-pound lists, together with Boxing Junkie’s.
He made a robust impression by outpointing veteran Carlos Cuadras to win a vacant 115-pound title in February 2022 after which knocked out the equally revered Sor Rungvisai in eight rounds in his first protection 4 months later.
And he was simply getting began. He delivered what may be his greatest efficiency final December, when, after dropping all the way down to 112 and successful a serious belt, he stopped beforehand unbeaten Sunny Edwards to unify two titles.
“It is a struggle we’ve been engaged on for a very long time,” Hearn advised DAZN. “I believe Estrada in opposition to Bam Rodriguez is only a stunner. You retain seeing these small guys give us unbelievable nights.
“Estrada in opposition to “Chocolatito” (Roman Gonzalez) so many occasions, Bam in opposition to Sunny [Edwards] final December was unbelievable, and Estrada in opposition to Bam is only a Battle of the 12 months contender written throughout it.”
It could be troublesome to argue with Hearn on that time. It doesn’t get significantly better than top-of-the-line fighters of the era vs. some of the thrilling younger phenoms within the recreation
And, after all, it will have main implications by way of Nice Eight.
If the struggle occurs and Estrada wins, he would add to his personal Corridor of Fame credentials and stay as bantamweight champion right here. Rodriguez would develop into champion in a second Nice Eight division if he has his hand raised.
Rodriguez hasn’t mentioned definitively that he’s completed at 112 however that seems to be the case.
Listed here are the highest fighters within the authentic eight divisions:
HEAVYWEIGHT
Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) – Fury can have an opportunity to show his subpar efficiency in opposition to Francis Ngannou was an aberration when he faces Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed championship on pay-per-view Might 18 in Saudi Arabia. After all, the winner shall be our Nice Eight champ.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) – The winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev showdown on June 1 will decide not solely the Nice Eight champion but additionally the perfect 175-pounder of the period. Few doable matchups in boxing are higher or extra vital than this one.
MIDDLEWEIGHT
Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) – The 154-pounder got here up brief in opposition to 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez however he stays the perfect at 160 and 154. He had expressed curiosity in going through welterweight king Terence Crawford however that doesn’t look like within the works, leaving his future unsure..
WELTERWEIGHT
Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) – Crawford hasn’t fought since his epic beat down of Errol Spence Jr. final July and has nothing stable within the works. One potential opponent can be Israil Madrimov, who stopped Magomed Kurbanov to win a 154-pound title on Might 8.
LIGHTWEIGHT
Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) – “Tank” stays the most-complete fighter at 135 and 130 however boxing wizards Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko might need one thing to say about who reigns in Nice Eight earlier than all is alleged and achieved. Now we have to see these pivotal matchups.
FEATHERWEIGHT
Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) – Inoue gave one other dominating efficiency in opposition to Marlon Tapales on Dec. 26, stopping the Filipino within the tenth spherical to develop into undisputed champion in a second weight class. Can anybody compete with him? Luis Nery would be the subsequent one to strive. They meet on Might 6.
BANTAMWEIGHT
Juan Francisco Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) – Boxing Junkie’s No. 5 fighter pound-for-pound had hinted that he would possibly transfer up from junior bantamweight to bantamweight however an explosive potential matchup with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez at 115 would possibly preserve him in his present division.
FLYWEIGHT
Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) – Rodriguez supplanted Edwards as champion right here after leaving little question about who’s the perfect 112-pounder on this planet. He’ll nearly actually get replaced if he indicators a contract to problem Estrada at 115 kilos.
