Cellini’s Top Five Divisions to Watch in Boxing Today!

By Jeffrey “Italian Medallion” Cellini (Who else would it be by?)

This Saturday night , three-time world champion and defending WBA Featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz puts his belt on the line against former WBA and IBF Super Bantamweight champion Carl Frampton in what should be an exciting matchup. Cruz, 32-0-1, 18 KO’s, won the vacant WBA (Super) Featherweight title last August against Abner Mares in one of 2015’s best fights of the year, and has made one title defense since then. Frampton, 22-0, 14 KO’s, recently unified the Super Bantamweight belts when he defeated Scott Quigg by split-decision back on February 27th of this year. These two rising stars and undefeated champions are primed to give the boxing audience quite a show when they square off this weekend. The featherweight division is loaded with talent, but is this the best weight class in boxing today?

Here is a brief overview of the top five divisions in boxing as of today.

5) Middleweights. Always one of boxing’s most exciting divisions, the talent pool is not very deep. However, the most talked about fighter in the world, Gennady Golovkin, or “GGG”, has reigned as the most dominant champion in the sport today. The undefeated IBF/WBA/WBC champion is scheduled to face Kell Brook in September in a clash between two of the top-ten pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. Daniel Jacobs (WBA “regular” champion) and Billy Joe Saunders (WBO) are world-class challengers to Golovkin’s throne as king of the middleweight division.

4) Light Heavyweights. Two of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world make their home at this weight class. Sergey Kovalev holds three of the sanctioning bodies’ (IBF/WBA/WBO) world titles and is considered by many experts to be the best light heavyweight fighter. Andre Ward, universally accepted to be one of the best fighters in the world, is in line to face Kovalev in a major showdown on November 19th. Adonis Stevenson (WBC) is also the other champion that brings world-class skills to the table and makes this division a breeding ground for future epic battles.

3) Heavyweights. The top of the division is stacked with potential star power with three undefeated world champions. Deontay Wilder (WBC), Anthony Joshua (IBF) and Tyson Fury (WBA/WBO) are a combined 79-0, with 71 KO’s. Former long-time reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko is still currently ranked as the second-best heavyweight in the world. Waiting for his title opportunity is the dangerous and undefeated Luis “King Kong” Ortiz, who only adds to the excitement that now exists within the division.

2) Featherweights. Leo Santa Cruz (WBA) and Gary Russell, JR. (WBC) are clearly the top two champions, but Lee Selby (IBF champion) and Jesus Cuellar (WBA “regular” champion) are two legitimate title holders as well. Sitting right below are top contenders Abner Mares and Oscar Valdez. The featherweights are deep and loaded with young talent. If Guillermo Rigondeaux, junior featherweight world champion, decides to move up in weight, this division will get even better.

1) Welterweights. With three undefeated champions, Keith Thurman (WBA), Danny Garcia (WBC), Kell Brook (IBF), and top ten pound-for-pound entrant Timothy Bradley, JR. (ranked 8th) reigning at the top of this division, the welterweight class is loaded with superstar potential. Throw in the mix world- class contenders Amir Khan, Errol Spence, JR., Shawn Porter and (WBO champion) Jessie Vargas, and the future of this division is full of great matchups. If two of the greatest fighters in the sport’s history, Floyd Mayweather, JR. and Manny Pacquiao, return to the ring, the welterweight division will explode with excitement.

The featherweight division has been one of boxing’s best divisions throughout the history of the sport. The Cruz-Frampton fight is another great matchup that will find its place among the other historic battles of this weight class. The prediction is that Cruz will win a highly contested 12 round split-decision over Frampton.

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