Business
Scores
Boxing
Diego Pacheco rises to No. 1 at 168 pounds in WBC rankings
Canelo Álvarez is back as champion, and Lawrence Okolie takes over as the WBC’s top heavyweight contender.
Diego Pacheco moved from No. 3 to No. 1 in the World Boxing Council’s super middleweight rankings dated Nov. 11, with Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez back as champion and Montreal-based Christian Mbilli, the former champion, at No. 3.
Hamzah Sheeraz rose from fourth to second in the 168-pound rankings. Lester Martínez retained the interim title. The WBC said during its convention in Acapulco, Mexico, that Martínez is seeking a fight with Álvarez, who beat Mbilli by unanimous decision on Oct. 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “This feels like my first title,” Álvarez told DAZN after the fight.
Pacheco will defend his WBC Silver title against Darius Fulghum on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The World Boxing Association also designated the bout a title eliminator for its own belt. Pacheco is 26-0 with 19 knockouts. Fulghum, who is 15-1-1 with 13 knockouts, is No. 18 in the WBC rankings.
Lawrence Okolie took over at No. 1 at heavyweight, followed by Deontay Wilder and Moses Itauma. Wilder and Itauma each moved up two spots. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, the top two contenders in October, dropped out of the WBC’s top 40. Agit Kabayel remains champion and is scheduled to defend his title against Nelson Hysa on Nov. 28.
Willy Hutchinson is listed as light heavyweight champion after beating Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision on Nov. 7 in Manchester, England. The WBC said Hutchinson has two mandatory defenses due. A proposed four-man tournament to help determine challengers includes No. 1 Artur Beterbiev, Ben Whittaker, Imam Khataev and Radivoje Kalajdzic.
In the women’s flyweight rankings, Kenia Enríquez entered at No. 5 and Marilyn Badillo Amaya dropped one spot to sixth. Gabriela Fundora remains champion, with Angela Nolasco still the top contender.
The Sporting Page’s boxing rankings now carry the WBC’s Nov. 11 men’s and women’s lists. The current WBA and International Boxing Federation editions are dated Oct. 31. The World Boxing Organization’s lists are dated Oct. 28.
The Sporting Page also corrected five women’s weight divisions in its display of the IBF rankings. The corrections put Enríquez at No. 3 in the IBF’s flyweight list and Shannon Ryan at No. 1 at junior bantamweight, in line with the IBF’s Oct. 31 edition.
