With Vergil Ortiz Jr winning via emphatic stoppage to defend his WBC Interim World Super-Middleweight Title and Delante Johnson impressing too, both fighters put in some of the best boxing performances of the weekend.
Darius Fulghum and Erikson Lubin consequently fall down the boxing power rankings following their underwhelming showings at the weekend.
Boxing Power Rankings Explained
Power rankings are ever-changing in the sport of boxing. They simply rank fighters based on their most recent performance days after a contest.
Not to be confused with boxing pound-for-pound rankings, the power rankings are more a look at who impressed most the past weekend and put in the most devastating performances.
There isn’t a specific boxing power rankings system or list, rather a matter of opinion. Who put in a clinical performance in their last fight, who upset the odds and won as an underdog and who impressed the most from the previous weekend’s boxing events around the world.
For example, Jake Paul is the most popular boxer in the world right now, but doesn’t fight in any meaningful bouts against fellow professionals. Hence why he will almost never be included in the boxing power rankings.
Someone like Moses Itauma on the other hand, who is making moves up the heavyweight division with countless devastating knockouts, will continue to rise up the boxing power rankings in the aftermath of his fights if he continues to win and look good in the process.
The boxing power rankings aren’t always showing fighters rising too of course, and do include fighters dropping down the ranks due to suffering losses or putting in underwhelming performances.
For example, Joshua Buatsi’s stock rose even in defeat against Callum Smith, but in a controversial victory against Zach Parker last time out, his reputation took a huge hit. For this reason, Buatsi dropped down the boxing power rankings.
Fans, pundits and even fighters will have their own boxing power rankings opinions. It is totally subjective.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at who impressed this past weekend in the world of boxing and who underperformed and has dropped down the latest boxing power rankings.
Who Put In The Best Boxing Performances From The Weekend?
The following two fighters put in arguably the best boxing performances from the weekend thanks to their respective victories in Florida and Texas.
Vergil Ortiz Jr looked incredible in securing a second round stoppage over Erikson Lubin, with Delante Johnson also impressing with a fourth round knockout victory in a 50/50 fight with Nicklaus Flaz.
Vergil Ortiz Jr
The most eye-catching and dominant display this past weekend from the world of boxing came from undefeated light-middleweight star Vergil Ortiz Jr.
The 27-year-old aimed to defend his WBC Interim World Super-Welterweight Title against the highly ranked Erikson Lubin in a fight that people felt would be a tough one for him.
A fight that looked tough on paper turned out to be one of the easiest of Ortiz’s career. The 24-0 154-pound superstar dispatched of Lubin in just two rounds, making light work of the former world title challenger.
Although Ortiz Jr was the pre-fight favourite with boxing betting sites, not many people thought he would run through Lubin as easily as he did this past weekend.
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis got in the ring straight after the fight to face-off with Ortiz Jr, which is a fight that boxing fans are desperate to see next. Arguably two of the best fighters in the world at 154-pounds throwing down in a potential ‘Fight of the Year’ contender.
Whether it happens next or not remains to be seen, but for the time being Vergil Ortiz Jr most definitely climbs the boxing power rankings following his impressive display on Saturday night in Fort Worth, Texas.
Delante Johnson
Another fighter on the rise in the boxing power rankings following victory at the weekend is the now 17-0 welterweight contender Delante Johnson.
The 27-year-old stepped up to face Nicklaus Flaz in a fight many people felt was a 50/50, but it most definitely didn’t play out that way.
Johnson made light work of Flaz, giving his fellow American a bit of a beating before stopping him in four rounds. This was Johnson’s eighth stoppage win as a pro, and he looked very heavy handed in the ring at the weekend in Florida.
Although he still has a long way to go until he is considered a world-class fighter at 147-pounds, he has most definitely thrown his name into the mix as a future world title contender and possible world champion in the welterweight division.
The fact that Delante Johnson won this fight mightn’t have surprised some fans, but it’s the way in which he did it that means he climbs the boxing power rankings.
Who Disappointed With Their Boxing Performances At The Weekend?
The following two fighters have fallen down the latest boxing power rankings. Although he didn’t lose, Darius Fulghum drew with David Stevens in a fight he was expected to win.
Erikson Lubin also falls down the latest boxing power rankings after getting brutally stopped by Vergil Ortiz Jr within two rounds in a fight people felt Lubin had a real chance in.
Darius Fulghum
Darius Fulghum was tipped as one of the fighters to watch this weekend prior to his showdown with David Stevens on the Ortiz vs Lubin undercard, but the American underwhelmed in Texas.
Although Fulghum vs Stevens was billed as a fairly even fight on paper, the vast majority of boxing fans would have been expecting ‘DFG’ to win and perhaps even in style.
The fight at the Dickies Arena most definitely didn’t play out that way whatsoever, with Fulghum struggling and failing to put a dent in his opponent. Although he didn’t lose the fight, Fulghum has definitely slipped down the latest boxing power rankings.
In the end the fight was scored a majority draw, with one judge giving Fulghum the edge with a score of 96-94, but the other two judges scoring the contest 95-95 meaning it was deemed a tie.
There may well be a rematch with Stevens next for Fulghum, but he will have to go back to the drawing board and regroup before returning to the ring in the new year.
Erikson Lubin
Arguably the biggest loser from the past weekend’s boxing was former world super-welterweight title challenger Erikson Lubin.
The American was being tipped by many to give Vergil Ortiz Jr a really tough fight, with some boxing fans even fancying Lubin to get the job done and become the first man to defeat Ortiz Jr.
Instead, Lubin was annihilated by the now 24-0 American, losing via stoppage in Round 2 of their 154-pound contest. Not only did Lubin lose via knockout, but it was another early one with some questions being asked of his chin.
Lubin has lost three fights in total now, all via stoppage. Yes, these three losses have been against quality operators in Jermell Charlo, Sebastian Fundora and now Ortiz, but he has been brutally stopped in two of those three fights and outclassed in the other.
Questions are now being asked as to just how good Lubin actually is, and whether fans have perhaps been getting carried away with his actual ability for all these years. The hype has always been there with Lubin, but the actual substance evidently hasn’t when he has fought at the top level.
The 30-year-old could well come again and prove the doubters wrong, but he has a long road back to world level now if he wants to fulfil his dreams of becoming world champion.
Given the manner of defeat this past weekend, Erikson Lubin simply has to fall down the boxing power rankings justifiably.
