October 17, 1999

There are 3 criteria I use to rate fighters: Quality of Opposition, Performance and Activity. I am ranking the best from 1 to 10; this is to see who deserves a title shot. I rate all 18 divisions, a time-consuming activity to say the least. Therefore, commentary only appears every 3rd month.

Some mistakingly think the Champion in each division is the guy who I think is the best. This is not the case. There are 2 criteria by which I determine Champions: the 1st is lineage (Oscar de la Hoya beat Pernell Whitaker who beat Buddy McGirt who beat Simon Brown); and the 2nd is defeating another fighter also ranked in the top 3 in the division - this is how Evander Holyfield is the Champ. There is the exception: Bernard Hopkins is those rare titlists who has reigned a long time and defeated many contenders. He is the dominant fighter in his weight class and has won, mostly via KO, against a number of different contenders. You could say Iım rewarding him for long and meritorious service.

Heavyweights (over 195 lbs)
Champion: Evander Holyfield (WBA & IBF)
1. Lennox Lewis (WBC)
2. David Tua
3. Hasim Rahman
4. Michael Grant (IBC)
5. Vitali Klitschko (WBO)
6. Andrew Golota
7. Larry Donald
8. Kirk Johnson
9. Wladimir Klitschko
10. Maurice Harris

active: V Klitschko, W Klitschko, Johnson (out: Ibeabuchi-inactive and not fighting anytime soon)

Crusierweights (195 lbs)
Champion: Fabrice Tiozzo (WBA)
1. Juan Carlos Gomez (WBC)
2. Vassili Jirov (IBF)
3. Johnny Nelson (WBO)
4. Marcelo Dominguez
5. James Toney
6. Carl Thompson
7. Arthur Williams
8. Kenny Keene (IBA)
9. Imamu Mayfield
10. Robert Daniels

active: Jirov, Nelson, Toney
(inactive list: Mayfield)

Lt. Heavyweights (175 lbs)
Champion: Dariusz Michalczewski (WBO)
1. Roy Jones (WBC, WBA & IBF)
2. Michael Nunn
3. Reggie Johnson
4. David Telesco
5. Clinton Woods
6. Derrick Harmon
7. Antonio Tarver
8. Eric Harding
9. Mohammed Siluvangui
10. Montell Griffin

active: Harding, Tarver
(inactive list: Nunn)

Super Middleweights (168 lbs)
Champion: TITLE VACANT
1. Sven Ottke (IBF)
2. Thomas Tate
3. Joe Calzaghe (WBO)
4. Richie Woodhall (WBC)
5. Mads Larsen (IBO & WBF)
6. Byron Mitchell (WBA)
7. Charles Brewer
8. Frank Liles
9. Robin Reid
10. David Starie

active: Larsen
(inactive list: Reid)

Middleweights (160 lbs)
Champion: Bernard Hopkins (IBF)
1. William Joppy (WBA)
2. Keith Holmes (WBC)
3. Hassine Cherifi
4. Raymond Joval (WBU)
5. Rito Ruvalcaba
6. Jason Matthews (WBO)
7. Antwun Echols
8. Agostino Cardamone
9. Silvio Branco
10. Andrew Council

active: Joppy, Holmes, Council
(inactive list: Branco)

Jr. Middleweights (154 lbs)
Champion: Javier Castillejo (WBC)
1. Fernando Vargas (IBF)
2. David Reid (WBA)
3. Harry Simon (WBO)
4. Winky Wright
5. Laurent Boudouani
6. Tony Marshall
7. Keith Mullings
8. Bronco McKart (IBA)
9. Luis Ramon Campas
10. Emmett Linton

active: Marshall, Linton
(inactive list: Boudouani)

Welterweights (147 lbs)
Champion: Felix Trinidad (IBF & WBC)
1. Oscar de la Hoya
2. Ike Quartey
3. James Page (WBA)
4. Shane Mosley
5. Oba Carr
6. Vernon Forrest
7. Shannon Taylor
8. Pernell Whitaker
9. Ahmed Kotiev (WBO)
10. Jose Luis Lopez

active: Trinidad, de la Hoya, Mosley (out: Piccirillo-displaced)
(inactive list: Whitaker, Lopez)

Jr. Welterweights (140 lbs)
Champion: Kostya Tszyu (WBC)
1. Antonio Diaz (IBA)
2. Thomas Damgaard
3. Sharmba Mitchell (WBA)
4. Randall Bailey (WBO)
5. Terronn Millett (IBF)
6. Zab Judah
7. Willy Wise
8. Miguel Angel Gonzalez
9. Reggie Green
10. Shea Neary

active: Diaz, Wise, Damgaard (out: Chavez-lost, Green-lost)
(inactive list: Bailey)

Lightweights (135 lbs)
Champion: Stevie Johnston (WBC)
1. Paul Spadafora (IBF)
2. Angel Manfredy
3. Ivan Robinson
4. Cesar Bazan
5. Artur Grigorijan (WBO)
6. Stefano Zoff (WBA)
7. Israel Cardona
8. Julien Lorcy
9. Colin Dunne
10. Jean-Baptiste Mendy

active: Grigorijan, Bazan
(inactive list: Dunne, Mendy)

Jr. Lightweights (130 lbs)
Champion: Floyd Mayweather (WBC)
1. Lakva Sim (WBA)
2. Derrick Gainer
3. Acelino Freitas (WBO)
4. Goyo Vargas
5. Yongsoo Choi
6. Anatoly Alexandrov
7. Saul Duran
8. Dennis Holbaek Pedersen (IBC)
9. Jesus Chavez
10. Joel Casamayor

active: Pedersen

Featherweights (126 lbs)
Champion: Cesar Soto (WBC)
1. Naseem Hamed (WBO)
2. Luisito Espinosa
3. Fred Norwood (WBA)
4. Juan Manuel Marquez
5. Carlos Rios
6. Manuel Medina (IBF)
7. Cassius Baloyi (WBU)
8. Angel Vazquez
9. Guty Espadas
10. Steve Robinson

active: Rios, Robinson (out: Cermeno-moved down in weight)
(inactive list: Vazquez)

Jr. Featherweights (122 lbs)
Champion: TITLE VACANT
1. Erik Morales (WBC)
2. Marco Antonio Barrera (WBO)
3. Nestor Garza (WBA)
4. Nana Konadu
5. Carlos Navarro
6. Vuyani Bungu
7. Michael Brodie
8. Lehlo Ledwaba (IBF)
9. Antonio Cermeno
10. Yober Ortega

active: Brodie, Ledwaba, Cermeno, Ortega (out: Sanchez-inactive, Licona-inactive)
(inactive list: Navarro, Bungu)

Bantamweights (118 lbs)
Champion: TITLE VACANT
1. Paul Ayala (WBA)
2. Veeraphol Sahaprom (WBC)
3. Johnny Bredahl (IBC)
4. Johnny Tapia
5. Jorge Julio (WBO)
6. Julio Gamboa (NBA 115#)
7. Cuahtemoc Gomez
8. Tim Austin (IBF)
9. Danny Romero
10. Adan Vargas

active: Gomez
(inactive list: Gamboa, Austin)

Jr. Bantamweights (115 lbs)
Champion: In-Joo Cho (WBC)
1. Mark Johnson (IBF)
2. Samson 3K Battery (WBF)
3. Mauricio Pastrana (IBO)
4. Gerry Penalosa
5. Joel Luna-Zarate
6. Hideki Todaka (WBA)
7. Diego Morales (WBO)
8. Eric Morel
9. Jesus Rojas
10. Jesper Jensen (IBC)

active: 3K Battery, Morel
(inactive list: Pastrana)

Flyweights (112 lbs)
Champion: Medgoen 3K Battery (WBC)
1. Manny Pacquiao
2. Chartchai Sasakul
3. Jose Antonio Lopez-Bueno (WBO)
4. Alejandro Montiel
5. Sornpichai Kratingdaeng (WBA)
6. David Guerault
7. Ruben Sanchez-Leon
8. Leo Gamez
9. Jose Lopez
10. Raul Juarez

active: 3K Battery, Pacquiao, Sasakul, Lopez-Bueno (out: Garcia-displaced)
(inactive list: Sanchez-Leon)

Jr. Flyweights (108 lbs)
Champion: Saman Sorjaturong (WBC)
1. Ricardo Lopez (IBF)
2. Pichit Chor Siriwat (WBA)
3. Jake Matlala
4. Michael Carbajal (WBO)
5. Melchor Cob-Castro (IBA 112#)
6. Will Grigsby
7. Jorge Arce
8. Hawk Makepula (WBU)
9. Yeosam Choi
10. Chana Porpaoin

active: Lopez, Grigsby (out: Gamboa-moved down in weight)
(inactive list: Matlala)

Strawweights (105 lbs)
Champion: TITLE VACANT
1. Wandee Singwancha (WBC)
2. Rosendo Alvarez
3. Noel Arambulet (WBA)
4. Zolani Petelo (IBF)
5. Joma Gamboa
6. Songkram Porpaoin
7. Lindi Memani
8. Satoru Abe
9. Kermin Guardia (WBO)
10. Ronnie Magramo

active: Arambulet, Gamboa, Abe (out: Lopez-moved up in weight, Tokimitsu-displaced, Tabanas-displaced)
(inactive list: Porpaoin, Memani, Guardia, Magramo)

World Champions: 13 (of 17)