The junior welterweight division is one of boxing’s deepest weight classes and, for the most part, it has responded well with quality match-ups among top fighters. There are still plenty of good contests to be made and, fortunately for fans, most seem to have a realistic chance of happening.
Here’s a look at the current Top 10 of the junior welterweight division:
1. Danny Garcia (25-0, 16 KOs)
Garcia, with two wins over Erik Morales and a shocking fourth round technical knockout of Amir Khan, has earned the top spot at 140 lbs. There are many contenders to his thrown, but for the time being the WBA and WBC world champ has to be considered the division’s alpha dog.
2. Lamont Peterson (30-1-1, 15 KOs)
After a major setback via failed pre-fight drug test , Peterson’s career was left in limbo. Now, he seems to be back in the hunt and ready to return to the ring. A bout with Zab Judah for the IBF title had been rumored, but talk has since died down. Whatever the case, Peterson is aiming for his ring return in early 2013 and will be looking to resume the career momentum that saw him score wins over Amir Khan and Victor Manuel Cayo.
3. Amir Khan (26-3, 18 KOs)
Khan has lost two straight world title fights at 140 lbs., but is hardly done as a world class junior welterweight. The 25-year-old Brit is still supremely talented and capable of beating most of the division’s best fighters. His upcoming bout with lightweight, Carlos Molina, should position Khan for a return to the main stage in 2013.
For the longest time, Argentina’s southpaw slugger couldn’t seem to catch a break. Controversial decision losses to Zab Judah and Devon Alexander set back his career and forced him to take a few steps backward. However, impressive recent victories over Humberto Soto and Ajose Olusegun have brought him to the division’s Top Five once again.
5. Brandon Rios (31-0-1, 23 KOs)
Rios’ debut at junior welterweight saw him thrill fans in a victorious Fight of the Year brawl against top contender, Mike Alvarado. Already on a path to a world title, Rios may be facing Ruslan Provodnikov for the now-vacant WBO title most recently held by Juan Manuel Marquez.
6. Zab Judah (42-7, 29 KOs)
Just when fans and experts want to count Judah out after a tough loss, he comes back with a substantial win to once again justify his placement among the division’s best. The former two-division world champ is still supremely talented and capable of beating almost anyone in the division on any given day.
7. Mike Alvarado (33-1, 23 KOs)
Denver’s Alvarado gave it his all in a brutal brawl with Brandon Rios, but came up short. Provided he can rebound from the loss and pick up where he left off, there’s no reason to doubt his ability to work his way up the rankings and, perhaps, even pick up a title belt.
8. Khabib Allakhverdiev (17-0, 8 KOs)
The southpaw from Russia has flown under the radar for most of his career, but an undefeated record and recent wins over Kaizer Mabuza and Nate Campbell give him enough clout to make the Top Ten. On November 30, Allakhverdiev will face Joan Guzman for a version of the WBA junior welterweight title.
The native of San Francisco is finally making a move to the division’s main stage with victories over Mauricio Herrera, Raymond Serrano, and Patrick Lopez. Mayfield’s plans in 2013 should revolve around staying active and continuing his development as a fighter.
10. Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs)
The 39-year-old future hall of famer took the WBO junior welterweight title and earned a no. 10 placement in the rankings with his decisive win over Serhiy Fedchenko in April. Now set to face Manny Pacquiao for a fourth time, Marquez has vacated his title in pursuit of bigger game. Win, lose, or draw against Pacquiao, he will likely make his way back to the 140 lb. limit in 2013.
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Paul Magno was a licensed official in the state of Michoacan, Mexico and a close follower of the sport for more than thirty years. His work can also be found on Fox Sports and The Boxing Tribune. In the past, Paul has done work for Inside Fights, The Queensberry Rules and Eastside Boxing.
