Ring Ratings Update: Gary Russell Jr and four former world titleholders exit due to inactivity

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ring Ratings Update: Gary Russell Jr and four former world titleholders exit due to inactivity

There’s been a significant shake up in The Ring ratings this week.

Our No. 1-rated featherweight Gary Russell Jr. has been removed due to inactivity along with four former world titlists.

The 33-year-old Russell has averaged just one fight per-year for the past six years and hasn’t competed since February 8, 2020.

“There was talk of Russell facing Rey Vargas in March, but nothing came of it, and there’s been no information on his social media accounts regarding his next fight,” said Managing Editor Tom Gray.

“His inactivity – even outside of the pandemic – is the stuff of nightmares, and while the WBC retain him as their champion, I think it’s an embarrassment to rate him as the No. 1 featherweight in the world. He’s a terrific fighter who doesn’t fight.”

There were no dissenting voices among the panel when it came to Russell’s exit and everyone else moves up one spot.

Filling the void left behind is former world title challenger Joet Gonzalez, who enters at No. 10. The 27-year-old Californian is scheduled to face The Ring’s new No. 1-rated featherweight, WBO titleholder Emanuel Navarrete, on October 15 in San Diego.

Also exiting, due to inactivity, is junior middleweight Julian Williams, who will be replaced by Sergio Garcia; junior lightweight Tevin Farmer, who will be replaced by Azinga Fuzile; junior bantamweight Kal Yafai, who will be replaced by Pedro Guevara, and flyweight Sho Kimura, who will be replaced by Masamichi Yabuki. All four fighters will enter at No. 10 in their respective weight classes.

In early August, the ratings freeze, which was implemented in April 2020 due to the pandemic, came to an end.

[maverick23]

Gary Russell is one of the most frustrating fighters in the world. Why isn’t he fighting! One fight in 2 and a half years and nothing lined up. He’s a top fighter and I’m sure he makes good money when he fights but he should be fighting at least twice a year or he’s wasting his ability.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Good decision. Should have happened a lot sooner. Guy is a disgrace.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Good decision. Should have happened a lot sooner. Guy is a disgrace.

Ring and a few others put a freeze for boxers not fighting, Due to covid..

[Ruthless-RKO]

TBRB have also removed Valdez.

Ring are still ranking him.

[Enlightened-One]

Five weeks ago I created a thread clamouring for the fans and the media (i.e. The RING, ESPN, TBRB, BoxRec etc.) to stop rating fighters that hadn’t fought for a couple of years.

And I’m glad to see it finally happen.

I also speculated that inactive veteran boxers in their mid-thirties, might already be surpassed (or perhaps will be within the next six months or so), by their younger rivals who kept busy.

What we'll probably see very soon (definitely at welterweight and light heavyweight) is a changing of the guard, where today’s inactive veteran big-names pass the torch onto younger fighters, resulting in a dramatic change of the world rankings.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Five weeks ago I created a thread clamouring for the fans and the media (i.e. The RING, ESPN, TBRB, BoxRec etc.) to stop rating fighters that hadn’t fought for a couple of years.

And I’m glad to see it finally happen.

I also speculated that inactive veteran boxers in their mid-thirties, might already be surpassed (or perhaps will be within the next six months or so), by their younger rivals who kept busy.

What we'll probably see very soon (definitely at welterweight and light heavyweight) is a changing of the guard, where today’s inactive veteran big-names pass the torch onto younger fighters, resulting in a dramatic change of the world rankings.

They listened to you

[Bard of Boxrec]

Five weeks ago I created a thread clamouring for the fans and the media (i.e. The RING, ESPN, TBRB, BoxRec etc.) to stop rating fighters that hadn’t fought for a couple of years.

And I’m glad to see it finally happen.

I also speculated that inactive veteran boxers in their mid-thirties, might already be surpassed (or perhaps will be within the next six months or so), by their younger rivals who kept busy.

What we'll probably see very soon (definitely at welterweight and light heavyweight) is a changing of the guard, where today’s inactive veteran big-names pass the torch onto younger fighters, resulting in a dramatic change of the world rankings.

They listened to you

EO actually got listened to! Guy must be ecstatic