Welterweight

Terence Crawford, a boxer with generational talent, is embarking on a new phase in his brilliant career.

After unifying the junior welterweight division with a third-round knockout win over Julius Indongo in August of last year—the first boxer to unify a division since 2006—Crawford is moving up to the welterweight ranks, where he will take on Jeff Horn Saturday night in Las Vegas for his WBO world welterweight title. 

Crawford (32-0, 23 KOs) is third in The Ring's pound-for-pound rankings, trailing only Vasiliy Lomachenko and Gennady Golovkin. The man they simply call "Bud" has demonstrated his mastery of the complex sport, beating a slew of opponents at both lightweight and junior welterweight, many of them with ease. 

The move up to 147 pounds thrusts him into what may be boxing's most competitive and star-studded division, giving Crawford the opportunity to amass the kind of widespread fame his talent deserves. 

Horn (18-0-1, 12 KOs) will be Crawford's first test in the new ranks. The undefeated Australian broke on to the world stage with a decision win over Manny Pacquiao in July 2017 in his home country, a hugely controversial decision considering the punch stats and eyeball test favored the Filipino legend. 

Horn will be looking to prove he deserves his status as titleholder. A win over Crawford would be a huge upset and silence many of his critics.

Here's how to watch the bout:

         

Horn vs. Crawford Fight Info

When: Saturday, June 9 at 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. for prelim bouts)

Where: MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas

TV: Foxtel pay-per-view (Australia only, link)

Live Stream: ESPN+ (subscription required)

The welterweight division may be Horn's terrain, but Crawford is the favorite in this bout.

As of Thursday, the American is a -750 favorite (bet $750 to win $100), per OddsShark. The record books may show Horn beat Pacquiao, but the fact he struggled against the aging fighter doesn't bode well for his chances against a talented Crawford in the prime of his career. 

Crawford is capable of beating opponents in myriad ways, with power, speed, from a southpaw stance or orthodox.

He often takes his time analyzing his opponents, deciphering their patterns and capabilities over a round or two before taking them apart with precision. Sometimes it ends quickly, such as in his knockout win over Indongo.

Other times, as in his two-belt unification fight against Viktor Postol in 2016, the pain is dished out slowly, over time, eroding a fighter's will as they struggle to come up with answers. 

If Horn is to beat Crawford, he will have to make the fighter ask some tough questions in the ring. After his win over Pacquiao, the Aussie went on to defend his WBO title, beating Gary Corcoran by technical knockout in December. Not the most impressive of opponents, but it was another notch on his belt as he takes on what he says is his biggest challenge yet. 

"This is an absolutely massive fight," Horn told Jake Michaels of ESPN. "The Pacquiao one was as well, but this is even bigger. [If I win] I'll be beating a unified world champion. My contract with Top Rank ends and I can negotiate a substantial amount for my next fight. There's so much on the line for my career if I can win this fight."

Horn will have to call upon all his training—including martial arts techniques designed to increase his strength—and physical abilities to win this bout. He may have a strength advantage over Crawford, and should be the more comfortable of the two at this weight.

Crawford cuts a slim figure, and while there's no reason to question his chin, one has to wonder how he might react to a clean power punch from a naturally bigger guy.

Crawford simply doesn't let fighters land those special punches. Horn will have to prove he's capable of the extraordinary. 

It's the return of the king on Saturday night. 

Amir "King" Khan (31-4, 19 KOs) will step into the ring for the first time in nearly two years, taking on Phil Lo Greco (28-3, 15 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight bout at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.

When we last saw Khan in May 2016, he was putting up a brave but ultimately doomed effort against Canelo Alvarez.

A fight with Manny Pacquiao in 2017 failed to materialize, extending the layoff for the former world champion as he pondered his future in the sport and even participated in some reality television.

He's back now, though, and looking to work his way up a crowded welterweight division. His return opponent, Lo Greco, has lost three of his last six fights and is a heavy underdog in this bout.

              

Khan vs. Lo Greco Fight Info

When: Saturday, April 21, 10:30 p.m. BST/5:30 p.m. ET

Where: Echo Arena, Liverpool

TV: Sky Sports (UK)

Live Stream: ESPN+, Sky Go (UK)

Tickets: StubHub

             

Khan, 31, is making a return in a weight class that better suits his strengths and abilities, and against an opponent who is unlikely to cause him many problems. 

Khan had moved up two divisions to middleweight for the bout against Alvarez, and though his speed and jab proved surprisingly effective, his chin could not stand up to Alvarez's precision and power. He suffered a brutal sixth-round knockout, the third loss of his career via stoppage and the fourth overall. 

With a suspect chin and a distinct lack of power, Khan is better off in the welterweight ranks. 

On the attack, Khan is known for his strong jab and lightning-quick hands. When in control of a bout, he likes to force the issue, stringing together his jab and power punches in rapid combination.

However, the Englishman might be more tentative than usual on Saturday. This is not only due to his long absence from boxing but also the fact he had to switch trainers in March, shuffling from Virgil Hunter to Joe Goossen, per ESPN.com's Nick Parkinson.

"With Joe Goossen, I've had to change a bit," Khan said. "Joe is trying to work on my defensive side more. and I've been trying to get a lot of sparring in. I can see myself getting better and sharper and being more precise."

Focusing on defense is a smart move for a guy who was knocked out in his last bout and has had trouble keeping power punchers at bay throughout his career.

Lo Greco doesn't pack much power with just 15 knockouts in 31 career fights, but if Khan's weak chin has crumbled even further, trouble can come from unlikely sources.

The 33-year-old Lo Greco is coming off a majority-decision win against the unheralded Jesus Gurrola (24-11-3) and has struggled against elite opposition.

He lost a wide decision to Shawn Porter in 2013 and was stopped in the third round by an ascendant Errol Spence Jr. in 2015. His most recent loss came in June 2016 against the once highly touted Joseph Elegele, who hasn't fought since that bout. 

Lo Greco's recent track record shows he is unlikely to pose much of a threat to Khan on Saturday. He's a safe choice for the 2004 Olympic silver medalist, who needs to look as good as he can coming out of the gate.

Khan is a heavy favorite to beat Lo Greco at -2500 (bet $2,500 to win $100), per OddsShark.com. He has a chance to end this bout early if he gets into the flow of things, but in all likelihood, he will take this opportunity to bank rounds and look for an easy decision.

He still has to be careful, though. Lo Greco can go for broke here, and if he catches the favorite with a couple of good punches early, he can perhaps force Khan into a defensive shell and deny him a smooth return to boxing.

Manny Pacquiao will not be returning to the ring next month. The former eight-division champion rejected an offer from Top Rank to fight Mike Alvarado on the undercard of the April 14 bout between Jeff Horn and Terence Crawford.

"No he's not fighting [Mike] Alvarado," Aquiles Zonio, Pacquiao's media relations officer, told ESPN5's Lyn Olavario. "He rejected Bob Arum's offer to fight [in the] undercard of the Crawford-Horn fight."

Pacquiao, 39, has not fought since losing a unanimous decision to Horn last July, dropping the WBO welterweight championship. The two sides agreed to a November rematch, but Pacquiao dropped out due to his commitments as a senator in his native Philippines. 

Horn instead defeated Gary Corcoran via 11th-round TKO. Zonio pointed to the controversial loss to Horn as a reason Pac Man deserves a rematch against him and felt the Alvarado offer was beneath his client.

"It's an insult to him," Zonio said. "The world knew who won that dirty fight in Brisbane. It was the biggest broad-daylight boxing heist."

To fill the void, Arum may now turn to super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas, who was told earlier this week to be ready if called upon as a replacement on April 14. His opponent would likely be fellow Filipino Jonas Sultan. If this fight were to happen, it would be the first between two boxers from the Philippines in 93 years.

According to renowned boxing journalist Gareth A Davies, negotiations are ongoing for a rematch between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor, with the fight taking place inside the Octagon rather than the boxing ring.

Rumours of an MMA bout between the two have been swirling for some time, and Davies told TalkSport's Jim White his sources say the negotiations are taking place:

"My soundings are that there are a lot of talks going on in the background, there are a lot of talks around people with Mayweather.

"There are a lot of talks about him potentially having an MMA fight with Conor McGregor.

"Conor McGregor had no chance in a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather.

"People will tune in to see Mayweather get stopped by Conor McGregor, and it won't affect his boxing record.

"I think it's going to happen, and I think it will be a three-, four-, five-hundred million dollar fight again."

Mayweather has previously denied rumours he was considering fighting in MMA, per MMA Weekly, but he has also hinted at the move―most recently via social media:

Come at the king, you best not miss... pic.twitter.com/uHx4SJngHx

— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) February 1, 2018

McGregor has made it clear he wants the rematch to happen, via TMZ Sports.

The two met inside a boxing ring in August 2017, with Mayweather extending his perfect record to 50-0 via a stoppage in the 10th round. McGregor, who had never boxed as a professional before, put together a remarkably good performance for an inexperienced boxer, and his positive showing immediately led to rumours of a rematch.

The Notorious hasn't fought in the UFC since 2016, when he won the lightweight title off Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. MMA fans are eagerly anticipating his next move, as there are several high-profile challengers in the lightweight division, including interim champion Tony Ferguson and his next opponent, Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Mayweather came out of retirement to face McGregor and immediately retired again after their bout. Given his age (40) and the fact he owns Mayweather Promotions, one of the most lucrative promotion firms in the sport, most pundits don't believe he'll take the risk of switching to MMA, where he would face one of the most skilled fighters in the UFC.

UFC legend Michael Bisping spoke on his Believe You Me podcast (via the Mirror's Martin Domin) to express his doubts regarding Mayweather's potential move to MMA:

"I honestly can't see Floyd Mayweather fighting mixed martial arts and certainly [not] in the UFC. If he does fight in the UFC, it's going to be against Conor McGregor.

"Conor McGregor in an MMA fight will f--king destroy Floyd Mayweather like he's never seen.

"It takes so long to learn—so long to put the pieces of the puzzle together, so long to learn the grappling the transitions from the striking to the grappling."

Davies disagrees, however, citing the enormous payday potentially on offer. If the two could smash MMA's pay-per-view records to the point of several hundred million dollars, it would certainly provide a huge incentive.  

Errol Spence Jr. is looking to establish himself as a top boxer in the crowded, talented welterweight division.

A newly minted world titleholder, Spence (22-0, 19 KOs) has his sights set on a breakout year in 2018, and he's getting things off to a solid start with a bout against seasoned veteran Lamont Peterson (35-3-1, 17 KOs) on Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. 

The Barclays Center has played host to several excellent fights over the past couple of years, and the crowds are often spirited and engaged. The primetime Showtime slot also holds plenty of prestige, a suitable platform for both the ambitious Spence and Peterson, a world champion in two weight classes in his career.

Here's the viewing info for the bout. 

        

Spence Jr vs. Peterson Fight Info

When: Saturday, Jan. 20 at 9 p.m. ET

Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York

TV: Showtime

Live Stream: Showtime Anytime

Tickets: StubHub

Spence is a massive favorite to defeat Peterson on Saturday. According to OddsShark.com, as of Thursday, Spence is a -3000 (bet $3000 to win $100) favorite over his opponent. While that line might seem a little steep to some, it's hardly a surprise that he's expected to come out a winner.

The 28-year-old southpaw is Ring's No. 2 welterweight and No. 8 pound-for-pound fighter (Peterson is ranked sixth in the welterweight division by the magazine).

He's won by stoppage in his last nine bouts, defeating several quality opponents along the way. In his most recent bout, Spence went across the pond to take on Kell Brook in his home country of England. Spence dominated the bout en route to an 11th-round knockout win. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-hDAKmacfw

Spence has been on the ascent for years, but the win over Brook in hostile territory put him firmly on the map. Now, he's set his sights on defending his IBF world welterweight title for the first time and eventually unifying the welterweight division.

Per an interview with Complex.com's Adam Caparell, he said:

"The belt added something to lose but I always have something to lose. I still have to unify my division and basically become the undefeated welterweight champion of the world. I can't lose. It is more added pressure but it does make me work harder and keeps me more focused."

Spence has division domination on his mind, but he can't afford to look past Peterson. The 33-year-old is coming off wins over strong opponents in David Avanesyan and Felix Diaz. He's never shied away from a challenge and is capable of giving even top-shelf competitors trouble, even if he can't always come out with a win.

Bad Left Hook's Scott Christ noted Peterson stood out in a loss to Danny Garcia, but outside of that, he's more often just plain good than great:

"Truth is, outside of the Garcia fight, I tend to think of Lamont Peterson as someone who generally can compete at the highest levels, but isn't going to beat true top-tier fighters. He's had chances with [Danny] Garcia, [Amir] Khan, [Lucas Martin] Matthysse, and going back to 2009, Tim Bradley, who routed Peterson in the sense that he won on wide scores, but almost every round, really, was competitive, Bradley just edged the lot of them."

Peterson doesn't appear to have the power necessary to keep Spence at bay, so he will have to win this one on defense and craft. Of course, Spence himself is no slouch in either department, and his overall talent will likely see him through to a victory.

A decisive win would really ramp up the demands for Spence to get a shot at Keith Thurman when the latter is healthy, but there may be another interim bout or two before a fight like that gets made. 

Undefeated boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. said he "carried" UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor in their August boxing match to make it "look good for y'all."

On Tuesday, Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting passed along comments Mayweather made in a FightHype.com video about the megafight, which he won by 10th-round knockout.  

"Everybody tried to protest the Mayweather-McGregor fight, right? But I'm gonna tell y'all the truth, I'm gonna tell y'all the truth," he said. "You know I carried McGregor. You know I made it look good for y'all."

It's hard to argue with the five-division world champion's latest assessment of the bout.

Although McGregor drew positive reviews after the fight for appearing to make it more competitive than expected, Mayweather never seemed in any serious danger throughout the fight, even in the early rounds when the outspoken Irishman was on the attack.

Then, once it got toward the latter stages of the battle, Mayweather turned up the heat and was able to finish the fight inside the distance with an offensive flurry.

The 40-year-old Michigan native's comments won't come as a surprise to longtime HBO boxing host Jim Lampley. He told TMZ Sports back in October the 50-0 boxer "obviously" threw rounds early on to make his MMA counterpart look like a legitimate threat.

"He allowed Conor to quote 'win' three rounds so that the whole global MMA ... community could have something to latch onto," Lampley said. "I think there's a decent chance there's enough suckers out there Floyd could maybe make another $150 million. Why not? ... It's all a set-up."

Mayweather announced his third retirement from boxing following the victory. While there have already been rumors of another comeback, he's downplayed that speculation.

This was not the way Miguel Cotto's legendary career was supposed to end. The 37-year-old Puerto Rican was supposed to go out victorious after 16 years of trading punches with the very best his generation had to offer, but in the end, the night belonged to his challenger.

Sadam Ali (26-1, 14 KOs) showed great speed, determination and skill in defeating Cotto (41-6, 33 KOs) by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday night.

The biggest win of his career by far, Ali earned the WBO world super welterweight title by playing spoiler and has certainly opened up great opportunities for himself going forward.

ESPN's Dan Rafael provided the cards from the upset:

We go to the scorecards: 115-113, 115-113, 116-112 all for Sadam Ali, who win a junior middleweight title and sends Cotto into retirement on a loss. https://t.co/VtfF4XcQjZ

— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) December 3, 2017

Boxing Monthly's Graham Houston felt it was a fitting result:

Really good, smart, gutsy display from Ali. Deserved the win. I hope Cotto sticks with the decision to retire. He doesn't need any more of the Marquess of Queensberry (as Budd Schulberg might have said).

— Graham Houston (@fightwriterone) December 3, 2017

Cotto said he hurt his left biceps in the seventh round, per the HBO broadcast. Cotto also confirmed that it would be his last fight, and thanked the fans for supporting him, per Bad Left Hook:

Cotto: “Thank you for supporting me at every moment. I’m so glad to call Madison Square Garden my home.”

— Bad Left Hook (@badlefthook) December 3, 2017

Cotto, who won six titles in four different weight classes in his career, didn't make excuses for the outcome. He may have been on the wrong end of the scorecard, but his fans could hardly feel cheated. He treated them to yet another thrilling fight.

Ali looked confident and loose from the opening bell, showing quick hands and constantly bouncing around the ring. Cotto looked a bit awkward trying to corral Ali, and the latter made him pay in the second round with a crushing right to the jaw that clearly hurt Cotto.

Ali fell to the canvas not long after he staggered Cotto, but the referee rightly ruled it a slip.

Rappler.com's Ryan Songalia noted stopping right hands has been a problem for Cotto throughout his career:

Cotto has a lot of experience in these kinds of fights, and he isn't the kind of guy you can knock out with just one right hand. But just as he's been for much of his career, he's having trouble with stopping right hands.

— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) December 3, 2017

HBO Boxing had a look at the key hit:

https://twitter.com/HBOboxing/status/937176870382059520

Ali's hand speed proved troublesome for Cotto. The 29-year-old Brooklynite proved his worth again in the fourth, slipping in a left hook and then later another right that each time had Cotto pausing to regain his senses.

Despite the night being built up as a chance for Cotto to ride into the sunset with a win, BoxingScene.com's Cliff Rold was OK with the emerging narrative:

https://twitter.com/RoldBoxing/status/937178037774376960

After four brilliant rounds, Ali curiously took his foot off the gas, allowing Cotto to climb back into the fight. Cotto controlled the pace in the fifth round and then landed a crisp straight right hand in the sixth that sent Ali stumbling into the ropes.

Here's a look at the punch, per HBO Boxing:

https://twitter.com/HBOboxing/status/937180760678600705

The sixth round shifted the momentum into Cotto's favor for the first time in the fight, but he didn't get to enjoy it for long. Ali stemmed the tide in the eighth round, finding the bounce in his legs again and not hesitating to let his hands go and trade punches with the fighter eight years his senior.

With Ali fighting on his own terms in the latter rounds, commentator Roy Jones Jr. noted that Cotto needed to earn the win in his farewell, rather than have it gifted to him, per Bad Left Hook:

Cotto should have to actually win the fight to be called the winner of the fight, according to expert commentator Roy Jones. In boxing you have to have an expert explain that.

— Bad Left Hook (@badlefthook) December 3, 2017

Perhaps sensing that the judges might gift Cotto a couple of rounds, Ali went for broke in the final two frames. He attacked Cotto from multiple angles and used his speed to throw multi-punch combos that left the aging prizefighter with little chance to retaliate.

In the end, Ali's performance was undeniable. Now that he's a world titleholder, Ali will surely get some high-profile opportunities in the near future.

As for Cotto, he went out with his head held up high and appeared content with everything he's done in the ring. Had he dominated Ali, one could imagine him perhaps getting the itch to take on a Canelo Alvarez or Gennady Golovkin, which was the initial plan.

However, this result showed that it might be better for him to hang up the gloves, with a great, entertaining Hall of Fame-worthy career to show for his efforts.

Miguel Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs), one of the best fighters of his generation, is potentially ending his career on his own terms Saturday night.

The 37-year-old Puerto Rican, who has won six world titles in four different weight classes over a 16-year pro career, has set up a final bout against Sadam Ali (25-1, 14 KOs) for the WBO world super welterweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Boxing fans would be wise to clear time in their schedules to see him off, although it sometimes takes multiple farewells before a fighter finally hangs the gloves up.

               

Cotto vs. Ali Fight Info

When: Saturday, Dec. 2 at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City

TV: HBO, BoxNation (UK, subscription required)

Live Stream: BoxNation (UK, subscription required)

Tickets: StubHub

                

Cotto has fought some of the biggest names in the sport during his career, faltering against the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather but taking down others such as Shane Mosley and Sergio Martinez. A fan favorite due to his willingness to take on boxing's best and his entertaining style, Cotto will go down as one of the more respected fighters of the past couple of decades.

CBSSports.com's Brian Campbell called him "the most honest fighter of his generation" for taking on so many challenges throughout career and handling them with transparency:

"Cotto will be remembered for the honest effort he gave in his biggest fights and the consistency of the entertainment in which he regularly provided. A noted family man outside the ring, he was as human and real of a fighter inside it as his generation had to offer and a refreshing boxer-businessman who went a long way in making sure, along with securing big paydays for himself, that the fans still received what they wanted most."

Ali, his opponent Saturday night, isn't anywhere near the level of those illustrious names, and that could be why Cotto ends up un-retiring at some point.

Cotto wanted to face the winner of the Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez bout, but a draw in that blockbuster matchup scrapped those plans. The desire to cap his career with against a high-profile opponent could draw him back to the ring, even as he approaches 40 years old. 

Judging by the odds, Cotto's final bow doesn't figure to be the kind of kinetic, competitive contest fans have grown accustomed to seeing him in. According to OddsShark.com (as of Thursday, Nov. 29), Cotto is a -1000 favorite (bet $1,000 to win $100), Ali a +600 underdog. Cotto comes into the contest having won four of his last five bouts, the lone defeat coming against Alvarez in November 2015.

In his most recent bout in August, Cotto pummeled Yoshihiro Kamegai for 12 rounds on the way to a decision victory. The clean, powerful combinations Cotto was landing in that bout would have destroyed just about any other fighter, but Kamegai appears to have an indestructible chin. 

Ali will have to be much more careful than Kamegai was if he is to have any chance in this bout. The 29-year-old from Brooklyn should feel comfortable fighting in his hometown, but Cotto presents a far greater challenge than any he has faced in his career.

This is the second world-title fight for Ali. He lost by ninth-round TKO to Jessie Vargas in a WBO world welterweight bout early last year, which is the only defeat of his career so far. Ali has won his last three contests since that defeat.

While Cotto has the star power, pedigree and proven skill set, Ali is confident he can upset the man eight years his senior. 

"I'm really excited to be fighting at MSG against a legend," Ali said, per Bad Left Hook's Scott Christ. "I know what's in front on me, and I know what I'm stepping up to. I'm different, I'm a bit of a boxer, I can brawl if I need to, and I have my little tricks."

The opportunity in front of Ali is massive, but he's facing a fighter who has seemingly made up his mind on his career. While Cotto may come back if the right opportunity presents itself, there's no boxer lurking on the horizon. Cotto won't be taking Ali lightly or looking past him toward a bigger bout. Instead, he seems ready to put his career behind him and focus on family, not fighting.

"I have been doing this for 26 years of my life," Cotto said, per SportingNews.com's Steven Muehlhausen. "My kids are growing up. [I] want to be with them, spend more time with them. To be a family man, to be a husband and to be a father. I want to be more than a boxer in my life, and being an important part in my family's life is my goal." 

Cotto has done plenty in his career to secure a ticket to the boxing Hall of Fame, and can be proud of the legacy he will leave behind if Saturday night is his swansong. The likable star will do everything he can to make sure he goes out on a high note.

Floyd Mayweather isn't shy about how he spends money. Nearly a month after wearing down Conor McGregor in 10 rounds via TKO, the undefeated boxer decided to purchase a $25.5 million home in Beverly Hills, California, per TMZ Sports.

The 15,000-square-foot residence features six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms to adequately accommodate the best boxer in the world's family and friends. 

Appropriately nicknamed "Money," the 50-0 fighter doesn't seem worried about the IRS tracking him down. 

After his last fight, Mayweather announced his retirement, which means this lavish spot seems to be a good place to spend his free time.

Miguel Cotto has his eye on the winner of Saturday's middleweight showdown between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.

Per ESPN's Dan Rafael, Cotto said Thursday that challenging the winner would be "the best way to say goodbye to boxing."

Cotto, 36, has announced 2017 will be the last year of his storied career.

"Sixteen years is enough, and I have other things to do in life," Cotto told reporters in August. "I have to...quit boxing and retire [by] Dec. 31."

Cotto has already been in the ring with Alvarez, losing The Ring and lineal middleweight titles by unanimous decision in November 2015.

After 21 months out of boxing, Cotto returned Aug. 26 with a unanimous-decision victory over Yoshihiro Kamegai to win the WBO light middleweight title.

As a professional, Cotto has amassed a 41-5 record and has held championships in four different weight classes. Rafael has him No. 6 in his junior middleweight rankings.