Ranking average weights: whether we like it or not, Canelo ensures its place

1) Canelo Alvarez (50-1-2, 34 KO's)

I thought Gennady Golovkin deserved to win the first fight, but it was a draw. I thought Gennady Golovkin deserved revenge, but he returned to a majority decision for Alvarez. I was not indignant either. I have my own biases in scoring, like anybody, and I am not paid to be a judge for price fights. Golovkin's team, at least in public, does not contest Saturday's result, nor am I.

What is clear about Canelo, is this: he can fight. The history of clenbuterol is in the past. He was clean – as clean as boxing could guarantee, anyway – for the rematch with GGG, and he did not back down, did not "run", did not hesitate to fight. He took a majority decision on two 7-5 cards against the man who had been the best middleweight of the generation. He is 28 years old and what should be his first.

Will a third fight with GGG be next? Maybe, but the team Alvarez wants to fight in December. It will depend largely on what comes out of his agreement with HBO and all that. But a third fight with Golovkin seems inevitable at some point, at least in September 2019, if neither man loses the fight before being able to see each other again. They make a lot of money together. Next: TBA

2) Gennady Golovkin (38-1-1, 34 KO's)

Golovkin, 36, did not look old on Saturday night because he was the busiest guy I think bigger punches, a lot of cleaner shots, and rallied the end of the fight through his arrival. He can still fight at the level of the elite. He was never going to destroy the Canelos and Daniel Jacobseses of the world as he did with guys like Dominic Wade or even David Lemieux; even the best fighters face their matches along the way, whether in style or simply because the competition is getting harder and harder. GGG had a great career, and it should continue at least once. Next: TBA

3) Daniel Jacobs (34-2, 29 KO's)

Jacobs, 31, has not really been impressed since his 12 difficult rounds with Golovkin in March 2017. He has won 2-0 since then, beating Luis Arias by decision, then getting a good fight with Maciej Sulecki. April. year. Do not go down on Jacobs' match with Sergiy Derevyanchenko on October 27, which will be on HBO at MSG Theater in New York. It's great on paper, and I think it's closer to 50-50 than some people might realize. Next: October 27 against Sergiy Derevyanchenko

4) Billy Joe Saunders (26-0, 12 KO's)

Speaking of not taking the ball and running with her, there is Saunders, who put David Lemieux on the HBO last December and since then has done nothing but fight. with Martin Murray, hoping maybe one day to face GGG or Canelo, before these two put in place their revenge at the end. Saunders has already done it – it took a year after defeating Andy Lee for the WBO title in 2015 to fight again, and remember, he was not impressed in that return against Artur Akavov even by his own admission. Saunders is a very talented boxer, but his next fight is more difficult on paper than Akavov, and if he is rusted again, or has once again outdone himself, that could be a problem. Next: October 20th vs Demetrius Andrade

5) Sergiy Derevyanchenko (12-0, 10 KO's)

Derevyanchenko impressed with his 12 professional fights. He tried to fight GGG, did not understand, and eventually forced the IBF to strip Golovkin of his belt, which will now be disputed between Derevyanchenko and Jacobs in October. This is the second middleweight match we will see in 2018. Next: October 27th vs Daniel Jacobs

6) Ryota Murata (14-1, 11 KO's)

Murata, 32, has the world title "WBA", which some of you bristle, and I understand it, but it does not really bother, the sanctioning body takes the fees anyway, if the fighters will pay for it. I might as well recognize it halfway. The former Olympic gold medalist has a defeat to his professional record and he was both fake and avenged. He beat Italy's Emanuele Blandamura in a mediocre title defense in April and now faces Rob Brant in October in Las Vegas for the ESPN + title. Brant is not a bad fighter, but I think Murata is too good for him. Given his age, I would like to see him mingle with the best before it's too late, but that seems unlikely given his promotional affiliations. Next: October 20th against Rob Brant

7) Jermall Charlo (27-0, 21 KO's)

Photo by Mike Stobe / Getty Images

Many people would rank Charlo higher, and I understand. He had a great exposure to the network for a while, he is a good fighter, undefeated, with sometimes scary power. But his best wins are Austin Trout and Julian Williams at 154 pounds. At 160, he beat Jorge Heiland and Hugo Centeno Jr. I think this division has eight players and it can compete at a very high level on good nights. It turns out that Charlo is ranked seventh at the moment. This could change quickly, however, if he can get the good fights, which is not easy. Like Murata, her promotional links do not help her much in this division. But he is 28 and at one point he will have a chance to fight against someone. And it should be exciting because he is an exciting fighter to watch. Next: TBA

8) Demetrius Andrade (25-0, 16 KO's)

Some nights, Andrade, 30, has a world class look. On others, he has a lower level than this one. He has not fought since October 2017, when he defeated Alantez Fox on HBO, and he will return for a world title shot Oct. 20 against Saunders in Boston, close enough to his home in Providence. He is a former title holder at 154 and is already good enough to take Billy Joe's belt if things are going well for him. I think it's a fight with a lot of potential factors that determine the outcome. If they are both, it will be a really interesting and potentially very difficult fight to score. Next: October 20th against Billy Joe Saunders

9) David Lemieux (40-4, 34 KO's)

Spike O'Sullivan called Lemieux a pony in his turn. Spike O'Sullivan then saw Lemieux's turn, and the fight ended in two minutes and 44 seconds. David Lemieux, still 29 years old even though he looks older (at least for me), will never be an elite fighter, but he is dangerous against anyone, powerful as any the world, and whoever will be there and in the mix, probably for a few more years at least. It's not an easy fight between the GBP and the PBC, but damn it if I'm not ready for a fight against Charlo-Lemieux. Next: TBA

10) Maciej Sulecki (26-1, 10 KO's)

You could go with veteran Martin Murray here, but I'm going with Sulecki, at least for now, because he gave Jacobs a good test in April. Sulecki could return to the 154-pound division, but it's clear he can fight at 160 because he gave a good fight to 12 good rounds. Pole, 29, has nothing on the calendar at the moment, but he hopes to get out before the end of the year, even in a tune-up match. Next: TBA