Ring Ratings Review: Bakhram Murtazaliev reaches No. 3 in junior middleweight
Bakhram Murtazaliev is still the biggest player in the 154-kilogram division. Photo Credit: Main Events
If you didn’t know who it was Bakhram Murtazaliev before being knocked down in three rounds Tim Tszyu this past saturday, sure as hell does now.
Add the 31-year-old Russian to the list of Eastern European junior middleweights who clearly aren’t here to fill the records of big-name opponents. Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs), who made his first defense of the IBF title he won in April, is refusing to follow the script put out by fans, media and troublemakers – like in Uzbekistan. Israel Madrimov and Ukraine Serhii Bohachuk. These guys are here to kick some butt.
And unlike Madrimov, who ran Terence Crawford closed the loss to UD on August 3, and Bohachuk, who had to settle for a majority decision after a 12-fight fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr. one week later, Murtazliev did not leave his result. fighting in the hands of legal judges.
The rangy, 6-foot tall boxer-puncher dropped the heavily favored Tszyu (24-2, 17 KOs) four times in less than nine minutes of one-sided action.
Bakhram Murtazaliev pulled off a surprise stoppage against Tim Tszyu for four. (Photo by Joseph Correa-Premier Boxing Champions)
“Murtazuliev made a real statement stopping Tszyu in three rounds,” it said Anson Wainwright. “I thought Murtaziliev was alive, but wow! Still very impressive! Murtazuliev will be No. 3 and Tszyu will drop to No. 7.”
No one on the Ring Ratings Panel argued against Wainwright’s junior middleweight proposals.
The panel, however, disagreed with Wainwright’s proposals for the super middleweight, where he had previously been unranked. William Scull came in at number 6 following his unanimous decision Vladimir Shishkin in the country of his birth in Germany.
Wainwright suggested Shishkin (16-1, 10 KOs) drop to No. 8. The panel noted that Scull (23-0, 9 KOs), a 32-year-old Cuban now based in Berlin, and The 33-year-old Russian should be consistent in the rankings given how close their 12-round belt is (which was for the IBF title that was stripped from Ring champion Canelo Alvarez).
“Scull and Shishkin should be No. 6 and No. 7,” he said Adam Abramowitz. “That fight was a coin toss of who won. Shishkin won the most I saw.”
Tris Dixon, Abraham Gonzalez, Tom Gray, Jake Donovan, Michael Montero again Diego Morilla agreed with Abramowitz.
William Scull (left) scored a knockout victory over Vladimir Shishkin in a vacant IBF super middleweight title fight on October 19 in Falkansee, Germany.
Photo credit: Torsten Helmke, AGON Sports
Wainwright also proposed a reduction Leigh Woodwho hit a one-year layoff earlier this month, in the featherweight ranks.
“Wood has been unemployed for a year and when he talks about fighting, nothing has come out,” he said Wainwright. “We could have taken him out, brought everyone up and brought him in Bruce Carrington at No. 10. Or we could give Wood up to Carrington-[Dana] Coolwell (which will happen next month) and if he doesn’t get something planned change? I’m cool either way. I think maybe we will wait but I understand that it is Wood’s year.”
Answer it Abramowitz: “Time to get Wood out. “
Added Gray: “I hate to put Leigh out at 126, but he’s had a year off and has no intention of returning to this division. He shouted [Anthony] Cacace in early October, so 130 is in his future. Coming back with the results depends on whether he can be included in junior lightweight again.”
Added Donovan: “We backed off Carrington enough for him to get in. Wood 100% has to come out this week, he wouldn’t fight again at 126 regardless [the Josh] The Warrington rematch is over. Don’t take it anymore [Raymond] Ford will be out in three weeks and Veneno [Luis Alberto Lopez] once his team has made an official decision on his future.”
The rest of the panel agreed with Abramowitz and Donovan.
Leigh Wood, here celebrating his victory over Josh Warrington, comes out of the 126-lb. Top 10 after 168 weeks in the ratings. Photo by Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
Wood (28-3, 17 KOs), a two-time WBA title holder with wins over Warrington, Mauricio Lara, Xu Can, and Michael Conlan (in The Ring’s 2022 Fight of the Year), was in the 168 featherweight division. weeks.
REVIEW OF RING MEASUREMENTS (as of October 19):
LIGHT HEAVY – Anthony Yarde remains number 4 following a 10-round decision by Ralfs Vilcans.
SUPER Middleweight – Scull comes in at No. 6. Shishkin dropped to No.
JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT – Murtazaliev moves up to No. 3. Tszyu moves down to No. 7.
JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT – Albert Batrygaziev He remains at No. 10 following a four-round stoppage of Albert Pagara.
FATHERWEIGHT – The wood comes out due to inactivity. Carrington (13-0, 8 KOs) enters at No. 10.
Email Fischer at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter and IG at @dougiefischer, and join him, Tom Loeffler, Coach Schwartz and friends on Tom’s or Doug’s IG Live most Sundays.
