Ring Ratings Update

Kendall Holt’s one-sided sixth-round TKO loss to Kaizer Mabuza on Saturday surprised a lot of fight fans, in part because the man who beat the former 140-pound titleholder is a complete unknown in the U.S. but mainly because of the status THE RING-rated contender held going into the fight.

Last April, Holt dropped THE RING’s No. 1-rated junior welterweight, Tim Bradley, in the first and 12th rounds of a close 12-round unanimous decision loss.

Prior to that loss the 28-year-old Patterson, N.J., native was on a 10-1 run that included a first-round KO of titleholder Ricardo Torres, a ninth-round stoppage of then undefeated future 135-pound titleholder David Diaz, and a decision over then-undefeated future welterweight contender Isaac Hlatshwayo.

However, Holt (25-4, 13 knockouts), whose only fight in 2009 was the loss to Bradley, has been dropped from THE RING’s 140-pound rankings.

Mabuza (23-6-3, 14 KOs), a 30-year-old South African who is now riding a nine-bout unbeaten streak, entered the magazine’s junior welterweight ratings at No. 8.

The newcomer joins the 140-pound elite at a busy time. Over the next two and half months six RING-ranked junior welterweight contenders will be in action, four against each other.

On Saturday, Nos. 4 and 6, Devon Alexander (19-0, 12 KOs) and Juan Urango (22-2-1, 17 KOs), will clash in a title belt unification tilt in Uncasville, Conn.

On March 27, No. 7-rated Marcos Maidana (27-1, 26 KOs) will battle undefeated prospect Victor Cayo (24-0, 16 KOs) in a scheduled 12 rounder in Las Vegas, Nev.

On April 3, No. 10-rated Mike Alvarado (26-0, 18 KOs) finally gets back into action with a scheduled 10-rounder against Hector Munoz in Corpus Christi, Texas.

And on May 15, Nos. 2 and 5, Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KOs) and Paul Malignaggi (27-3, 5 KOs), are scheduled to fight for Khan’s title belt in New York, N.Y.

The rest of the year promises to remain an active time for the junior welterweight division and Mabuza, who won a title-elimination bout to face the winner of Alexander-Urango when he beat Holt, could find himself in the mix.


RING RATINGS UPDATE:

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS:

Inactivity has caused Antonio Tarver (No. 4 last week) to drop to No. 5. Tarver has not fought since May 9, 2009, and currently has nothing scheduled. Tarver’s demotion allows Jean Pascal (No. 5 last week) to advance to No. 4.

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS:

Holt (No. 7 last week) exits following his TKO loss to Mabuza. Holt’s departure bumps up Marcos Maidana (No. 8 last week) to No. 7, while Mabuza is aboard at No. 8.

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHTS:

Antonio Escalante (No. 8 last week) is now fighting as a featherweight and has been removed from the 122-pound division. He will be rated at his new weight class if and when results merit his inclusion. Escalante’s exit allows all fighters rated No. 7 through No. 10 last week to climb one rung each, and makes rooms for Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. to enter at No. 10, thanks to his kayo of Marvin Sonsona.

JUNIOR FLYWEIGHTS:

Juanito Rubillar (No. 10 last week) leaves after losing to Hekkie Budler, who takes over the No. 10 position.