Ring Ratings Update: Khan-Bradley pound-for-pound debate continues

The moment it was announced that THE RING had elevated Amir Khan to the top spot of its junior welterweight ratings, bumping Timothy Bradley down to the No. 2 spot, some fans wondered why the British star was not also added to the magazine’s pound-for-pound top 10.

Bradley is currently No. 6 in THE RING’s Pound-for-Pound ratings. Khan is still outside of the magazine’s pound-for-pound top 10, despite overtaking Bradley in the junior welterweight rankings.

It’s understandable why some fans and members of the media questioned Khan’s omission. The 24-year-old titleholder’s accomplishments seem equal to Bradley‘s.

Khan (26-1, 18 knockouts), who currently holds the WBA and the IBF 140-pound titles, has won eight bouts in a row since he suffered a first-round stoppage to Breidis Prescott in September of 2008.

His win streak includes a technical decision over faded future-hall-of-famer Marco Antonio Barrera and victories over five RING-rated junior welterweights (Andreas Kotelnik, Paul Malignaggi, Marcos Maidana, Paul McCloskey and Zab Judah).

Bradley (27-0, 11 KOs) has also defeated five RING-rated junior welterweights (Junior Witter, Kendal Holt, Nate Campbell, Lamont Peterson and Devon Alexander), as well as THE RING’s No. 8-rated lightweight Miguel Vazquez.

The 27-year-old native of Palm Springs, Calif., currently holds the WBO 140-pound belt and has twice won the WBC title, which was recently stripped from him.

So why is Bradley a pound-for-pound player, and not Khan?

Perhaps being unbeaten gives Bradley an edge. Or maybe it’s the welterweight victory he has over then-undefeated Luis Carlos Abregu.

As fans debate the issue, THE RING’s Editor-in-Chief Nigel Collins would like to remind us that the pound-for-pound rankings are subjective.

“The thing that fans and readers must keep in mind is that there is a highly significant difference between the divisional ratings and pound-for-pound ratings,“ Collins said. “Divisional ratings are, as much as humanly possible, strictly objective and based on results within the divisions. Pound-for-pounds rankings, however, are much more subjective and also take into consideration the opinions of THE RING Ratings Advisory Panel and the editors, as well as the fighters’ overall body of work.

“Khan was advanced over Bradley in the divisional ratings due to greater activity, but Bradley’s Pound-for-Pound ranking was not effected.”

Ring ratings update:

Light heavyweights:

Beibut Shumenov (No. 9) trades places with Karo Murat (No. 8 last week) following Shumenov’s kayo of Danny Santiago.

Featherweights: Billy Dib enters at No. 10 on the strength of his 12-round decision over Jorge Lacierva (No. 10 last week). Lacierva exits.

Strawweights: Oleydong Sithsamerchai (No. 3 last weeks) departs to campaign at junior bantamweight, but has not yet accomplished enough at 115 pounds to earn a rating in his new division. Sithsamerchai’s exit allows all rated No. 4 or below last week to climb one rung each. The void at No. 10 is filled by Pronsawan Porpramook, who is coming off a decision win over Muhammad Rachman.