Men's boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Bivol, Beterbiev out; who replaces them? - ESPN

ESPN

by ESPN

February 25, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev have been removed from ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings due to their extended inactivity following their February 2025 rematch, which Bivol won to secure the undisputed light heavyweight title. With two spots vacant, Jaron Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr. have taken their places. Ennis, now ranked No. 8, remained undefeated in 2025, scoring a first-round knockout against Uisma Lima to claim the WBA interim junior middleweight title. Ortiz, at No. 10, captured the WBC belt with a second-round TKO of Erickson Lubin in November. Meanwhile, Ryan Garcia’s dominant victory over Mario Barrios to become the new WBC welterweight champion did not earn him enough voter support to enter the top 10. This highlights the competitive nature of the rankings, where performance and voting consensus play significant roles. The changes reflect the dynamic state of boxing, with fighters like Ennis and Ortiz stepping into the spotlight due to their recent achievements. These

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Originally published on ESPN on 2/25/2026