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Boxing divisional rankings: Why Wilder’s win wasn’t enough to join top 10 at heavyweight

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  • Andreas HaleApr 7, 2026, 07:36 AM ET

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      Andreas Hale is a combat sports reporter at ESPN. Andreas covers MMA, boxing and pro wrestling. In Andreas’ free time, he plays video games, obsesses over music and is a White Sox and 49ers fan. He is also a host for Sirius XM’s Fight Nation. Before joining ESPN, Andreas was a senior writer at DAZN and Sporting News. He started his career as a music journalist for outlets including HipHopDX, The Grammys and Jay-Z’s Life+Times. He is also an NAACP Image Award-nominated filmmaker as a producer for the animated short film “Bridges” in 2024.

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Deontay Wilder defeated Derek Chisora by split decision in an entertaining and somewhat sloppy slugfest between aging heavyweights over the weekend. The win wasn’t enough for Wilder to re-enter ESPN’s heavyweight rankings, but it should be enough to secure him at least one more big fight before the former WBC heavyweight champion retires.

Wilder scored two knockdowns against Chisora, but was also docked a point for an illegal push, in what was Chisora’s final pro fight. “The Bronze Bomber” may not be the devastating force that he once was, but Wilder remains a factor in an evolving heavyweight division.

While Wilder’s win didn’t affect the heavyweight rankings, Viddal Riley climbs at cruiserweight after a one-sided decision over Mateusz Masternak in the co-main event. The victory could position Riley to challenge for a world title in the near future. After upending the veteran with a strong jab and right hand, Riley moves up from No. 9 to No. 7.

The biggest shakeup came in the junior featherweight division, following Yukinori Oguni’s shocking unanimous decision win over Marlon Tapales.

The former two-division and unified junior featherweight champion was a huge favorite against Oguni, who was on the verge of retirement entering the fight. Entering the bout, Oguni was 2-2-2 in his last six fights. However, Oguni weathered an early storm from Tapales, who came in overweight, and then committed to a sustained body attack that wore on the former champion. Tapales faded down the stretch, earning Oguni the biggest win of his career.

Tapales announced that he would move to featherweight following the loss and has been removed from the rankings, while Oguni’s win earned him the No. 10 spot.

ESPN’s divisional boxing rankings highlight the best in the sport in every weight class. Rankings will change based on recent results and performances. Fighters who have announced they are moving to a different weight class will be ranked in that new division, if warranted, only once they fight in that weight class. Fighters who currently own titles in two divisions can be ranked in both.

Fighters who haven’t competed in the past 12 months — and don’t have a fight scheduled — will be dropped from the rankings until they fight again. Any fighter who tests positive for a performance-enhancing substance will also be removed. That boxer will be eligible to reenter the rankings after his next bout.

For a list of the current champions in all weight classes, click here. For ESPN women’s divisional rankings, click here.

Jump to weight classes with changes: Cruiserweight, junior lightweight, featherweight, junior featherweight

HEAVYWEIGHT (UNLIMITED)

CRUISERWEIGHT (UP TO 200 POUNDS)

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (UP TO 175 POUNDS)

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT (UP TO 168 POUNDS)

MIDDLEWEIGHT (UP TO 160 POUNDS)

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT (UP TO 154 POUNDS)

WELTERWEIGHT (UP TO 147 POUNDS)

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT (UP TO 140 POUNDS)

LIGHTWEIGHT (UP TO 135 POUNDS)

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT (UP TO 130 POUNDS)

FEATHERWEIGHT (UP TO 126 POUNDS)

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT (UP TO 122 POUNDS)

BANTAMWEIGHT (UP TO 118 POUNDS)

JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT (UP TO 115 POUNDS)

FLYWEIGHT (UP TO 112 POUNDS)

JUNIOR FLYWEIGHT (UP TO 108 POUNDS)

STRAWWEIGHT (UP TO 105 POUNDS)



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