The Sporting News super middleweight boxing rankings: Canelo headlines division at 168 lbs
When bitter rivals David Benavidez and Caleb Plant square off at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, they will both know that victory in this interim WBC super middleweight title fight could result in a mega-fight.
If you’re aiming for a world title at 168 pounds, all roads lead through boxing superstar and undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. The Mexican hero has already pulled off a stop triumph over Plant, while Benavidez has had a crosshairs on a matchup with the former pound-for-pound king for years.
Alongside Benavidez vs. Plant, countless contenders and ex-champions are lining up to claim ultimate glory. But who deserves a world title fight the most right now?
MORE: Everything you need to know about Benavidez vs. Plant
The Sporting News recently gathered opinions from members of his fight team to create a top 12 super middleweight list. Everyone agreed on the elite-level players, while opinions were divided on the bottom of the list, which includes both former champions and up-and-coming players:
12. Edgar Berlanga
- Record: 20-0 (16 KOs)
- Next fight: No fight planned
Berlanga has the distinction of scoring most consecutive first-round knockouts in modern times. “The Chosen One” stopped 17 opponents within the first three minutes before being won by Demond Nicholson over the distance of eight rounds in October 2021.
This fight started a trend as Berlanga extended the 10-round distance in his subsequent three games. The fact that the knockout streak ended as the New Yorker’s level of competition increased leads many fans to believe he is lacking in other areas.
The 25-year-old recently signed with Matchroom Boxing, who still have high hopes for one of boxing’s biggest hitters.
11. Ali Akhmedov
- Record: 19-1 (14 KOs)
- Next fight: No fight planned
Training partner to unified middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin, the Kazakh star is a formidable force in the division.
Akhmedov won his first 16 fights before being shockingly upset by Carlos Gongora (KO 12) in a fight he won effortlessly. This fight took place during the pandemic and it has been suggested that inactivity may have played a part in his defeat.
In the meantime, the 27-year-old has come back with two stop wins and a points win over Gabriel Rosado (UD 10).
10. Zack Parker
- Record: 22-1 (16 KOs)
- Next fight: No fight planned
Parker had crossed every “T” and “I” in his six-and-a-half-year professional career, but was unlucky in his final game against former world title challenger John Ryder in November.
As the fight warmed up, Parker broke his right hand in the fourth round and was unable to continue. Recovery aside, the future plans for the Derbyshire-based fighter are unknown but he had shown promise in previous victories over Sherzod Khusanov (KO 1) and Marcus Morrison (UD 10).
Parker, still ranked No. 6 by the WBO, should do something significant once he’s fully healed.
9.Anthony Direll
- Record: 34-3-2 (25 KOs)
- Next fight: No fight planned
The last time we saw Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell in the ring, he was knocked unconscious by a Caleb Plant in spectacular fashion. However, the 38-year-old boxer-puncher is a former two-time WBC champion and has shared the ring with some solid contenders.
Despite victories over the likes of Sakio Bika (UD 10), Caleb Truax (TKO 1) and Avni Yildirim (UD 10), Dirrell is still chasing an authentic, career-defining win. Unfortunately, Father Time will likely step in as the clock is ticking for the Michigan-based veteran.
8. Vladimir Shishkin
- Record: 14-0 (8 KOs)
- Next fight: No fight planned
Although he’s turned pro since 2016, it’s still a bit early to predict Shishkin’s upper limit in the sport. But in terms of the eye test, the Russian fighter has impressive punching variety, excellent distance judgment and plenty of wrestling.
Shishkin took a step up last time out when he faced former world title challenger Jose Uzcategui in December. He passed that test with flying colors, achieving a 12-round unanimous decision over the long-lived Venezuelan.
Shishkin, 31, has challenged Canelo but he’s still on the learning curve and needs to keep his feet on the ground.
MORE: Female pound-for-pound rankings
7. Erik Bazinyan
- Record: 29-0 (21 KOs)
- Next fight: No fight planned
This Armenian-born Canadian has had an excellent winning streak and while he has not yet faced competition at the highest level, that experience will serve him well in the future.
Promoted from Camille Estephan’s Eye of the Tiger management, Bazinyan is now in a position to seek out big fights. The 27-year-old holds a top-five position on three of the four major governing bodies, putting him in the right place for an eliminator or a world title.
Either way, expect something significant from Bazinyan in 2023.
6.David Morell
- Record: 8-0 (7 KOs)
- Next fight: No fight planned
With a stunning 130-2 record as an amateur, it was decided early on that Morrell would be quickly pursued as a pro
The Cuban star competed in just his third professional fight in a 12-round tournament, picking up a unanimous decision win over Lennox Allen to win the WBA interim title. The 25-year-old then picked up the little-noticed “normal” WBA belt at the expense of Mario Cazares. This was followed by three knockout wins in the title defense: Alantez Fox (TKO 4), Kelvin Henderson (TKO 4), and Aidos Yerbossnuly (TKO 12).
Right winger Morrell, who recently went back and forth with David Benavidez, looks like a legitimate threat to any super middleweight division out there.
5. Christian Mbilli
- Record: 23-0 (20 KOs)
- Next fight: meets southpaw Carlos Gongora from Ecuador on March 23
Mbilli is another super middleweight thunderbolt. Of the Frenchman’s 20 KO wins, 13 have come in three rounds or fewer.
As with some of the other contenders on the list, Mbilli has yet to face off against a truly elite opponent. However, all signs point to the 27-year-old knockout artist being real and his time is coming. For proof, see Mbilli’s one-punch knockout of Nadjib Mohammedi.
As with Bazinyan, expect this 168-pound destroyer to be unleashed in 2023.
MORE: Boxing’s top 12 pound-for-pound list
4.John Ryder
- Record: 32-5 (18 KOs)
- Next fight: Take on undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez on May 6th in Mexico
It was a rough time for John Ryder (excuse the pun). After four losses at national level – to Billy Joe Saunders, Nick Blackwell, Jack Arnfield and Rocky Fielding – the London-based southpaw improved his game and climbed the ranks.
In November 2019, after putting on the best performance of his career, Ryder suffered what many perceived as a sham loss to then-WBA and Ring Magazine Champion Callum Smith. Not to be outdone, Ryder, 34, has hit back with quality wins over Daniel Jacobs and Zach Parker to create the opportunity of a lifetime.
3. Caleb plant
- Record: 22-1 (13 KOs)
- Next fight: Face off against David Benavidez in Las Vegas on March 25th
Plant broke onto the world stage in 2019 when he won the IBF Championship at the expense of Jose Uzcategui (UD 12). Three dominant title defenses followed before the Nashville, Tenn. native was matched pound for pound to superstar Canelo Alvarez in November 2021.
Despite boxing well early on, Plant was exhausted and stopped in the penultimate round of boxing’s first undisputed super middleweight title fight. It was a tough loss but the 30-year-old got back on the horse, hired Stephen ‘Breadman’ Edwards as chief second and was looking for new challenges.
In October, Plant scored a brutal one-punch knockout on former two-time champion Anthony Dirrell, creating enough buzz to start another big fight for himself.
2.David Benavidez
- Record: 26-0 (23 KOs)
- Next fight: Take on Caleb Plant on March 25th in Las Vegas
Boxing’s ultimate bogeyman, Benavidez is a popular choice for many fans to dethrone undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. Whether that will come to fruition remains to be seen, but Phoenix’s lightning-fast brawler over Las Vegas is play for it.
Benavidez, 26, hasn’t gone the distance in over five years and some of his highlight reel knockouts have been stunning. And despite the fact that he’s twice held the WBC title in that weight class, it feels like his greatest nights lie ahead.
Despite Benavidez’s fearsome reputation, his next opponent is determined to put him to the test.
MORE: Who will appear on the Benavidez vs. Plant undercard?
1. Canelo Alvarez
- Record: 58-2-2 (39 KOs)
- Next fight: Returns to his native Mexico for the first time in 10 years to take on British left winger John Ryder
Canelo transitioned to super middleweight in December 2018 and less than three years later he was named the first undisputed champion in that weight class. The Mexican star defeated three previously undefeated opponents to confirm his dominance: Callum Smith (UD 12), Billy Joe Saunders (TKO 8) and Caleb Plant (TKO 11).
In truth, Canelo was a nailed Hall of Famer long before he even entered the 168-pound division, and everything he achieves now is just the icing on his Canastota cake.
The four-weight world champion is now looking forward to a long-awaited homecoming.