UPDATES
* The Lineal Boxing Champion monthly ratings are produced by an international panel of 11 boxing analysts. Boxers are ranked according to ability and accomplishments in their respective weight classes. Fighters may be removed if they have been inactive for over 18 months and still have no fights scheduled.
Atomweight
Yuko Kuroki (#2 in Lineal Boxing Champion’s ratings) defeated Montserrat Alarcon (#1 in LBC’s ratings) via majority decision on August 5, in what was a clash between our top ranked atomweights – this filled the Lineal vacancy, crowning the inaugural Lineal Atomweight Champion.
When filling a Championship vacancy, Lineal Boxing Champion (LBC) also considers the bigger picture across boxing, to ensure a true divisional champion is being crowned.
In addition to being a “#1 Vs #2” match-up, Kuroki/Alarcon was also a unification bout (Kuroki entered as WBO titlist and Alarcon entered as WBA titlist).
However, in their most up-to-date online rankings prior to the bout (July 21, 2023), The Ring Magazine had the atomweights ranked as follows:
1) Fabiana Bytyqi
2) Montserrat Alarcon
3) Yuko Kuroki
4) Mika Iwakawa
5) Sumire Yamanaka
The Ring ranked Bytyqi at #1. If this position can be considered reasonable, there would be some grounds for disputing Kuroki/Alarcon as a fight which filled the Lineal vacancy, and as such, extra scrutiny is warranted. It’s worth noting that at the time of the bout, ESPN had Alarcon rated at #1 at atomweight, followed by #2 Mika Iwakawa, #3 Bytyqi, #4 Kuroki, #5 Ayaka Miyao.
*Miyao formally announced her retirement in November 2022, as reported by Boxing.JP.
On September 22, 2018, Fabiana Bytyqi won the vacant WBC Atomweight Title with a 10-round unanimous decision over 2-1, Denise Castle – astonishingly, Castle entered the “world title” bout, having not fought (as per BoxRec) since a TKO loss over four years earlier! Bytyqi then had a 10-round draw against 11-3, Maria Vargas, in April 2019, and followed this up with a 10-round-points win over 28-13-3, Ana Arrazola, seven months later. Incidentally, Arrazola entered the bout off a loss, and lost her next three bouts, but as the talent pool is shallow at atomweight, at this juncture, Bytyqi was ranked #5 in LBC’s ratings.
Saemi Hangata’s retirement in early 2021 meant Hangata exited our top-five, allowing Bytyqi to move to #4. Bytyqi left LBC’s Atomweight ratings (at the time, rated at #3) in September 2021, as she had been inactive at atomweight for almost two years, and her next bout was scheduled to be a 6-rounder at 112lb on October 2nd, 2021. Bytyqi had tested positive for COVID in early 2020, but she had returned to the ring just six months later (at 110lb) and twice in 2021 (at 110lb and 112lb). She finally returned to the 102lb weight class on July 29, 2022 (over two and a half years since her last bout at 102lb), with a draw over 10-4-4, Elizabeth Lopez Corzo – Corzo entered the bout on the back of a one-sided points loss to Yokaste Valle and had never previously fought below 104lb in her professional career. This draw was not enough to get Bytyqi back in our top five, although after Ayaka Miyao formally announced her retirement at the end of 2022, Bytyqi re-entered the ratings at #5. Bytyqi convincingly defeated Lopez in a rematch on April1 5, 2023, after which she moved to #4 in LBC’s ratings.
Compare this trail of events to Montserrat Alarcon’s resume over the same timeframe. Alarcon won the vacant WBA title via unanimous decision over 19-21-4, Mayela Perez, on August 31, 2018; Perez was an active fighter who entered the bout coming off of seven consecutive wins, albeit against limited opposition. Alarcon won five more bouts (weighing less than 102lb) between 2019 – 2022, two of which were 10-round points victories over the experienced Ayaka Miyao (23-7-1) and Silvia Torres (20-2-2). She also picked up two other wins at 103lb, either side of the Miyao bout.
Alaracon has consistently remained our #1-ranked atomweight.
It is indefensible to have Bytyqi ranked ahead of Alarcon at 102lb.
Bytyqi’s fight against Denise Castle should never have been for a vacant world title at all (the WBC belt). Castle was 2-1, had not fought since a TKO loss over four years beforehand. In almost five years since the Castle fight, Bytyqi has never had a bout in which both her and her opponent have made the 102lb atomweight limit. In addition to this, Bytyqi spent two and a half years (between 2020 – 2022) fighting at 110-112lb. How is she still recognsied as the reigning WBC titlist?
It may be suggested that reigning IBF titlist, Mika Iwakawa, could be ranked above Kuroki (as in ESPN’s ratings); indeed, at the end of 2020, Alarcon and Mika Iwakawa, were LBC’s top-two-ranked atomweights, however, in February 2022, Iwakawa lost to Nanae Suzuki. Experienced atomweight, Yuko Kuroki - who had been hovering just outside of LBC’s top-five, having lost by split decision to Saemi Hanagata for the vacant IBF title in 2018, and drawn with former WBO titlist, Nao Ikeyama, in 2019 - then defeated Suzuki on September 1, 2022; on the same card in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Iwakawa won the IBF title against (now retired) Ayaka Miyao. Iwakawa has fought just once since; a 6-rounder at 103lb over 2-2 ploypailin Palastrichai. Meanwhile, Kuroki defeated Iwakawa’s conqueror, Suzuki, a second time, on March 30, 2023.
Alarcon Vs Kuroki, on August 5, 2023, was a “#1 vs #2” match-up in LBC’s ratings. Upon closer scrutiny, these ratings are fully justified.
Kuroki is the inaugural Lineal Atomweight World Champion; she is the true queen at 102lb.
Bantamweight
Shuretta Metcalf, replaces Melissa Parker at #5, following her 8-round majority points victory over her fellow American, on July 29.
Junior Lightweight
Beatriz Ferreira replaces Ramona Graeff at #5, following her dominant points win over Karla Zamora on July 1st.
Lightweight
Maira Moneo, 13-1, moves to #2, having recently defeated Alys Sanchez by TKO. Mossely and Lescano each move down one place.
Junior Welterweight
Christina Linardatou, who has only had one six-rounder at 140lb in the last three years, exits the ratings and is replaced by Caroline Dubois at #5.
Middleweight
Delsey Robinson enters at #4, following her latest win over Nailini Henu on August 4 – Hernandez drops to #5, and Ellis Hopkins exits.
Super Middleweight
Sanna Turunen exits due to inactivity – Sonya Dreiling enters at #5.
Ratings Panel
David Avila: 2019 Inductee IWBHF. Journalist at The Sweet Science. California, USA. @AvilaBoxing
Anthony Cocks: Journalist for Max Boxing, and previous contributions for Boxing Monthly. Australia. @el_pollo_loco
Daniel Yanofsky: Boxing journalist for The Sporting News. New York, USA. @DanYanofsky
Ireneusz Fryszkowski: Boxing Journalist. Poland. @RingBlogpl
Julian Haramoure: Boxing journalist, including articles for Argentina Amateur Deporte and ElRoundFinal.com. Argentina. @JulianFunky
Yuriko Miyata: Boxing journalist, including articles for The Ring and ThePrizeFighters.com. Japan. @Yuriyuri0803
GM Ross: Boxing journalist. Host of Pugilistically Inclined podcast. Canada. @CanadianBoxiana
Blanca Gutierrez: Creator of Beautiful Brawlers. 2019 Inductee IWBHF. 2018 Inductee WCBHOF. USA. @bbrawlersboxing
Inaky Arzate: Boxing journalist, including articles for TUDN. Mexico. @inaky_arzate
Benjamin Thomas Watt: BoxRec editor and boxing judge. New Zealand. @Bennyaha
Adam McMeeking: Member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and Editor of LinealBoxingChampion.com. United Kingdom. @TripleJabBoxing