Will the Welterweight Division Have a Unification Champion Soon?

By Boxing News - 10/20/2021 - Comments

By Ken Hissner: WBO World welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford, 37-0 (28), of Omaha, NEB, is scheduled to fight former WBC and IBF champion Shawn “Showtime” Porter, 31-3-1 (17), of Las Vegas, NV, his No. 2 ranked contender November 20th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

That is a solid match-up but not a unification match. Crawford is the top dog in the welterweight champion who was the former undisputed Light Welterweight champion.

WBA interim champion Jamal “Shango” James, 27-1 (12), of Minneapolis, MN, is scheduled for October 30th against Radzhab “The Python” Butaev, 13-0 (12), of Russia, the No. 4 ranked contender.

On the same card is Philadelphia’s “Can’t Miss Kid” Jaron “Boots” Ennis, 27-0 (25), No. 5 ranked WBA and WBO, No. 4 IBF and No 6 WBC against Thomas “Cordero” Dulorme, 25-5-1 (16), of PR, who is coming off a loss to James over 12 rounds along with Eimantas Stanionis, 13-0 (9), of Lithuania, No. 1 ranked who just was taken off the card on the 30th. Ennis is the hottest contender that doesn’t yet hold a world title who is coming off a stoppage of former IBF Light Welterweight champion Sergey “Samurai” Lipinets, 16-2-1, of Russia, in April.

WBA Super World champion Yordenis “54 Milagros” Ugas, 27-4 (12), of Cuba and Miami, FL, in October defeated former champion Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao, 62-8-2, of the Philippines, No. 3 WBC and IBF ranked over 12 rounds. No. 2 WBA and WBC, as well as No. 1 ranked WBO Vergil Ortiz, Jr., 18-0 (18), just defeated Egjidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas, 22-2-1, No. 14 WBC ranked in August.

WBC and IBF World champion Errol “The Truth” Spence, Jr., 27-0 (21), last fought in December of 2020, defeating former WBC champion Danny “Swift” Garcia, 36-3 (21), No. 6 WBC and WBA ranked by decision.

Spence’s No. 1 ranked IBF contender Kudratillio “The Punisher” Abdukakhorov, 18-0 (10), of Malaysia, in March defeated Javier “El Chino” Flores, 15-3, after previously defeating former WBA champion Luis Collazo, 39-8, by TD10.

Abel Ramos, 27-4-2, of Casa Grande, AZ, No. 3 WBA ranked after losing a split decision to Ugas for the vacant title came back to stop former WBC Lightweight champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa, Jr., 28-2-1, in May, is another fighter in the mix at 147.

EBU European champion David “Ava” Avanesyan, 28-3-1, of the UK, No. 6 WBO, and No. 7 WBC ranked in October, won his title, stopping Liam “Dynamo” Taylor, 23-2-1 and is another in the 147 picture.

WBO Global champion Michael “The Problem” McKinson, 21-0, of UK, No. 4 WBO ranked in August is coming off a wins over then Przemyslaw “Kosiarz” Runowski, 19-1, Chris “2Slick” Congo, 12-0, Martin Harkin, 13-0, and Luis “Lucho” Veron, 17-0-2.

As you can see, boxers Crawford, Spence, Jr., Ugas, James, Porter, Ennis, Ortiz Jr., Ramos, Avanesyan, Stanionis, Abdukakhorov, Butaev, and McKinson are all in the picture of the welterweight division with hopes in 2022; there will be a unified champion!