Lightweight rankings 2020 | Evaluating red hot boxing class

Boxing's welterweight division seemingly carried the sport for several years until the heavyweights caught fire in 2016/17.

Not to be outdone, the light heavyweight class has also heated up over the past 3 years. And with 2020 less than 96 hours away, yet another division is threatening top status in boxing.

Enter: The Lightweights

Last night, three-time super featherweight champion Gervonta Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) defeated former unified world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-3, 18 KOs) to win the WBA (Regular) lightweight title.

Sans a few bright moments for Gamboa, Davis dominated throughout and scored three knockdowns en route to a 12th Round TKO. Gervonta served notice to the lightweight division, a weight class that's sizzling at the moment.

Previously the home of legends such as Roberto Duran, Ike Williams, Pernell Whitaker, Benny Leonard, Joe Gans, Henry Armstrong, Carlos Ortiz, Beau Jack, Shane Mosley and Tony Canzoneri, the lightweight division has given fans great moments in pugilistic history.

Is the lightweight division back?

Answer: Definitely

In fact, the lightweights may have equalled or surpassed welterweights this year in terms of talent, match-up potential and entertainment value.

Vasyl Lomachenko, Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Luke Campbell, Lee Selby and Richard Commey represent the current powerbrokers of lightweight boxing.

... And it doesn't get much better than that.

Today's lightweight division is as solid as any 135 pound division in boxing history.

Lomachenko and Lopez go head to head for lightweight superiority in April but the winner of Loma vs Lopez need not rest on his laurels because he'll have major league competition waiting. That stated, don't expect everyone to face each other right away. 

With all of the talent in the division, we're likely to see a RING Champion throughout 2020 with several belt-holders by year's end as the winner of Loma vs Lopez will likely vacate a belt or two.

No, all of the big fights won't happen next year but the lightweight division will be stacked with superfights until at least 2022. 

Potential lightweight showdowns in 2020:

• Vasyl Lomachenko vs Teofimo Lopez (confirmed for Apr 22)
• Vasyl Lomachenko vs Lee Selby
• Vasyl Lomachenko vs Devin Haney
• Teofimo Lopez vs Lee Selby
• Yuriorkis Gamboa vs Devin Haney 
• Richard Commey vs Yuriorkis Gamboa
• Ryan Garcia vs Richard Commey
• Ryan Garcia vs Yuriorkis Gamboa

Best of the rest

• Luke Campbell 20-3
• Emmanuel Tagoe 31-1
• Roman Andreev 23-0
• Liam Walsh 23-1
• Rances Barthelemy 27-1-1
• Richard Commey 29-3
• Javier Fortuna 35-2-1

Let's take a look at boxing's lightweight division.

Lightweight Division Rankings - Dec 29, 2019
(WBO/WBA/IBF/WBC Images courtesy of Box.live)

RING CHAMPION: Vasyl Lomachenko

WBC/WBA/WBO - Vasyl Lomachenko (14-1)
IBF - Teofimo Lopez (15-0)
---
Minor World Title:
WBA Regular - Gervonta Davis (23-0)

BOXREC

THE RING
* List is prior to Davis vs Gamboa WBA (Regular) title Fight, Dec 28, 2019. We can safely assume Davis will be in The RING's top 10 when its ratings are updated.

Champion: Vasyl Lomachenko

1. Teofimo Lopez
2. Devin Haney
3. Richard Commey
4. Luke Campbell
5. Robert Easter
6. Ryan Garcia
7. Javier Fortuna
8. Emmanuel Tagoe
9. Rances Barthelemy
10. Yvan Mendy