Ring Ratings Update: Haney’s out of the P4P, Nakatani’s in, Garcia remains

Ryan Garcia scored the upset of the year, so far, with his dramatic 12-round majority decision over Devin Haney on April 20 in Brooklyn, New York. The Gen-Z star secured the points victory by repeatedly stunning the game-but-outgunned odds favorite and scoring three official knockdowns, however, the performance of his career was marred by his missing weight for what was supposed to be Haney’s first defense of the WBC 140-pound belt. 

Haney (31-1, 15 KOs), who entered the anticipated pay-per-view main event as The Ring’s No. 1-rated junior welterweight and No. 6 in the pound-for-pound rankings, made the junior welterweight division limit of 140 pounds. 

Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) weighed in at a career heavy 143.25. The 25-year-old Californian had been in The Ring’s lightweight rankings, but was dropped after his December bout with Oscar Duarte, which was supposed to be a junior welterweight bout but was contested at 143-pound catchweight when Garcia was unable (or unwilling) to boil down to 140. His days of making lightweight or junior welterweight are clearly behind him.

Photo by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy

So, how do we interpret Garcia’s victory in terms of the 140-pound rankings? He beat the top-rated junior welterweight but did so as a welterweight. Garcia admitted that he can no longer make 140 pounds during the post-fight press conference, so should he be considered for a welterweight ranking?

One Ring Ratings Panel member theorized that Garcia could beat our current No. 10-rated welterweight, but in truth, he’s never fought a welterweight.

And what of the pound-for-pound rankings? Garcia beat a pound-for-pound rated boxer, but he bent the rules to do so. What of Haney’s P4P ranking? Going into the fight, Haney described Garcia as a “C-level fighter” and a “one-trick pony” and most fans and media agreed. The oddsmakers that made Haney as much as a -1100 favorite certainly agreed.

So, if the “one-trick pony” repeatedly nails the pound-for-pound player with his one trick (the check left hook), is he really an elite boxer? Can a supposedly A-level fighter remain at the A-level if he’s defeated by a C-level fighter?

Let’s start with the Panel’s thoughts on Haney’s and Garcia’s place in junior welterweight rankings.

“With Garcia missing weight it’s tough for us to put him in the top 10,” said Anson Wainwright. “I guess we just drop Haney? I would suggest to No. 3 behind Josh Taylor and Subriel Matias.”

Adam Abramowitz called the 140-pound situation “a mess,” asking “How do we rank Garcia?  

“Garcia kind of has to be ranked ahead of Haney doesn’t he at 140?

“If not, then we don’t move Haney down. This is either a junior welterweight fight or it wasn’t?  

“I’m going to hold my nose and have Garcia at No. 3 and Haney at No….