Boxing
Manny Pacquiao shoots to No.1, Hamzah Sheeraz given clear path to Canelo: WBC August rating updates
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Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao looks to be prolonging his boxing career even further following news that the World Boxing Council (WBC) have ranked ‘PacMan’ at number one at 147lbs.
Pacquaio spent the best part of four years away from the sport before returning this summer, sharing a majority draw with WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios. There were strong calls for Pacquaio to have taken the decision, but many were surprised that the 46-year-old was competitive against a reigning title holder.
Plans for another fight before the end of 2025 have been suggested by Pacquaio, who suggested he could be back in the ring this December. A rematch with Barrios has previously been mooted, and the latest rankings have installed Pacquiao as the mandatory challenger for the WBC title.
Elsewhere, other prominent names have also risen up the rankings, whilst other fighters have dropped in considerable fashion. Here are the biggest winners and losers of the WBC’s ratings update for August.
Winners
Manny Pacquiao - welterweight
Pacquiao’s position in the WBC rankings has been very volatile since he announced his comeback. Following the return of ‘PacMan’, the WBC instantly installed the Filipino into the top 10, ranking Pacquiao at number five in May.
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Their logic was that as Pacquiao is an WBC champion emeritus, he can request a title fight at any point. In order for a fighter to be eligible for a shot at the WBC belt, they must be ranked in the top 15 by the organisation.
However, following backlash, the WBC removed Pacquiao from their June rankings, ‘PacMan’ remaining unranked in July. But the WBC has been emboldened to return Pacquiao to the ratings, installing him as their number one contender at 147lbs.
Aloys Junior - cruiserweight
Aloys Junior has shot into world title contention thanks to his win over former belt-challenger Ellis Zorro in July. It was an unconvincing performance for the knockout artist, fellow Brit Zorro often tying up the prospect.
Junior won, seeing him pick up the WBC’s international belt and rising from 22nd up to 14th, theoretically enabling ‘The Animal’ for a shot at reigning champion, Badou Jack.
Leigh Dawney
However, Junior is still some distance from other established names such as Chris Billam-Smith and Noel Mikaelian, the latter due to face Jack in a rematch.
Hamzah Sheeraz - super middleweight
Hamzah Sheeraz is clearly a fighter favoured by boxing’s latest kingmaker, Turki Alalshikh, with suggestions that he will soon meet the face of boxing, Saúl Álvarez, in the ring.
‘Canelo’ is the undisputed champion at super middleweight, limiting fighter’s opportunities to win belts, but Sheeraz is now well positioned for an opportunity to win all the marbles in just his second fight at 168lbs.
CRIS ESQUEDA/GOLDEN BOY
After struggling against the WBC’s middleweight champion in February, receiving a fortunate draw against Carlos Adames, Sheeraz stepped up in weight to take on Edgar Berlanga in July. A fifth-round knockout established Sheeraz’s name in his new division, but it clearly has been enough for the WBC to label the Briton as their number one contender at super middleweight.
It is currently unclear which of the four sanctioning bodies is next in the rotation when it comes to Canelo’s mandatory defences, but Sheeraz’s status as a top contender will make Alalshikh’s plans of a bout between the two that much easier.
Jaron Ennis – super welterweight
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis has relinquished his belts sat 147lbs and plans to campaign at super welterweight. Interestingly, the WBC title was not held by Ennis at welterweight, but the organisation has instantly installed the former unified champion at 147lbs straight to number one contender in his new division.
Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
The WBC has both an interim and full champion at super welterweight. The main belt is held by Sebastian Fundora, while his compatriot Vergil Ortiz Jr is the interim champion. Ortiz Jr has stated that he is willing to face either Fundora or Ennis next, but currently none of the trio have fight plans announced and scheduled.
Ennis' promoter Eddie Hearn has stated that his fighter will face Ortiz Jr at the start of 2026, with 'Boots' taking a tune up bout against Uisma Lima on October 11, live on DAZN.
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Losers
Tim Tszyu – super welterweight
Fundora’s most recently vanquished opponent, Tim Tszyu, has dropped in the WBC rankings at super welterweight.
It is the second time that Tszyu has challenged Fundora, having lost his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) title in a unification bout back in 2024. The Australian’s last three world title fights have all ended in defeat, leading to the WBC to view his status as contender as all but over.
Roni Bintang/Getty Images
He dropped from third with the sanctioning body all the way to 11th, suggesting that the 30-year-old will have to rebuild in order to get another opportunity at global glory.
- Read next: Who are the best Australian fighters?
Eduardo Hernandez – super featherweight
It has been a frustrating period for Eduardo Hernandez, despite victory earlier this year. Having previously challenged for the WBC’s super featherweight title, coming up short against still-reigning champion OShaquie Foster, 'Rocky' had re-established himself as number one contender with the sanctioning body.
(Melina Pizano/Matchroom)
He had been in negotiations to face Mark Magsayo in a title eliminator, but a continued eye problem for Hernandez has led to his suspension by the Quebec Boxing Commission. The WBC have followed the commission’s lead and removed Hernandez from their rankings, citing medical issues as their reasoning.
As such, Hernandez has gone from number one to unranked despite not losing a fight since 2023.
Gerardo Zapata – super strawweight
Gerardo Zapata competed for the WBO strawweight title last year, but suffered defeat to Oscar Collazo. He took that as a sign to move up and compete at a higher weight, one win over Azael Villar leading to a title eliminator shot with the WBC against Erik Badillo.
Badillo outclassed the 30-year-old Nicaraguan, cruising to a unanimous decision victory. That has hurt Zapata’s stock with the WBC, who have dropped him from sixth all the way to 22nd. Still ranked, Zapata is not in the top 15 and thus ineligible to take part in a bout for the WBC title.
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