Johnny Faraće Boxing Division Report Week One: Lightweight

The Lightweight Division Is Loaded: Tank Remains the Face, but a New Era Has Begun

Tank Davis remains the face of boxing, but William Zepeda, Abdullah Mason and a new generation of contenders now have an opportunity to determine who truly controls the lightweight division.

Opening Bell

There may not be another division in boxing that combines this much star power, youth, championship talent, technical variety and unfinished business.

Lightweight is no longer built around one champion.

It currently features:

• The biggest attraction connected to the division.

• Three recognized active champions.

• A vacant WBA championship.

• A 22-year-old world champion with enormous potential.

• An established pressure champion.

• An undefeated IBF champion considering a move to 140 pounds.

• Elite amateur talent learning the professional game.

• Multiple hungry young contenders.

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Only recently, the division appeared even more crowded.

Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis have both moved beyond lightweight. Raymond Muratalla may soon follow them to 140 pounds.

That does not make lightweight less exciting.

It clears the runway.

The division is beginning to look less like a collection of names waiting around and more like a championship tournament waiting to happen.

Why I Am Starting the Division Report

One reason I am beginning this series is simple:

Boxing fans need to understand the divisions again.

Too much of today’s boxing conversation is built around random callouts, social-media arguments and fantasy fights between men separated by two or three weight classes.

That is not how boxing was traditionally built.

A strong division operates like a tournament.

Prospects become contenders. Contenders earn eliminators. Champions defend their belts. The best eventually meet each other, unify the championships and establish who truly controls the weight class.

Moving between divisions is part of boxing. Fighters grow, their bodies change and bigger opportunities appear.

But there should still be structure.

Fans should understand:

• Who the champions are.

• Who the legitimate contenders are.

• Why certain fights matter.

• Who is moving up.

• Who is being positioned for a title.

• What each fighter must do to become the best.

The Four Kings did not become legendary because fans debated fantasy fights.

They became legendary because the fights actually happened.

Sugar Ray Leonard fought Thomas Hearns. Hearns fought Marvin Hagler.

Hagler fought Roberto Durán. They allowed the division and the fights themselves to determine who the king was.

That is what made the era unforgettable.

That is what boxing needs again.

The Current Lightweight Championship Picture

WBC Champion: William Zepeda

William Zepeda captured the vacant WBC lightweight championship with a dominant unanimous-decision victory over Lamont Roach Jr.

The official scores were 117–111, 117–111 and 118–110.

IBF Champion: Raymond Muratalla

Raymond Muratalla remains the undefeated IBF lightweight champion after defeating former Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição by wide unanimous decision.

Muratalla won clearly, but afterward acknowledged the difficulty of making 135 pounds and suggested that a move to junior welterweight may be next.

WBO Champion: Abdullah Mason

Abdullah Mason is the WBO lightweight champion.

At only 22 years old, Mason has already moved beyond prospect status and become one of the central figures in the division. He most recently retained his title against Albert Bell.

WBA Championship: Vacant

The WBA placed Gervonta “Tank” Davis in Champion-in-Recess status after determining that his unresolved legal situation could prevent him from fulfilling his championship obligations.

The organization designated Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi to fight for the vacant WBA lightweight championship.

That gives lightweight three recognized active champions, one vacant championship and its biggest attraction sitting outside the normal title structure.

Tank Davis: Still the Face of Boxing

Let’s be honest.

Rankings and star power are not the same thing.

Tank Davis is inactive. He is currently WBA Champion in Recess. His unresolved situation outside boxing is serious, and it should not be minimized or turned into entertainment.

Fans are also justified in questioning his matchmaking and the amount of time that has passed without some of the biggest available fights being made.

But when Tank fights, the boxing world stops.

He has elite knockout ability, enormous drawing power and a cultural influence extending far beyond the hard-core boxing audience.

Tank turns a fight into an event.

Until another fighter consistently creates that level of attention, anticipation, ticket demand and cultural impact, Tank Davis remains the face of boxing.

That does not automatically make him the top-ranked active lightweight.

Star power must be respected, but rankings must also reward activity, championship accomplishment and recent results.

William Zepeda: The Active Standard

William Zepeda is now the WBC lightweight champion and the strongest active standard in the division.

His victory over Lamont Roach was not simply about throwing more punches.

Real pressure is not just volume.

Pressure is positioning.

It is cutting off exits, making an opponent work every second, attacking the body, forcing exchanges and creating the feeling that there is never enough room or time to reset.

Zepeda’s pressure forces opponents to make decisions while tired.

That is what makes him dangerous.

He does not give you one problem to solve. He continues presenting the same physical and mental problem until your answers begin to disappear.

Zepeda has other excellent options.

A fight with Andy Cruz would give us pressure against elite technical skill. A fight with Raymond Muratalla would place two recognized champions against each other, provided Muratalla remains at lightweight.

But the biggest fight available is Tank Davis versus William Zepeda.

That is the division’s biggest attraction against its top active champion.

That is number one versus number two.

I have called for Tank–Zepeda for a long time.

After this weekend, there is no excuse.

Make the fight.

Abdullah Mason: The Next Phase

Abdullah Mason is not merely a prospect anymore.

He is the WBO lightweight champion.

That distinction matters.

I am not ready to crown him as the next king of boxing before he completes the journey.

But Mason has the potential, talent, style and personality to reach the highest level of the sport eventually.

He is doing everything necessary to place himself on that path.

Mason is a skilled southpaw with real power, sharp combination punching and a dangerous body attack.

He is comfortable working from range, but he is also willing to fight inside when the situation requires it.

That willingness creates excitement, but it can also expose him to danger.

We have already seen him hurt. We have seen moments when his defensive responsibility did not match his offensive ambition.

That is not necessarily a reason to lower his ceiling.

It is part of his development.

Against Albert Bell, Mason faced adversity, stayed committed to the game plan and eventually closed the show in the 12th round.

He did not mentally unravel.

He continued working, allowed the fight to develop and recognized when the opportunity to finish appeared.

He is young, explosive, marketable and willing to fight.

The ceiling is extremely high.

Now boxing must continue giving him opponents who will force him to grow.

Coaching Film Assignment: Abdullah Mason vs. Albert Bell

Young fighters should watch how Mason remained committed to his game plan when the fight became difficult.

He did not mentally unravel when Bell had success. He continued working, walked through adversity and recognized when it was time to close the show.

The lesson is not that every fighter should recklessly chase a knockout. The lesson is that a champion must stay disciplined under pressure and recognize the moment when control can become a finish.

Raymond Muratalla: A Champion With a Decision to Make

Raymond Muratalla is undefeated and remains the IBF lightweight champion.

He deserves respect for that.

He also owns professional victories over Andy Cruz and Robson Conceição, a former Olympic gold medalist and awkward, experienced fighter who is difficult to look spectacular against.

Muratalla handled his business against Conceição.

But he did not impress me.

He won clearly, but the performance did not convince me that he is separating himself from the other leading fighters in the division.

Now he has a more important decision.

Can he safely and effectively continue making 135 pounds?

If the answer is no, he should move to 140.

No championship belt is worth compromising a fighter’s health or entering the ring depleted.

If Muratalla can safely make lightweight one more time, the fight I want is Abdullah Mason versus Raymond Muratalla.

It would give Mason an undefeated champion with experience and discipline.

It would give Muratalla the opportunity to prove that his championship run deserves greater recognition.

If he is genuinely finished at lightweight, however, the IBF championship will return to the tournament.

Andy Cruz: Skill Still Needs a Signature Win

Andy Cruz deserves full respect for his Olympic pedigree.

He is one of the most accomplished amateur fighters of his generation and possesses elite timing, footwork, balance and ring intelligence.

But professional rankings must eventually be based on professional results.

The professional game asks different questions.

• Can you control the pace over 10 or 12 rounds?

• Can you handle sustained body pressure?

• Can you hurt an opponent enough to prevent him from simply walking through your best work?

Can you adjust when a skilled professional takes away your preferred rhythm?

Cruz lost to Muratalla, but I do not believe we have seen the best version of him yet.

He trains under Derek “Bozy” Ennis, one of the best trainers in boxing, and I expect him to continue improving as he converts his elite amateur foundation into a more complete professional style.

My next fight for Cruz would be Lamont Roach Jr.

Roach is experienced, intelligent and technically adaptable.

He would force Cruz to prove that his professional development is moving forward.

Floyd Schofield and the WBA Opportunity

Floyd Schofield may be the one fighter outside the established top group who can immediately break into the division’s first tier.

He is fast, explosive, undefeated and commercially appealing.

But potential is not a championship accomplishment.

His ordered fight with Lucas Bahdi matters because the winner will become the fourth active championship figure in the lightweight division.

Bahdi cannot be treated like an opponent selected to complete Schofield’s coronation.

He is undefeated, dangerous and capable of changing a fight with one counterpunch.

This matchup should tell us whether Schofield is ready to become part of the championship tournament or whether Bahdi is prepared to disrupt the entire plan.

The Contender Class

Lamont Roach Jr.

Roach remains one of the division’s most credible contenders despite his loss to Zepeda.

He is intelligent, adaptable and experienced. His recent level of opposition proves that he belongs in meaningful fights.

Sam Noakes

Noakes is a physical pressure fighter whose championship loss to Mason gave us an important measuring point for both men.

He remains relevant but must rebuild before receiving another title opportunity.

José Valenzuela

Valenzuela is a talented southpaw with legitimate high-level experience.

His position at lightweight depends on whether he is fully committed to competing at 135 pounds.

Dzmitry Asanau

Asanau has elite amateur experience and strong technical ability but still needs a defining professional victory.

Joe Cordina

Cordina is a former junior-lightweight champion with experience and skill.

He is dangerous, but he must establish himself at lightweight against the division’s leading fighters.

Shu Utsuki

Utsuki is an aggressive Japanese contender who deserves more international exposure.

Jordan White

White is skilled and capable but still needs the kind of victory that forces the division’s leaders to take notice.

Corey Marksman

Marksman is a promising young lightweight but remains in the developmental tier beneath the established champions and contenders.

Johnny Faraće Boxing Lightweight Rankings

These are Johnny Faraće Boxing editorial rankings, not sanctioning-body rankings.

They are based on current form, professional résumé, quality of opposition, activity, championship accomplishment and proven ability at lightweight.

1. William Zepeda

The WBC champion and strongest active lightweight based on recent accomplishment.

2. Gervonta “Tank” Davis

Still the division’s biggest attraction and most dangerous proven finisher, but inactivity and Champion-in-Recess status keep him from the top position.

3. Abdullah Mason

The WBO champion has arrived ahead of schedule and possesses the division’s greatest long-term upside.

4. Raymond Muratalla

The undefeated IBF champion remains in the rankings until he officially leaves or vacates, but his expected move to 140 could quickly change the championship picture.

5. Andy Cruz

Elite talent and pedigree, but he now needs another signature professional victory.

6. Lamont Roach Jr.

Recent results have not all gone his way, but his level of opposition and overall performances keep him among the division’s best.

7. Floyd Schofield

A victory over Lucas Bahdi for the WBA championship could move him directly into the top four.

8. Lucas Bahdi

Undefeated, dangerous and capable of ruining Schofield’s championship plans.

9. Sam Noakes

Still a legitimate pressure fighter and contender despite his defeat to Mason.

10. José Valenzuela

Talented enough to remain in the conversation, provided lightweight is genuinely his division.

The Tournament Is Taking Shape

Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis have moved beyond lightweight.

Raymond Muratalla may soon follow.

Tank Davis remains Champion in Recess.

That leaves William Zepeda, Abdullah Mason and the eventual Schofield–Bahdi winner in position to form the center of a new lightweight championship tournament.

If Muratalla remains at 135, include him.

If Tank returns, put him directly into the biggest available fight.

The opportunity is sitting right in front of boxing.

The belts provide the structure.

The fighters provide the styles.

The division provides the stakes.

Now the people controlling the sport must make the fights while the window is open.

Four Fights to Make

1. Gervonta Davis vs. William Zepeda

The face of boxing against the strongest active lightweight champion.

2. Abdullah Mason vs. Raymond Muratalla

Make it immediately if Muratalla can safely compete at 135 one more time.

If he cannot, allow him to move up and begin the process of filling the IBF vacancy.

3. Floyd Schofield vs. Lucas Bahdi

Settle the vacant WBA championship and introduce another active titleholder into the tournament.

4. Andy Cruz vs. Lamont Roach Jr.

Elite skill against proven professional experience.

This is the type of fight that tells us whether Cruz is ready to challenge for another world championship.

Best Recent Result

William Zepeda defeating Lamont Roach Jr. to win the WBC championship.

Zepeda did not simply win another fight.

He established himself as the active standard in the division.

Biggest Riser

Abdullah Mason.

Mason’s ability to overcome adversity against Albert Bell and close the show provided more useful information than another easy knockout would have.

Most Overrated Position

Calling out fighters two divisions away instead of handling the division directly in front of you.

Boxing does not need fewer ambitious fighters.

It needs more meaningful ambition.

Collect the belts.

Beat the contenders.

Prove who controls your division.

Then move forward.

Best Young Champion

Abdullah Mason.

We are not crowning him as the next king of boxing.

We are recognizing that he has the ability and opportunity to eventually reach that level.

Final Bell

I’ve been around this sport for decades.

I’ve watched generations come and go, and every once in a while, a division comes along that feels different.

This lightweight division feels different.

The talent is here. The personalities are here. The champions are here. The unfinished business is everywhere.

Tank Davis remains the face of boxing, but the lightweight division cannot wait indefinitely for one man.

William Zepeda has earned the biggest fight available.

Abdullah Mason has arrived ahead of schedule.

Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi have an opportunity to claim the WBA championship.

Andy Cruz still has the talent to become a major force, but now he must continue proving it in the professional ring.

Make Tank–Zepeda.

Make Mason–Muratalla if Muratalla can safely remain at 135.

Let Schofield and Bahdi settle the WBA title.

Put Andy Cruz in another real professional test.

Most importantly, let the division operate like the tournament boxing was built to be.

The Four Kings became immortal because they fought each other.

This generation will not be remembered for callouts, rankings or social-media arguments.

They will be remembered for the fights they make—or the fights they allow to disappear.

The lightweight division is loaded.

The only way boxing can waste it is by keeping these fighters apart.

LIGHTWEIGHT UPDATE

SCHOFIELD vs. BAHDI

MOVES TO PURSE BID

August 11, 2026

Vacant WBA Lightweight Title

$150,000 Minimum Bid50–50 Purse Split

WHO WINS?

Schofield’s speedorBahdi’s power?

Drop your pick in the comments.