Israil Madrimov No. 2 in the WBO: Five Uzbek Boxers in the Top 15
Representatives of Uzbek professional boxing maintained their strong positions in the WBO’s July rankings. Five compatriots appear in the list updated on July 28, 2026.
The best result belongs to Israil Madrimov, who remained second at junior middleweight, up to 154 pounds or 69.85 kilograms. This keeps him among the closest contenders for a title fight, but does not guarantee an automatic title shot.
Only one boxer ranks ahead of Madrimov
In the WBO classification, junior middleweight is the division up to 154 pounds or 69.85 kilograms. Xander Zayas is first, Israil Madrimov second and Bahrom Murtazaliyev third. The WBO champion is Jaron Ennis.
Second place gives Madrimov a major opportunity. If the organization appoints a mandatory challenger or the No. 1 contender chooses another path, the Uzbek fighter could move closer to a title bout.
However, under WBO rules, being in the top 15 makes a boxer eligible for a title fight, while the date and opponent depend on a separate decision by the organization, agreement between promoters and the champion’s plans.
Clarifying the weight-class name is important
The initial report described Madrimov as a super-middleweight. In the official WBO classification, he is listed in the junior middleweight division .
Super middleweight is a different division, up to 168 pounds or 76.2 kilograms, in which Bektemir Melikuziev competes.
Weight class | Limit | Uzbek boxer boxer |
|---|---|---|
Junior middleweight | 69.85 kg | Israil Madrimov |
Super middleweight | 76.20 kg | Bektemir Melikuziev |
The distinction matters because each division has its own champion, contenders and route to a title.
Two Uzbek boxers in the top eight of one division
The junior featherweight division, up to 122 pounds or 55.34 kilograms, features two Uzbek representatives at the same time.
Muhammad Shekhov is fifth, while former world champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev remains eighth. The WBO super-bantamweight title belongs to Japan’s Naoya Inoue.
The top of the rankings is as follows:
Karl James Martin
Junto Nakatani
Sam Goodman
John Riel Casimero
Muhammad Shekhov
Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Four ranking places separate Shekhov from a title shot. Akhmadaliev could return to the higher positions with several important wins, helped by his experience against elite opponents.
Having two Uzbek boxers in one division’s top eight could create an intriguing situation in the future. If they rise through separate paths, they could become rivals for the same championship belt.
Melikuziev drops to seventh
Bektemir Melikuziev is seventh at super middleweight. According to the previous month’s data, he had been sixth.
The following boxers are ahead of Melikuziev in the new WBO rankings:
Saul Alvarez;
Janibek Alimkhanuly;
Diego Pacheco;
Jacob Bank;
Kevin Lele Sadjo;
Jose Armando Resendiz.
The reigning WBO champion in this division is Britain’s Hamzah Sheeraz.
A one-place drop does not mean Melikuziev has left the title race. He remains in the top 10 and among the potential challengers for the WBO belt.
However, reaching a title fight directly from seventh place is difficult. A major win over a higher-ranked opponent or an organization-approved eliminator would be important.
Jalolov stays seventh at heavyweight
Two-time Olympic champion Bakhodir Jalolov remains seventh in the WBO heavyweight rankings.
According to the official classification, heavyweight is for boxers above 200 pounds or 91.17 kilograms. In professional boxing, this division is not called super heavyweight, but simply heavyweight .
Above Jalolov are:
Moses Itauma
Oleksandr Usyk
Filip Hrgovic
Anthony Joshua
Fabio Wardley
Joseph Parker
.
The WBO heavyweight champion is Daniel Dubois.
Jalolov’s position among some of the biggest names in world boxing shows how important his next opponent will be. A win over a higher-ranked boxer could take him into the top five and closer to a title fight.
Uzbekboxers’ WBO rankings
Boxer | Weight class | Rank | WBO champion |
|---|---|---|---|
Israil Madrimov | Junior middleweight, 69.85 kg | 2 | Jaron Ennis |
Muhammad Shekhov | Junior featherweight, 55.34 kg | 5 | Naoya Inoue |
Bektemir Melikuziev | Super middleweight, 76.20 kg | 7 | Hamzah Sheeraz |
Bakhodir Jalolov | Heavyweight, above 91.17 kg | 7 | Daniel Dubois |
Murodjon Akhmadaliev | Junior featherweight, 55.34 kg | 8 | Naoya Inoue |
All five Uzbek boxers are in the official top 10. One is in the top three, another in the top five and the remaining three are inside the top eight.
Who is closest to a title fight?
From a rankings perspective, Israil Madrimov has the best chance. He is the No. 2 contender at junior middleweight.
But in boxing, rankings alone are not enough. The following factors also affect the path to a title fight:
the champion’s next-defense plans;
the No. 1 contender’s decision;
the mandatory-defense deadline;
negotiations between promoters;
television and financial agreements;
the boxer’s activity and recent results.
The WBO reviews its rankings every month based on wins and losses, the quality of opponents and a boxer’s activity. Therefore, even inactivity can affect a fighter’s position.
Five boxers — five different paths to a title
The new rankings show that Uzbek professional boxing has several world-class contenders across multiple weight classes, not just one or two leaders.
Madrimov is in the strongest position to challenge for a title. Shekhov is in the top five of the division dominated by Inoue. Melikuziev and Jalolov can rise sharply with major wins, while former champion Akhmadaliev is fighting his way back to the elite.
The main challenge now is not entering the rankings, but turning that position into a title fight. Each boxer needs a strong opponent, an active schedule and well-managed negotiations.
Which of these five boxers do you think will be first to fight for a WBO title? Share your opinion in the comments and send the article to sports fans on Telegram or other social networks!
Comments 0
…