Danny Garcia, David Haye Make Statements, Khan Drops: Boxing Rankings For July 17, 2012

Danny Garcia and David Haye were the big winners this past weekend, but those aren't the only movers and shakers in this week's rankings update.

Click here for the full rankings - if you haven't visited in the last week, I had to split the rankings pages up into four sets. It's not to juice page views, as you might expected of a nefarious blog operator, but ENTIRELY -- I promise you -- because updating 17 tables in one story editor was getting really cumbersome. This makes it about 500% more efficient for me when updating the pages.

Junior Welterweight

Obviously the biggest shakeup is at 140 pounds, where Danny Garcia jumps four spots from No. 6 to No. 2 in the world, just behind Juan Manuel Marquez, after beating Amir Khan on Saturday. Now, I imagine some will have problems with that. We discussed who should be No. 1 this week a little bit after the fight. Sure, I am solely responsible for these rankings, and I believe time has proven that ratings panels are no better than a one-man show, but I do like some input, especially when I'm struggling with the decision.

So here's how I came to this. Marquez was ranked No. 1 when Timothy Bradley left the division after scoring his controversial win over Manny Pacquiao last month. Here's what I said then:

This was an interesting decision, and there were three viable candidates in Amir Khan, Lamont Peterson, and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Truthfully, I eliminated Peterson first. Until we know the exact details of his testosterone case, it's hard for me to say he's the world's best at 140 pounds. It just doesn't seem right.

But also seeming not right was the idea of ranking Amir Khan at No. 1 despite the fact that he's coming off of a loss, which was debatable in the first place, and now it's unclear exactly what we should make of the loss at all, if anything.

So I just gave it to the guy I think is the best fighter currently plying his trade at 140 pounds, and that's Juan Manuel Marquez. I have Khan second, and Peterson third. If we get some news about Peterson that makes sense to do so, he'll re-flip with Khan and go back to No. 2.

I still, personally, feel that Juan Manuel Marquez is the best fighter in the world who currently fights at 140 pounds. What I do believe is a reasonable argument is something one of you brought up in that discussion: Since Marquez's career right now is engulfed in his quest to fight Manny Pacquiao at 147 pounds (or a catchweight above 140, at any rate), and he's not looking to take tough tests at 140, it could be argued that ranking Marquez anywhere is almost a waste of a spot.

But on the other hand, it's just boxing rankings, which one can argue are a waste of time period. I have this argument with myself pretty frequently, in fact.

Garcia (24-0, 15 KO) probably has the best current resume at 140 pounds, maybe Lucas Matthysse if you give Matthysse two wins where he has two losses, and personally I do think he deserved the dukes of Zab Judah and Devon Alexander. But for now I keep Marquez at No. 1. Maybe I could make Marquez super No. 1 emeritus and promote Garcia to "regular" No. 1.

Khan (26-3, 18 KO) falls to No. 4, while Matthysse moves up to No. 3, leapfrogging Khan and Lamont Peterson. For the record, I'm keeping the drug test failure guys ranked until they're suspended by an actual commission. The cases are all different, it's all sometimes so stupid, and right now I don't think it's clear what to make of any of this shit. Yes, I am 99% sure that Antonio Tarver, Lamont Peterson, and Andre Berto legit failed drug tests, but I personally am more forgiving of the Peterson case, for now (stress for now), and less so of Tarver and Berto. Who knows? If they get suspended for realsies, then I'll drop them out.

Heavyweight

(Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

David Haye (26-2, 24 KO, no matter what bullshit BoxRec tells you) remains No. 3 behind only the Klitschko brothers. I have a hard time figuring how you would really rank anyone above him. His win over Dereck Chisora (No. 10 last week and out now) was solid and now he sits and waits, basically. We'll see what's next, and when. Maybe we'll see him again next summer. I'm fine with that, really. David Haye being a once-a-year novelty (and I'm a David Haye fan, somehow) is OK by me.

Chisora is out now. I've made No. 10 a vacant slot. Here's a bullet points list of why I've done this:

• It amuses me.
• Why not? Why not have someone earn their way there? I honestly couldn't decide which retread to put into the spot, or whether or not to put Helenius back there even though he hasn't fought since December and doesn't have anything on the schedule, and I felt Chisora clearly was robbed by the officials that night anyway. Someone can earn the spot.

Flyweight

Sonny Boy Jaro lost to Toshiyuki Igarashi by split decison on Tuesday in Japan. Igarashi (16-1-1, 10 KO) is now in at No. 4, with Jaro just falling a spot to No. 5. Rodel Mayol is out, which is fine anyway since he may or may not be competing at the weight.

Tyson Marquez (34-2, 25 KO) fought this weekend, too, winning a majority decision at 115 pounds against Fernando Lumacad. Basically, Marquez is fully prepared to give up his WBA title since he can't make a deal with Juan Carlos Reveco for a fight, but he's not entirely prepared to leave the division, as there's been talk of a fight with Brian Viloria for the WBO belt, which would just see Marquez vacate his title and fight for Viloria's instead.

Ranked Fighters in Action This Week

Super Featherweight: No. 3 Adrien Broner (23-0, 19 KO) vs Vicente Escobedo (26-3, 15 KO)

Super Featherweight: No. 5 Argenis Mendez (19-2, 10 KO) vs Martin Honorio (32-7-1, 16 KO)

Super Featherweight: No. 9 Juan Carlos Burgos (29-1, 19 KO) vs Cesar Vazquez (25-0, 16 KO)

Junior Flyweight: No. 8 strawweight Juan Hernandez (18-2, 13 KO) vs Lorenzo Trejo (30-24-1, 17 KO)