Fight Week Welterweight Top 10: Haney Holds No. 1 as Garcia and Lopez Close In
Updated: October 14, 2026
Few divisions in boxing have changed as quickly as welterweight.
A year ago, the conversation at 147 pounds revolved around Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Brian Norman Jr. Today, Ennis has moved to junior middleweight, Devin Haney owns the WBO championship, Ryan Garcia has emerged as WBC champion, Teofimo Lopez has added a third division to his résumé with the WBA belt, and Liam Paro has quietly become a two-division champion by capturing the IBF title.
There is also no shortage of contenders trying to force their way into that championship picture. Jack Catterall has earned a mandatory shot at Lopez. Eimantas Stanionis has rebuilt after losing to Ennis. Richardson Hitchins has moved up from 140 and already looks comfortable at the weight. Brian Norman Jr. remains dangerous despite losing his title to Haney.
That combination makes welterweight one of the most interesting divisions to rank because there is no undisputed champion and no fighter who has completely separated himself from the rest.
For now, though, Fight Week still sees Devin Haney as the man to beat at 147 pounds.
Fight Week Welterweight Top 10 — October 2026
| Rank | Fighter | Record | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Devin Haney | 33-0, 15 KOs | WBO Champion |
| 2 | Ryan Garcia | 26-2, 21 KOs | WBC Champion |
| 3 | Teofimo Lopez | 23-2, 13 KOs | WBA Champion |
| 4 | Jack Catterall | 33-2, 14 KOs | WBA Mandatory |
| 5 | Brian Norman Jr. | 29-1, 23 KOs | Former WBO Champion |
| 6 | Liam Paro | 28-1, 16 KOs | IBF Champion |
| 7 | Eimantas Stanionis | 17-1, 10 KOs | Former WBA Champion |
| 8 | Richardson Hitchins | 21-0, 8 KOs | Contender |
| 9 | Alexis Rocha | 27-2-1, 16 KOs | Contender |
| 10 | Rohan Polanco | 17-0, 10 KOs | Contender |
1. Devin Haney — WBO Champion
Haney’s position at No. 1 is based less on hype than on the quality of his most important welterweight victory.
When he moved to 147 pounds and faced Brian Norman Jr., Haney wasn’t taking an easy path into the division. Norman was an unbeaten champion with legitimate punching power and had begun establishing himself as one of boxing’s most dangerous young fighters. Haney neutralized much of that offense and won a unanimous decision to capture the WBO championship.
That victory remains the strongest single win held by any of the current champions at 147. It is also why The Ring continues to rank Haney as its No. 1 welterweight contender. The Ring
There is one growing problem: inactivity.
Haney has not fought since beating Norman in November 2025. Various fights involving Keyshawn Davis, Liam Paro and Jack Catterall have been discussed without materializing. The longer Haney stays out, the easier it becomes for Garcia or Lopez to build a stronger case for No. 1. The Ring
Today, Haney keeps the spot.
By the next welterweight update, the argument could become much closer.
2. Ryan Garcia — WBC Champion
No welterweight improved his standing more dramatically over the past several months than Ryan Garcia.
Garcia captured the WBC championship by defeating Mario Barrios earlier this year, but his September performance against Conor Benn was the result that changed the conversation. Rather than getting dragged into a difficult fight, Garcia overwhelmed Benn and stopped him in the second round.
The performance was impressive enough that The Ring moved Garcia from No. 6 all the way to No. 2 in its welterweight ratings. He is now 26-2 with 21 knockouts and has established himself as much more than simply the division’s biggest attraction. The Ring
There are still questions. Haney owns the stronger 147-pound victory because Norman was a proven champion in the division, while Benn was not ranked at welterweight. But Garcia’s speed, power and confidence make him arguably the most dangerous offensive fighter among the current champions.
A rematch with Haney would answer plenty.
So would a unification fight with Teofimo Lopez.
3. Teofimo Lopez — WBA Champion
Teofimo Lopez has now won world titles in three weight classes.
His August move to welterweight resulted in an immediate championship opportunity against Rolando “Rolly” Romero, and Lopez took advantage by winning a majority decision to claim the WBA belt.
The scorecards made the fight appear closer than much of the action suggested. Lopez generally controlled the bout, although he admitted afterward that he still had adjustments to make at the new weight. The Ring
That is what makes his welterweight future fascinating.
Lopez has historically been at his best when facing opponents who give him something to solve. His victories over Vasiliy Lomachenko and Josh Taylor showed how good he can be when completely engaged, while other performances have been far less convincing.
At 147, the opportunities are everywhere.
Garcia wants a unification. Haney represents another enormous matchup. And before Lopez can focus entirely on either one, he may have to deal with Jack Catterall.
4. Jack Catterall — WBA Mandatory
Jack Catterall continues to earn opportunities the difficult way.
Rather than waiting indefinitely for one of the champions to choose him, Catterall accepted a dangerous fight with unbeaten Shakhram Giyasov in May. Catterall dropped Giyasov in the opening round and went on to produce one of the best performances of his career, winning convincingly and earning his position as the mandatory challenger for the WBA championship. The Ring
Now the politics matter.
The WBA has officially ordered Lopez to defend against Catterall, giving the two camps until October 22 to reach an agreement before the fight can move toward a purse bid. The Ring
That complicates plans for Lopez-Garcia, but Catterall has earned the right to complicate them.
He has won three consecutive fights since moving to welterweight and looks physically more comfortable at 147 than he did squeezing himself into the junior-welterweight limit.
A victory over Lopez would completely transform these rankings.
5. Brian Norman Jr.
Brian Norman Jr. isn’t a champion anymore, but Fight Week isn’t dropping him far simply because he lost to Haney.
Norman entered that fight undefeated and left with his first professional loss after Haney outboxed him over 12 rounds. Rather than disappear, Norman returned in May and destroyed Josh Wagner in two rounds, scoring two knockdowns and showing that his punching power remains one of the division’s biggest weapons. The Ring
At only 25, Norman still has plenty of time.
He also has something several fighters beneath him don’t yet have: experience at the championship level against the fighter Fight Week currently ranks No. 1.
The next step needs to be significant. Another rebuilding opponent does very little for him. A matchup with Richardson Hitchins, Stanionis or one of the champions would tell us much more.
6. Liam Paro — IBF Champion
Here is where Fight Week differs from some other rankings.
The Ring currently leaves Liam Paro outside its welterweight Top 10. Fight Week doesn’t.
Paro moved to 147 and defeated previously unbeaten Lewis Crocker by unanimous decision in June to capture the IBF championship. The fight wasn’t easy. Paro had to deal with an injured right eye and Crocker’s late pressure, but he held together well enough to win all three scorecards 115-113. The Ring
That matters.
A sanctioning-body belt alone shouldn’t automatically earn somebody a high ranking, but beating a legitimate unbeaten champion does.
Paro also has previous championship experience at 140 pounds, meaning this isn’t an unknown fighter who simply benefited from favorable matchmaking. He has repeatedly demonstrated that he can travel, fight under difficult circumstances and win.
Fight Week puts him at No. 6.
7. Eimantas Stanionis
Eimantas Stanionis is beginning to look dangerous again.
His career took a major hit when Ennis stopped him in six rounds in their 2025 unification fight. Since then, Stanionis has gradually rebuilt, and his September return against Kaine Fourie ended quickly.
Stanionis dropped Fourie twice in the opening round before stopping him in the second. The victory improved his record to 17-1 with 10 knockouts and gave him consecutive wins since the Ennis defeat. The Ring
The opposition wasn’t elite, and that is why Stanionis doesn’t move higher.
Now he wants Alexis Rocha, which makes plenty of sense. Both men need a recognizable victory to get back into a championship fight, and stylistically it could be one of the better non-title matchups available at 147.
Stanionis isn’t rebuilding anymore.
His next fight should be against another Top 10 welterweight.
8. Richardson Hitchins
Richardson Hitchins may eventually prove this ranking is too low.
The former IBF junior-welterweight champion moved to 147 in July and immediately looked comfortable, winning every round against Ricardo Salas. All three judges scored the fight 100-90 as Hitchins controlled the bout with his jab, timing and accurate combinations. The Ring
The criticism is straightforward: he has only one fight at welterweight.
That isn’t enough for Fight Week to place him above fighters who have already established themselves against championship-level opposition in the division.
But the talent isn’t in question.
There have been talks involving Hitchins and Keyshawn Davis, and Stanionis has also publicly expressed interest in fighting him. Either matchup would give Hitchins exactly the type of test needed to move rapidly through this list. The Ring
9. Alexis Rocha
Alexis Rocha may quietly be putting together the best stretch of his career.
Rocha has won twice in 2026, and both victories came against former world champions. His latest was a wide unanimous decision over former unified junior-welterweight champion Jose Ramirez on the Garcia-Benn undercard.
That victory improved Rocha to 27-2-1 and strengthened his case for another opportunity against elite competition. The Ring
Rocha has been around long enough that people sometimes forget he is still only 29.
His losses have exposed limitations, but his experience, pressure and physicality make him a difficult night for most welterweights.
A Stanionis-Rocha fight would be an ideal eliminator-type matchup.
The winner belongs much closer to a championship opportunity.
10. Rohan Polanco
Rohan Polanco takes the final spot because Fight Week is looking beyond just former champions and familiar names.
The unbeaten Dominican remains one of the division’s more intriguing developing contenders. He is 17-0 with 10 knockouts and possesses the size and physical tools to become a serious factor at welterweight. The Ring continues to rate him highly among the division’s contenders. The Ring
What Polanco lacks is the breakthrough victory.
That separates him from the fighters above him. The ability appears to be there; the résumé isn’t yet.
At No. 10, he is essentially being challenged to prove he belongs.
Several fighters immediately behind him would gladly take the position.
Biggest Mover: Ryan Garcia
Garcia is the easiest choice.
His destruction of Conor Benn changed his standing from prominent champion to legitimate candidate for the top spot at welterweight. The Ring moved him four places after the performance, and Fight Week similarly sees him as the biggest threat to Haney’s No. 1 position. The Ring
One more elite win could put him there.
If Garcia beats Lopez in a unification fight, Haney’s inactivity would make the No. 1 decision extremely difficult.
New Entry: Liam Paro
Fight Week is bringing Paro into this version of the rankings because his championship victory deserves recognition.
He went into the Crocker fight as the challenger, survived adversity and walked away as the IBF welterweight champion. The Ring
A division ranking that claims to measure current accomplishment can’t simply ignore that.
Paro enters at No. 6.
October Reset
We’re treating this edition as a clean reset of Fight Week’s welterweight rankings rather than pretending the older August graphic remains a valid baseline.
The division has changed too much.
Several names featured in that earlier graphic are now campaigning elsewhere, and the championship picture itself has been transformed by Haney, Garcia, Lopez and Paro.
From this edition forward, we’ll track movement normally—up, down, new entry and dropped out.
On the Bubble
Raul Curiel remains extremely close. He is unbeaten at 17-0-1 and owns legitimate power, but he needs the type of victory that separates a contender from a ranked contender.
Rolando Romero has the biggest recognizable victory of anyone outside our Top 10 because of his upset of Garcia in 2025, but inactivity followed by the loss to Lopez pushes him just outside.
Keyshawn Davis is another name that could enter quickly if he actually establishes himself at 147. His talent is unquestioned, but Fight Week isn’t ranking him at welterweight based on projected success.
And Isaac Cruz has begun inserting himself into the 147-pound conversation after his latest win and public callout of Garcia. If he commits to welterweight, he immediately becomes relevant to this list. The Ring
The Fight That Could Reshape the Division
Teofimo Lopez vs. Jack Catterall
This is the matchup to watch right now because it isn’t merely hypothetical anymore.
The WBA has ordered Lopez to defend his championship against Catterall, and the camps have until October 22 to reach terms before the sanctioning body can move toward a purse bid. The Ring
Lopez would rather move directly into a unification with Garcia. That fight has already been discussed for early 2027, potentially at Madison Square Garden. The Ring
Catterall has other ideas.
If Catterall beats Lopez, the entire welterweight landscape changes. If Lopez handles his mandatory, a Garcia-Lopez unification becomes one of the biggest fights boxing can make in 2027.
And hanging over all of it is Devin Haney.
He remains Fight Week’s No. 1 welterweight.
But for the first time, the fighters chasing him may be creating more momentum than the champion himself.
Fight Week Debate
Who is really the best welterweight in boxing today: Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia or Teofimo Lopez?
And perhaps the more interesting question:
If Haney remains inactive while Garcia or Lopez adds another championship, how long can Haney hold the No. 1 ranking?