The 147 pound division has long been considered the top weight class due to competitors like Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather Jr. who did all they could to raise the sport to a new level.
Today’s current crop are still jostling for position and aiming to find a Pay-Per-View fanbase, although based on recent form and career achievements, the best ten of the moment have earned their place.
Here’s the list as it stands:
1. Manny Pacquiao (World Champion – 59-6-2)
As with the Boxrec ratings, it’s hard to ignore Manny Pacquiao’s achievements when picking a top welterweight.
Pacquiao did suffer a drop when losing out to Juan Manuel Marquez, controversially to Timothy Bradley and then to Floyd Mayweather in 2015, but the Filipino great’s form since then has earned him the number one spot.
With wins over Bradley (again) and Jessie Vargas, the latter seeing the ‘Pacman’ claim a tenth career world title, there’s no doubting the Senator’s placing until someone fully deserves to overhaul him.
2. Keith Thurman (World Champion – 28-0)
Thurman has a perfect record and the WBC / WBA belts in his possession, meaning second place is a no-brainer.
3. Kell Brook (World Champion – 36-1)
Victory over Shaun Porter in 2014 hasn’t really be capitalized on by Brook but it’s not for the lack of trying.
A recent loss at middleweight to Gennady Golovkin has done little to dent the UK fighter’s confidence.
4. Danny Garcia (33-1)
Garcia came unstuck when finally moving up to the welterweight limit full-time but has sufficient talent to be considered for the top five and could compete with any of the those around him.
5. Adrien Broner (33-2)
Despite his outside of the ring troubles, world titles a four weight classes have given Broner a top Pound for Pound rating, although more certainly needs to be done at 147 pounds.
6. Lamont Peterson (35-3-1)
Peterson has been steadily climbing the rankings with a mixture of results but his recent back-to-back wins over top-rated contenders have helped push the American to sixth.
7. Errol Spence Jr. (21-0)
Much touted as the future of the division, Spence has a golden opportunity to crack the top five against Kell Brook this weekend.
8. Shawn Porter (27-2-1)
Porter is back in world title contention following a win over Andre Berto but has been let down in the past by his tendency to blow hot and cold.
9. Lucas Matthysse (38-4)
Defeating Emanuel Taylor in Las Vegas hasn’t set the world alight and the Argentine still has much to prove having moved up from 140.
10. Amir Khan (31-4)
Four wins above the 140 limit have proven Khan’s credentials to be a future world champion at 147, whilst a defeat to Canelo Alvarez has failed to dispell the many question marks over his ability to take a full-force punch.
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