Boxing has been fighting an uphill battle in recent years. While some argue that the sport has seen a resurgence since His Excellency Turki Alalshikh entered the picture, the exits of Showtime and HBO still cast a long shadow. Add to that corruption and favoritism, and it’s no surprise fans are growing frustrated. In the middle of this struggle for relevance, Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero has now taken shots at Alalshikh-owned Ring Magazine, blaming it for boxing’s downfall.

So, what exactly set Rolando Romero off? Well, Ring Magazine dropped its latest rankings update, something they routinely do after major fights, and this one came on the heels of Saturday night’s Devin Haney vs. Brian Norman Jr. bout, the co-main event to David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The reshuffle brought some big changes, and let’s just say Romero isn’t taking them well.

Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero finds the pound-for-pound rankings incomplete

After Ring Magazine released its latest pound-for-pound rankings, it confirmed a major shift in boxing’s landscape. Canelo Alvarez is no longer on the list. For more than a decade, aside from a brief suspension in 2018, Canelo was a permanent fixture among the sport’s elite. His loss to Terence Crawford and the elbow surgery that followed have sidelined him until at least mid-2026. 

But the former undisputed champion remains intent on returning and securing a rematch to avenge that defeat. As the rankings evolve to spotlight rising stars like Jesse Rodriguez and Devin Haney, Canelo’s seven-year streak serves as a reminder of his longevity, dominance, and impact on an ever-changing sport. Naturally, the updated list made its way to social media, including X, where Rolando Romero quickly reacted. 

After seeing the rankings, Romero claimed the sport is declining because he felt a couple of notable names were missing. “This is why nobody takes boxing serious[ly]. Two of the actual world champions ain’t on the list, and the other champ is at the end of the list. Everyone wonders why boxing is dying 😂,” Romero commented. It remains unclear which champions he was referring to, if not himself. 

Romero captured the WBA welterweight title in May after shocking the world with a unanimous decision win over Ryan Garcia. As for the rankings, they feature nearly all the sport’s biggest names, including Terence Crawford, Naoya Inoue, Oleksandr Usyk, Junto Nakatani, Dmitry Bivol, Artur Beterbiev, Shakur Stevenson, and David Benavidez, among others mentioned earlier. 

While fans may debate the order, there’s little doubt that each of these fighters has earned their place on the list. This brings us to Ring Magazine itself, which has made a drastic transition in recent years. 

Turki Alalshikh purchased Ring Magazine last year

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh purchased Ring Magazine last year in a deal worth $10 million, marking a major shift for one of boxing’s most storied institutions. The head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority confirmed the acquisition on social media, announcing that the publication would return to newsstands in the US and UK immediately.

In his statement, Alalshikh emphasized a renewed commitment to editorial freedom. “The magazine will be fully independent, with brilliant writers and focusing on every aspect of the sport of boxing.” He also vowed to revive the prestige of its rankings system, adding, “We will restore the legacy of The Ring Rankings to its old mechanism with a fully independent panel that lives up to the Ring Magazine’s golden era.”

Former owner Oscar De La Hoya, who paid $7 million for the brand in 2007, said Alalshikh “made the offer that we could not refuse,” adding, “It’s in great hands.”

Having said that, Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero might not be happy with the rankings. But there’s no debating that the fighters already on it deserve to be there. Do you agree? If not, who do you think is missing from it?