The WBO’s latest welterweight rankings have drawn criticism after Richardson Hitchins debuted at No. 3 following his victory over Ricardo Salas, while former No. 1 contender Keyshawn Davis dropped six spots after declining to move forward with an ordered title fight against champion Devin Haney.
Hitchins made his welterweight debut with a unanimous decision over Salas on July 26. The ranking immediately sparked questions because Salas was viewed as a fringe contender rather than one of the division’s top names. Hitchins’ jump to No. 3 placed him ahead of several established welterweights despite having just one fight at 147 pounds.
The revised rankings list Brian Norman Jr. as the new No. 1 contender, followed by Teofimo Lopez at No. 2 and Hitchins at No. 3. Manny Pacquiao, Arnold Barboza Jr., Rohan Polanco and Keyshawn round out the next four positions.
Keyshawn’s fall from first to seventh came only days after he withdrew from the official title process. He declined to proceed with an ordered challenge of Haney after the WBO purse bid awarded the champion a 75 percent share of the winning bid. Top Rank secured promotional rights with a winning offer of $8.55 million, which would have paid Haney more than $6.4 million and Keyshawn just over $2.1 million.
The updated rankings leave Norman and Lopez at the front of the line, while Hitchins suddenly finds himself among the WBO’s leading contenders after a single welterweight victory. Keyshawn, meanwhile, has fallen from No. 1 to No. 7 and now faces a much longer climb if he wants another shot at Haney’s title.
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Last Updated on 2026/08/02 at 6:10 PM
