The names that dominated the light heavyweight division in boxing are now mostly just a memory of their past. In their place, a few names have emerged, and finally a few exciting fights are taking place. Take a look at boxing’s top 10 light heavyweight division rankings.

Light heavyweight division rankings last updated August 2010

1. Jean Pascal – After losing a decision to Carl Froch for a super middleweight belt, Pascal jumped up to light heavyweight to face the then undefeated Adrian Diaconu. He surprisingly cruised past Diaconu, outclassing him and even hurting him, and then beating him again. Then came the real shocker, a technical decision win over Chad Dawson. Pascal is now the big man in the division, and a rematch against Dawson is expected.
2. Chad Dawson – Dawson is coming off the first loss of his career, and perhaps had a hard time coping with the athleticism and speed of Pascal, after 4 straight fights against the division geriatrics like Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson. Dawson wants to get the rematch against Pascal, and it’s a fight he could easily come back and win.
3. Tavoris Cloud – Cloud dominated a past-his-due-date Clinton Woods for the IBF portion of the light heavyweight championship, and then gutted out a tough match against Glen Johnson. He’s still raw, but he has improved his all-around game and has more than enough power to rattle the chin’s of most contenders.
4. Bernard Hopkins – You can’t deny the resume of Bernard Hopkins, but you can question his willingness to step up to the challenge of the young champions of the division. The performance against Roy Jones wasn’t anything noteworthy, either. Paging Mr. Hopkins, care to step up and face a worthwhile fighter?
5. Glen Johnson – Don’t tell Glen Johnson he’s done at the top. After a close fight against Chad Dawson, he had a harder go of it in the rematch. Then he nearly upset the undefeated Tavoris Cloud. How much farther will he battle, and will he finally get a career-ending, noteworthy win that he’d be happy to end on?
6. Adrian Diaconu – Diaconu didn’t perform badly against Pascal, but was instead exposed as perhaps a bit one-dimensional. He hasn’t fought since his back to back losses to Pascal, and needs to get back in the ring and get some W’s on the resume.
7. Beibut Shumenov – Say what you will about how he got his title belt and the credibility of that, but Shumenov is still one of the better up and coming fighters in the division. With just 11 fights on the record so far, it will be interesting to see his upcoming choice of opponents.
8. Juergen Braehmer - Another perhaps dubious titleholder, nonetheless, Braehmer holds a belt and has defended it twice.  He won the vacant WBO strap after a previous unsuccessful title bid back in 2008.
9. Karo Murat – The undefeated German light heavyweight defeated Gabriel Campillo, the man that Shumenov split a two fight series with. Not much else on the ledger, but an intriguing bout to look forward to in September against another undefeated light heavyweight.
10. Nathan Cleverly -The undefeated English light heavyweight doesn’t have many names you’d recognize on the resume, but he’s ready to challenge another rising undefeated light heavy, Karo Murat. The two battle in September in a WBO eliminator for the right to face the titleholder, Braehmer.

More Boxing Weight Class Rankings:

• 160-168 pounds – Boxing Super Middleweight Rankings
• 175-200 pounds – Boxing Cruiserweight Division Rankings

Written by: Jake Emen