What is The Ring?
The Ring is boxing's magazine of record — "The Bible of Boxing" — founded in New York in 1922 by Nat Fleischer, and publisher of the sport's most respected independent rankings and championship recognitions for over a century.[1] [2]
What does The Ring cover and confer?
Beyond its journalism, The Ring maintains divisional ratings, the famous pound-for-pound list, and The Ring championship belts — awarded only when the magazine's criteria for a true divisional champion are met, which makes a Ring title the sport's closest thing to a lineal crown. Its annual awards (Fighter of the Year, Fight of the Year) date back generations.[1] [2]
What are its reach and standing?
The Ring's ratings are cited across the sport as the neutral reference above the four sanctioning bodies' politics; appearing on its cover has marked boxing fame since the 1920s.[2]
Who owns The Ring today?
After years under Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy, the magazine was purchased outright in November 2024 by Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi royal-court adviser behind boxing's Riyadh Season era, who returned it to print in 2025 after a two-year hiatus.[3] [4]
Why does The Ring matter?
Ring rankings, titles and awards are the sport's historic independent honors — a Ring rating or belt is evidence of standing that no single sanctioning body's politics can confer.[1] [2]
References
- The Ring — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- Wikipedia — The Ring magazine (background). Accessed August 2026.
- Forbes — De La Hoya confirms sale of Ring Magazine to Turki Alalshikh. Accessed August 2026.
- Awful Announcing — Alalshikh announces purchase of The Ring. Accessed August 2026.