Pictured: Jorge Linares

While a lineal lightweight champion was not crowned in 2016, a Ring Magazine lightweight champ was. The ninth part of TTR's review of 2016 focuses on WBA/Ring Magazine kingpin Jorge Linares and the other fifteen fighters ranked by TTR as the current contenders for the vacant lineal diadem.

World Champion: Vacant

1. Jorge Linares (41-3, 27 KOs)
- 9/24- Anthony Crolla.....W UD 12
(won WBA and vacant Ring Magazine titles)

2. Dejan Zlaticanin (22-0, 15 KOs)
- 6/11- Franklin Mamani.....W TKO 3
(won vacant WBC title)

3. Anthony Crolla (31-5-3, 13 KOs)
- 5/7- Ismael Barroso.....W KO 7
(retained WBA title)
- 9/24- Jorge Linares.....L UD 12
(lost WBA title; for vacant Ring Magazine title)

4. Terry Flanagan (32-0, 13 KOs)
- 3/12- Derry Mathews.....W UD 12
(retained WBO title)
- 7/16- Mzonke Fana.....W UD 12
(retained WBO title)
- 11/26- Orlando Cruz.....W TKO 8
(retained WBO title)

5. Robert Easter, Jr. (18-0, 14 KOs)
- 4/1- Argenis Mendez.....W TKO 5
- 9/9- Richard Commey.....W SD 12
(won vacant IBF title)

6. Denis Shafikov (38-2-1, 20 KOs)
- 7/2- Jamel Herring.....W TKO 10
- 12/2- Richard Commey.....W SD 12

7. Petr Petrov (38-4-2, 19 KOs)
- 5/6- Marvin Quintero.....W TKO 6
- 9/30- Michael Perez.....W TKO 6

8. Luke Campbell (15-1, 12 KOs)
- 3/26- Gary Sykes.....W TKO 2
- 7/30- Argenis Mendez.....W UD 12
- 10/15- Derry Mathews.....W KO 4

9. Mickey Bey (22-2-1, 1 NC, 10 KOs)
- 6/3- Rances Barthelemy.....L SD 12
(for IBF title)

10. Emiliano Marsili (34-0-1, 14 KOs)
- 7/23- Yordan Vasilev.....W PTS. 8
- 12/10- Aristides Perez.....W UD 12

11. Ray Beltran (32-7-1, 1 ND, 20 KOs)
- 5/21- Ivan Najera.....W TKO 2
- 9/10- Miguel Angel Mendoza.....W TKO 5
- 12/10- Mason Menard.....W KO 7

12. Richard Commey (24-2, 22 KOs)
- 3/19- Anzor Gamgebeli.....W TKO 2
- 9/9- Robert Easter, Jr......L SD 12
- 12/2- Denis Shafikov.....L SD 12

13. Mikey Garcia (35-0, 29 KOs)
- 7/30- Elio Rojas.....W TKO 5

14. Ismael Barroso (19-1-2, 18 KOs)
- 5/7- Anthony Crolla.....L KO 7
(for WBA title)

15. Edis Tatli (29-1, 10 KOs)
- 5/18- Massimiliano Ballisai.....W UD 12
- 8/13- Cristian Morales.....W UD 12
- 12/17- Manuel Lancia.....W TKO 9

16. Felix Verdejo (22-0, 15 KOs)
- 2/27- William Silva.....W UD 10
- 4/16- Jose Luis Rodriguez.....W UD 10
- 6/11- Juan Jose Martinez.....W TKO 5