When something is so good for so long it’s easy to take for granted.
Jr. bantamweight has been in the conversation for best division in boxing for more than half a decade. It doesn’t always come up in current discussions. One can call it shiny new toy syndrome. Lightweight has fresh new stars. Jr. featherweight is having a mid-90s like renaissance. Jr. welterweight is getting hot.
But Jr. bantamweight hasn’t gone anywhere.
2022 has been another good year for the division with a potentially thrilling close at hand. It’s been a mix of old and new with a rematch like Kazuto Ioka-Donnie Nietes II set against the rise of Jesse Rodriguez as he bumped off two stalwart stars of the class (Carlos Cuadras, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai) while getting through a competitive affair with Israel Gonzalez.
The third chapter of Juan Francisco Estrada-Roman Gonzalez, and maybe the final chapter of the hardcore four saga that has dominated the division, is scheduled for December. Gonzalez already defeated WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar Martinez with a drubbing decision this year.
That’s a solid year on its own. There was more.
In February, unheralded 31-year old Argentine Fernando Martinez (14-0, 8 KO) arrived on the world stage with an exciting and ultimately decisive decision to end the reign of Filipino IBF titlist Jerwin Ancajas (33-2-2, 22 KO). Ancajas, 30, had reigned since 2016 but never faced any of the bigger stars in the division with inconsistent performances along the way.
While he lost to Martinez, no one could take anything away from the effort Ancajas gave earlier this year. He lost nine rounds on one card and ten on the two others but it was a prideful, gutsy performance. Saturday, Martinez-Ancajas II will open what could be one of the more entertaining cards of the year on Showtime (10 PM EST).
While he might not be as young as the 22-year old Rodriguez, another Martinez win is a healthy step in refreshing a division that admittedly could begin to feel circular at times with the same names facing each other repeatedly. The cancellations of Sor Rungvisai-Cuadras II and postponement of Estrada-Gonzalez III earlier this year opened some new doors. Rodriguez stepped through. JC Martinez didn’t.
Fernando Martinez is adding another dimension.
It’s unlikely for Jr. bantamweight to stay hot forever. Rodriguez, given his age, is probably headed higher on the scale and the aging big names will age out entirely eventually.
2022 has just been a nice reminder that there is no reason to move on just yet or pretend that the standard of excellence that has been this golden era isn’t still being met.
The reload isn’t done yet either. WBO flyweight titlist Junto Nakatani will face veteran Francisco Rodriguez Jr. in November as a step into the division. Nakatani is just 24. A year from now, Nakatani-Rodriguez could emerge as another in a growing list all around the scale of desirable fights between studs under the age of 30.
At Jr. bantamweight, it might even be a desirable fight that happens off Twitter.
Keep an eye on Nakatani-Rodriguez this weekend in relation to Martinez-Ancajas II as well. Rodriguez is ranked fourth by the IBF. Nakatani is a reigning WBO titlist. It could open up lanes for Nakatani, if he wins in November, to challenge Martinez or WBO titlist Kazuto Ioka next year. Either fight would be fantastic.
So would Ioka versus the winner of Estrada-Gonzalez III. Or any of those vets versus Joshua Franco or Rodriguez.
There’s still fantastic stuff happening at Jr. bantamweight and it looks like we'll get more of the same in 2023.
More of the same is more than enough when it’s been this good.
Cliff’s Notes…
What is an Elizabethan belt? Just kidding. No one should care…If Oleksandr Usyk says he’s good to go by February, Tyson Fury could spar with Mahmoud Charr and likely be ready to go no problem. There is no reason the big fight can’t be early in 2023.
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com