Money and a Heavy King: Ratings/Results Update

By Cliff Rold

Over the last month, there have been a number of exciting developments throughout the boxing world. None created more buzz than the return of Floyd Mayweather versus Juan Manuel Marquez. One of the top talents in any weight class over the last decade, Mayweather left the game at the top of his game and appears to still be near it.

In “pound for pound” terms, given the sharpness he showed versus Lightweight champion, it’s easy to see Mayweather still amongst the top overall fighters in the game. The former five-division titlist still has a prime skill set. However…

Having vacated the Welterweight crown prior to his retirement/vacation, he returns to a 147 lb. class which has remained one of the game’s best while he was away. “Pound for pound” can account for the full scope of a career. Welterweight asks only about history in the class. How much credit does beating a Lightweight, even the reigning Lightweight champion of the world, garner in a Welterweight field which has seen world class action amongst its best over the last two years?

And what of Vitali Klitschko? The best Heavyweight has always been king in boxing. His brother may have earned the right to call himself the Heavyweight champion of the World but Vitali made his third consecutive statement about who is the best Heavyweight of the post-Lennox Lewis era. He battered contender Chris Arreola, winning every round of the bout just as he did versus top ten Heavyweights Samuel Peter and Juan Carlos Gomez? Has there ever been a fighter to take almost four years off and return with three shutout stoppages against the top ten of their class? And does Arreola drop in the ratings after a gutsy loss?

Some of those answers as well as other notable changes and updates from the last month wait in this BoxingScene Divisional Ratings Update.

09/15: #8 Samuel Peter (32-3, 25 KO) TKO2 Ronald Bellamy (14-10-4, 9 KO)

09/26: #1 Vitali Klitschko (38-2, 37 KO,

) RTD10 #7 Cristobal Arreola (27-1, 24 KO)

Wladimir Klitschko (53-3, 47 KO,

W. Klitschko RTD9 Chagaev 06/20/2009

 

Vitali Klitschko (38-2, 37 KO,

2 Defenses)

Alexander Povetkin (17-0, 12 KO)

Eddie Chambers (35-1, 18 KO)

Ruslan Chagaev (25-1-1, 17 KO)

Nicolay Valuev (50-1, 34 KO,

1 Defense)

David Haye (22-1, 21 KO)

Cristobal Arreola (27-1, 23 KO)

Samuel Peter (32-3, 25 KO)

Alexander Dimitrenko (29-1, 19 KO)

Kevin Johnson (22-0-1, 9 KO)

Wladimir Klitschko had done everything he could, or would be able, to do to capture recognition as the true World Heavyweight champion short of beating the next highest rated available man in class. Now he’s done that too. Whether an injury, or free date, can be overcome to make another appearance this year remains to be seen…Vitali is on an incredible run no matter how bad anyone thinks Heavyweight is. Not only had he won every round of his comeback, he won every round of his last fight before leaving. That’s over 35 frames without clearly dropping one…Eddie Chambers defeating Peter and Povetkin this year is a great story about the triumph of skill over size but a mandatory shot at Wladimir appears on hold until next year. It costs him an quiet shot at Fighter of the Year honors…Arreola holds his pot at seven because, well, look what else is there? Hard to move anyone else up given what else is there...John Ruiz exits the ratings with over a year of inactivity and American Kevin Johnson slides into the ten spot for his ratings debut.

Lennox Lewis (2001-03, Retired)

Joe Louis - 25

0 – Lineal; 4 – IBF; 3 – IBF/WBO

11/07: #5 Nicolay Valuev vs. #6 David Haye

08/15: #7 Roy Jones Jr. (54-5, 40 KO) RTD10 Jeff Lacy (25-3, 17 KO)

08/15: Gabriel Campillo (19-2, 6 KO,

) MD12 Beibut Shumenov (8-1, 6 KO)

08/22: Juergen Braehmer (34-2, 28 KO) TKO11 Aleksy Kuziemski (17-1, 4 KO); interim

belt

08/28: #10 Tavoris Cloud (20-0, 18 KO) UD12 #8 Clinton Woods (42-5-1, 24 KO); vacant

belt

09/25: #4 Jean Pascal (24-1, 16 KO,

) TKO10 Silvio Branco (59-10-2, 36 KO)

Zsolt Erdei (30-0, 17 KO,

)

Hill SD12 Maske, 11/23/1996

Chad Dawson (28-0, 17 KO

Bernard Hopkins (49-5-1, 32 KO)

Glen Johnson (49-12-2, 33 KO)

Jean Pascal (24-1, 16 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Tavoris Cloud (20-0, 18 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Antonio Tarver (27-6, 19 KO)

Adrian Diaconu (26-1, 15 KO)

Roy Jones Jr. (54-5, 40 KO)

Yusaf Mack (28-2-2, 17 KO)

Gabriel Campillo (19-2, 6 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Erdei’s reign as lineal titlist continues to be a reason never to regard lineage as the end all, be all. He continues for purposes of historical accuracy but anyone who wants to regard the number one contender as true champion is free to do so…Dawson has given up the WBC and IBF belts in the past to make fights with some of the divisional elite. Now, his rematch with Johnson in November will be for an ‘interim’ WBC tag. It would be easy to comment on how stupid ‘interim’ labels are except, in this case, it could mean an eventual clash with WBC titlist Jean Pascal. Pascal versus Johnson or Dawson is worth drooling about…Tavoris Cloud’s thrilling performance against Clinton Woods gives him a big bump and Cloud versus Dawson or Johnson is worth more than drool. Built right, it could be worth an extra $49.95…Woods drops out of the top ten after years in the ratings, making room for the surprising recent run of Campillo…Roy Jones is still hanging around though looks headed for Cruiserweight in the fall with Hopkins next year…Hopkins, who has not defeated a rated Light Heavyweight since Tarver in 2006, will exit the ratings when he reaches one year inactive in October only for a chance to return if the Jones rematch comes off in 2010. We’ll see how Jones does with Danny Green.

Julio Gonzalez (2003-04)

Dariusz Michalczewski - 15

Dariusz Michalczewski (WBO) - 23

10 - Lineal/11 - WBO

11/07: #1 Chad Dawson vs. #3 Glen Johnson; interim

title

08/22: Robert Steiglitz (36-2, 22 KO) TKO11 #5 Karoly Balzsay (20-1, 14 KO,

09/12: #1 Mikkel Kessler (42-1, 32 KO) TKO4 Gusmyl Perdomo (16-3, 10 KO)

09/12: #8 Andre Ward (20-0, 13 KO) TKO3 Shelby Pudwill (22-4-1, 9 KO)

Vacant

 

Mikkel Kessler (42-1, 32 KO,

, 2 Defenses)

Lucian Bute (24-0, 19 KO,

, 3 Defenses)

Carl Froch (25-0, 20 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Jermain Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KO)

Sakio Bika (27-3-2, 17 KO)

Librado Andrade (28-2, 21 KO)

Andre Dirrell (18-0, 13 KO)

Andre Ward (20-0, 13 KO)

Robert Steiglitz (36-2, 22 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Karoly Balszay (20-1, 14 KO)

No division has more buzz right now and for good reason. Five of this top ten are slated to participate in the Showtime “Super Six” tournament and former IBF Middleweight titlist Arthur Abraham is set to join them…Kessler and Ward cleared the only obstacles they had left, easily, and now turn to each other in what could be a thriller…Abraham is not rated in his new division as yet, awaiting an anticipated October debut against Taylor…The glaring omission from the tournament is obviously Bute. Bute will face Andrade in a fall rematch. The fighter at 160 and 168 who performs best outside the tournament during its duration will be the man everyone wants to see versus the winner…Bika has fought all of twice since winning the Contender in 2007 and not at all yet this year. Some reward…Look for Allan Green to have his chances to crack the top ten in the near future…Steiglitz’s win forces a shakeup. Having defeated Denis Inkin earlier this year, Balzsay stays while Inkin drops from #9 to out of the ratings and everyone below rises.

Joe Calzaghe (2006-08, Vacated)

Chong Pal Park - 10

Tie – Joe Calzaghe (WBO)/Sven Ottke (IBF) - 21

10/17: #3 Carl Froch vs. #7 Andre Dirrell

10/17: #4 Jermain Taylor vs. Arthur Abraham (30-0, 24 KO)

11/21: #1 Mikkel Kessler vs. #8 Andre Ward

09/19: #3 Sebastian Sylvester (32-3, 15 KO) SD12 #10 Giovanni Lorenzo (27-2, 19 KO); vacant

belt

Kelly Pavlik (35-1, 30 KO,

)

Hopkins TKO12 Trinidad 09/29/2001

 

Felix Sturm (33-2-1, 13 KO,

, 7 Defenses)

Paul Williams (37-1, 27 KO)

Sebastian Sylvester (32-3, 15 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Khoren Gevor (30-3, 16 KO)

Anthony Mundine (36-3, 23 KO)

Daniel Geale (21-1, 13 KO)

Sebastian Zbik (27-0, 10 KO,

)

Marco Antonio Rubio (43-5-1, 37 KO)

David Lopez (38-12, 23 KO)

Giovanni Lorenzo (27-2, 19 KO)

Middleweight turns a big corner with the announcement that December 5 will finally see Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams in the ring…we hope…Pavlik-Williams is an excellent fight which can answer questions of both men. Williams has remaining questions about how he’d take a big Middleweight shot. Pavlik will look to breathe new life into what looked like a star in the making career…Sylvester, who fell short in a bid for Sturm’s WBA belt last year, captured Gold but it wasn’t easy. Both he and Lorenzo stay put after a nip and tuck affair…Sturm may be leaving his promoter in Germany, and is fortunate to so with a WBA belt he should have lost to Gevor. Could he ride the wave into the winner of Pavlik-Williams? Middleweight isn’t a great class right now but the room to grow is there.

Jermain Taylor (2005-07)

Carlos Monzon - 14

Bernard Hopkins (IBF) - 20

2 - Lineal/Ring/WBC/WBO

12/5: World Champion Kelly Pavlik vs. #2 Paul Williams

08/01: #8 Issac Hlatshawyo (29-1-1, 10 KO) SD12 Delvin Rodriguez (24-3-2, 14 KO); vacant

belt

08/29: #8 Jesus Soto-Karass (24-3-3, 16 KO) UD10 Edvan Barros (10-7-1, 7 KO)

09/19: Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 KO) UD12 World Lightweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO,

)

Vacant

Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 KO)

Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 KO)

Andre Berto (25-0, 19 KO,

, 3 Defenses)

Luis Collazo (29-4, 14 KO)

Issac Hlatshawyo (29-1-1, 10 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Vyacheslav Senchenko (29-0, 20 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Jesus Soto-Karass (24-3-3, 16 KO)

Carlos Quintana (26-2, 20 KO)

Mayweather re-enters the Welterweight ratings at third with plenty of room to rise as soon as he gets back to fighting Welterweights. His previous status as reigning lineal champion allows him to move past Clottey and Berto but not the men above him. Unable to make a catchweight of 144 lbs., arguments about where Mayweather once was on the scale are irrelevant. This is clearly the class he belongs to now…Cotto could easily be in the number one spot given a wins over Mosley, Clottey, and Quintana but Mosley gets the edge because, while his loss to Cotto was close, his knockout win over Cotto’s lone conqueror (Antonio Margarito) was emphatic…Mosley also owns a commanding win over Collazo and, if his hope for Mayweather cannot be consummated immediately, a chance to add Berto’s undefeated scalp to his wall could come in January…If Manny Pacquiao can defeat Cotto, he and Mayweather is by far the richest fight in the game.

Floyd Mayweather (2006-08, Retired)

Henry Armstrong - 18

11/14: #2 Miguel Cotto vs. World Jr. Welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao

08/15: #9 Anthony Peterson (29-0, 19 KO) UD10 Luis Arceo (21-9-2, 14 KO)

08/22: #1 Juan Diaz (35-2, 17 KO) UD12 Paulie Malignaggi (26-3, 5 KO); catchweight contest above 135

09/19: #6 Michael Katsidis (26-2, 21 KO) SD12 Vicente Escobedo (21-2, 13 KO)

Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO,

)

Castillo UD12 Lazcano, 06/05/2004

Juan Diaz (35-2, 17 KO)

Edwin Valero (25-0, 25 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Joan Guzman (29-0, 17 KO)

Michael Katsidis (26-2, 21 KO)

Rolando Reyes (31-4-2, 20 KO)

Paulus Moses (25-0, 17 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Ali Funeka (30-1-2, 25 KO)

Anthony Peterson (29-0, 19 KO)

Miguel Acosta (26-3-2, 20 KO,

)

Antonio DeMarco (22-1-1, 16 KO)

While he lost to Mayweather, Marquez is still the Lightweight champion of the world and must retire or lose that crown in the ring for a change up top…Juan Diaz would certainly be live if a rematch with Marquez could happen. Marquez-Diaz remains the best fight of 2009…Former World champion Joel Casamayor exits the ratings after a year of inactivity. If he never fights again, he’s made a case for the Hall of Fame…Guzman-Funeka could be one hell of a fight in November if Guzman can make weight…Katsidis flips spots with Rolando Reyes who has not fought since an upset of Julio Diaz earlier this year. Katsidis looked good, with improved defense, against the former Olympian Escobedo…Valero’s career is again in limbo. If something doesn’t give, one day he might have to settle for just being a mythological monster in the Ike Ibeabuchi mold…Antonio DeMarco crashes the ratings at #10.

Joel Casamayor (2006-08)

Joe Gans – 14

Artur Grigorian (WBO) - 17

1 – Lineal/Ring; 0 - WBA/WBO

10/31: #10 Antonio DeMarco vs. Jose Alfaro (23-4, 20 KO)

11/28: #3 Joan Guzman vs. #8 Ali Funeka; vacant

belt

08/22: #5 Robert Guerrero (25-1-1, 17 KO) UD12 #2 Malcolm Klassen (24-5-2, 15 KO,

)

08/22: Humberto Gutierrez (26-1-1, 19 KO) MD12 #8 Sergey Gulyakevich (26-1, 12 KO)

09/12: #3 Roman Martinez (23-0-1, 14 KO,

) KO9 Feider Viloria (22-5-1, 15 KO)

Vacant

Humberto Soto (48-7-2, 31 KO,

, 2 Defenses)

Robert Guerrero (25-1-1, 17 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Roman Martinez (23-0-1, 14 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Jorge Linares (27-0, 18 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Malcolm Klassen (24-5-2, 15 KO)

Cassius Baloyi (36-4-1, 19 KO)

Mzonke Fana (29-4, 12 KO)

Kevin Mitchell (29-0, 22 KO)

Nicky Cook (29-2, 16 KO)

Humberto Gutierrez (26-1-1, 19 KO)

This remains a division in search of an identity…Lots of interesting fights and fighters available near the top but is there a will, or the cash, to make it happen…There has been recent speculation about possible fights featuring a mix of Guerrero, Soto, and Martinez; let’s hope something comes to pass in the fall…Guerrero’s win over Klassen could be seen as a valuable catalyst for a change…Fights with any of the other titlists have Fight of the Year candidate written all over them…Linares is a talent, but that doesn’t mean something forever. Let’s hope we’re not still wondering what if at the end of the year…Mitchell is well positioned to be the latest British idol and is working towards mandatory status in the IBF and WBO…Gulyakevich exits off a narrow defeat, making room for Gutierrez at the ten spot.

Manny Pacquiao (2008, Vacated)

Brian Mitchell – 13

10/10: #4 Jorge Linares vs. Juan Carlos Salgado (20-0-1, 14 KO)

08/15: #2 Steven Luevano (37-1-1, 15 KO) WDQ7 Bernabe Concepcion (29-2-1, 16 KO)

09/19: #1 Chris John (43-0-2, 22 KO,

) UD12 #5 Rocky Juarez (28-5-1, 20 KO)

Vacant

 

Chris John (43-0-2, 22 KO,

, 12 Defenses)

Steven Luevano (37-1-1, 15 KO,

, 4 Defenses)

Cristobal Cruz (39-11-1, 23 KO,

, 2 Defenses)

Elio Rojas (21-1, 13 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Rocky Juarez (28-5-1, 20 KO)

Jorge Solis (37-2-2, 27 KO)

Yuriorkis Gamboa (15-0, 13 KO,

)

Takahiro Aoh (17-2-1, 8 KO)

Mario Santiago (20-1-1, 14 KO)

Orlando Salido (31-10-2, 20 KO) - 88.263

John continues to lead the pack, dominating Juarez for all but the last thirty second on the undercard of Mayweather-Marquez...Juarez fell short but doesn’t slip in the ratings because there is no one else really meriting a bump just yet…The best thing for John, now that he’s made a couple U.S. appearances, would be a challenge from Rafael Marquez or Israel Vasquez…Gamboa, whose WBA interim belt seemingly lines him up for John, doesn’t seem to be headed there just yet…The addition of either Celestino Caballero, Juan Manuel Lopez, or both from one division below could really ignite the Featherweights.

Manny Pacquiao (2003-05, Vacated)

Abe Attell – 18*

Eusebio Pedroza (WBA) – 19

10/10: #7 Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Whyber Garcia (22-6, 15 KO)

10/17: #3 Cristobal Cruz vs. Ricardo Castillo (38-7, 25 KO)

08/29: #1 Celestino Caballero (33-2, 23 KO,

) RTD8 Francisco Leal (14-5-2, 9 KO)

09/26: #6 Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (39-1, 28 KO) TKO3 #4 Bernard Dunne (28-2, 15 KO,

)

Vacant

Celestino Caballero (33-2, 23 KO,

, 6 Defenses;

, 2 Defenses)

Juan Manuel Lopez (26-0, 24 KO,

, 4 Defenses)

Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (39-1, 28 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Rafael Marquez (37-5, 33 KO)

Toshiaki Nishioka (34-4-3, 21 KO,

, 2 Defenses)

Steve Molitor (29-1, 11 KO)

Rendall Munroe (19-1, 8 KO)

Jeffrey Mathebula (22-2-2, 12 KO)

Antonio Escalante (21-2, 13 KO)

Bernard Dunne (28-2, 15 KO)

Yes, the WBA has three titlists at this weight right now. Yes, it’s stupid...Could a Caballero-Lopez match be on the verge of happening? Signs are optimistic for January and fans should cross fingers on it. The winner emerges as the true world champion in the wake of Israel Vasquez’s vacating of the claim earlier in 2008…Marquez remains while it is determined whether he will continue at 122…Daniel Ponce De Leon successfully positioned himself for a shot at the winner of John-Juarez II at Featherweight. De Leon exits the ratings at 122 after his win over Roinet Caballero on September 5…Kratingdaenggym enters the ratings high and global fans should hope to see more of him. A 2008 knockout of former titlist Somsak Sithchatchawal is now joined by a devastating performance versus Dunne. The Thai battler would be worth seeing against anyone at Jr. Featherweight.

Israel Vasquez (2007-09, Vacated)

Wilfredo Gomez - 17

10/10: #2 Juan Manuel Lopez vs. Rogers Mtagwa (26-12-2, 18 KO)

10/10: #5 Toshiaki Nishioka vs. Ivan Hernandez (25-3-1, 15 KO)

08/27: #8 Abner Mares (19-0, 12 KO) KO6 Carlos Fulgencio (11-3-1, 7 KO)

09/12: #4 Fernando Montiel (39-2-2, 29 KO, WBO) Tech. Draw Alejandro Valdez (21-3-3, 15 KO)

09/12: #10 Nehomar Cermeno (18-0, 10 KO,

) UD12 Cristian Mijares (36-6-2, 15 KO)

Vacant

 

Hozumi Hasegawa (27-2, 11 KO,

, 9 Defenses)

Anselmo Moreno (25-1-1, 8 KO,

, 4 Defenses)

Joseph Agbeko (27-1, 22 KO,

, 2 Defenses)

Wladimir Sidorenko (21-2-2, 7 KO)

Yonnhy Perez (19-0, 14 KO)

Nehomar Cermeno (18-0, 10 KO,

)

Fernando Montiel (39-2-2, 29 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Abner Mares (19-0, 12 KO)

Sasha Bakhtin (23-0, 10 KO)

Bantamweight is a fascinating division right now, waiting only for the right spark to push it into discussion as one of the sport’s best...the spark did not come in Montiel’s last outing. By all accounts, his non-title affair with Valdez should have been a loss on a cut caused by a punch. Chicanery was well afoot in getting to the technical draw…Considering how well Montiel had been performing, what does the fight say about Hasegawa? The same Valdez troubling Montiel was flattened by the Japanese division leader last year…Montiel slips in the ratings while Nehomar Cermeno rises with his second straight win over former Jr. Bantamweight champion Cristian Mijares. Cermeno should be on the way to a crack at Moreno…Agbeko-Perez looks a go for the end of the year and could be brutal...Geography could prevent the full renaissance this classic division deserves.

Bernardo Pinango (1986-87, Vacated)

Manuel Ortiz - 15

Orlando Canizales (IBF) – 16

10/09: #2 Anselmo Moreno vs. Marlon Aguilar (21-7-1, 6 KO)

11/07: #9 Sasha Bakhtin vs. Seung-Suk Chae (16-1, 6 KO)

07/18: #2 Alexander Munoz (33-3, 27 KO) UD10 Breilor Teran (2-7-1)

08/15: #1 at Flyweight Nonito Donaire (22-1, 14 KO) UD12 Rafael Concepcion (13-4-1, 8 KO); interim

belt

09/04: Martin Sonsona (14-0, 12 KO) UD12 #4 Jose Lopez (39-8-2, 32 KO,

)

09/15: Simphiwe Nongqayi (16-0, 6 KO) UD12 #4 Jorge Arce (52-6-1, 40 KO); vacant

belt

Vic Darchinyan (32-2-1, 26 KO,

)

Darchinyan KO 9 Mijares 11/01/08; Fernando Montiel Officially Leaves Division 03/28/09

 

Nonito Donaire (22-1, 14 KO,

)

Nobuo Nashiro (13-1, 8 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Alexander Munoz (33-3, 27 KO)

Simphiwe Nongqayi (16-0, 6 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Z Gorres (30-2-2, 17 KO)

Hugo Cazares (30-5-1, 22 KO)

Evans Mbamba (16-0, 8 KO)

Martin Sonsona (14-0, 12 KO,

, 0 Defenses)

Kohei Kono (23-4, 8 KO)

Roberto Vasquez (27-3, 20 KO)

Even in defeat one class up, Darchinyan remains the champion at 115, forced to give up the IBF belt or not…Munoz returned after over a year away. A fight with Darchinyan would be a war if it could be made but Munoz is being rated by some sanctioning bodies at 118 and returned there. He may need to come out of this classes ratings…Donaire entered at #1. While the Concepcion win was his first at 115 since 2007, he has something no one else in class does: a knockout win over the champ…Nashiro-Cazares could be one heck of a fight and is up next for those two. Circle the calendar…Martin Sonsona crashes the ratings at number eight after a rousing win over veteran Jose Lopez, giving a fresh infusion of new blood to the scene. A 115 lb. class which looked endangered by the exit of Cristian Mijares and potential exit of Vic Darchinyan is clearly heating up again…Arce exits the ratings having won hardly a round in his last three losses, having faced little of note in the wins around them, and looking well on the edge of retirement. His newest conqueror, Nongqayi, enters in his place.

Masamori Tokuyama (2005-06, Retires)

Masamori Tokuyama - 8

Khaosai Galaxy (WBA) - 19

0 - Lineal; 1 - WBC/WBA/IBF

09/30: #2 Nobuo Nashiro vs. #7 Hugo Cazares

08/28: #3 Pongsaklek Wonjongkjam (73-3-1, 39 KO) TKO6 Takahisa Masuda (20-9-3, 5 KO)

09/05: #7 Luis Concepcion (18-1, 13 KO) TKO12 Omar Salado (21-2-2, 12 KO); interim

belt

09/05: #6 Koki Kameda (21-0, 14 KO) KO5 Humberto Pool (15-9-3, 9 KO)

Daisuke Naito (35-2-2, 22 KO,

)

Canto MD15 Oguma, 01/08/1975*

Omar Narvaez (30-0-2, 19 KO,

, 16 Defenses)

Denkaosan Kaovichit (47-1-1, 20 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (73-3-1, 39 KO,

)

Takefumi Sakata (34-5-2, 15 KO)

Julio Cesar Miranda (30-4-1, 23 KO)

Luis Concepcion (18-1, 13 KO)

Koki Kameda (21-0, 14 KO)

Moruti Mthalane (23-2, 16 KO)

Rayonta Whitfield (22-1, 11 KO)

Jesus Jimenez (26-5, 19 KO)

Naito and Wonjongkam may be inevitable for a fifth fight. Wonjongkam leads the series at 2-1-1 so far. The big obstacle is Kameda, who has a shot at Naito in the fall. Based on the number of people who will watch the fight live, it is by far the biggest fight in the world in 2009. Period…With title shots for both upcoming, this could be a stellar end of 2009 for both Koki and brother Daiki…For now, Concepcion trades places with Kameda on the strength of his win over Salado and Kameda’s horrid competition over the last year or so…A dip in level of opposition has improved considerably for Narvaez this year and the Argentine deserves a chance to see if he is the best Flyweight in the world. He probably won’t get it.

Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (2001-08)

Pongsaklek Wonjongkam – 17

5 - Lineal/WBC

10/03: #1 Omar Narvaez vs. Victor Zaleta (9-1, 5 KO)

10/06: #2 Denkaosan Kaovitchit vs. Daiki Kameda (15-1, 11 KO)

11/29: World Champion Daisuke Naito vs. #6 Koki Kameda

08/29: #2 Brian Viloria (26-2, 15 KO,

) UD12 Jesus Iribe (15-6-5, 9 KO)

09/12: Calderon (33-0-1, 6 KO,

) TD7 #10 Rodel Mayol (25-4-1, 19 KO)

Ivan Calderon (33-0-1, 6 KO,

)

Cazares TKO10 Dieppa, 09/30/2006

 

Edgar Sosa (36-5, 20 KO,

, 9 Defenses)

Brian Viloria (26-2, 15 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Giovanni Segura (20-1-1, 16 KO,

, 1 Defense)

Ulises Solis (28-2-2, 20 KO)

Juan Carlos Reveco (20-1, 11 KO)

Omar Nino (28-3-1, 11 KO)

Cesar Canchilla (28-2, 22 KO)

Edren Dapudong (15-2, 8 KO)

Rodel Mayol (25-4-1, 19 KO)

Yasutaka Kuroki (21-3-1, 14 KO)

Calderon got the decision he should have received over the summer versus Mayol. Now, hopefully, he can be matched in a more meaningful contest before age erodes the rest of a skill set starting to show fade…Mayol performed well enough, in both fights, to stay in the ratings…Brian Viloria made a dramatic return earlier this year, knocking off long reigning titlist Solis in a battle and now has made a successful first defense of his new strap…Sosa moves to the top contenders spot but may be off to Flyweight before the end of the year. Viloria seems interested in a rematch so that could always happen as well…Calderon versus either should be the only thing happening at 108 but are there enough people willing to care? That could tell the tale…Previous #5, Brahim Asloum, has announced his retirement and exits the top ten, making room for Kuroki to enter.

Hugo Cazares (2006-07)

Saman Sorjaturong - 10

Myung-Woo Yuh (WBA) – 17

5 – Lineal/Ring/WBO

09/15: #1 Edgar Sosa vs. Omar Soto (14-3-1, 6 KO)

08/22: #3 Raul Garcia (27-0, 16 KO,

) MD12 Sammy Gutierrez (21-5-2, 12 KO)

09/12: #4 Donnie Nietes (25-1-3, 14 KO,

) SD12 #9 Manuel Vargas (26-4-1, 11 KO)

Vacant

 

Roman Gonzalez (24-0, 20 KO,

, 2 Defenses)

Oleydong Sithsamerchai (32-0, 12 KO,

, 3 Defenses)

Raul Garcia (27-0, 16 KO,

, 4 Defenses)

Donnie Nietes (25-1-3, 14 KO,

, 3 Defenses)

Juan Palacios (26-2, 20 KO,

)

Milan Melindo (18-0, 5 KO)

Nkosinathi Joyi (20-0, 15 KO)

Yasutaka Kuroki (21-3, 14 KO)

Manuel Vargas (26-4-1, 11 KO)

Muhammad Rachman (62-8-5, 31 KO)

The top three fighters in this division, with about twenty more pounds on them, would force screams for confrontation. They don’t have those pounds and so a potentially thrilling division meanders on…Of the top three, Gonzalez stands out as the best potential heir in the division to the great Ricardo Lopez…Garcia continues to win with a stern test from Joyi coming as another divisional mandatory…Nietes got through a tough challenge from Vargas in a competitive fight which sees both remain as they were in the ratings.

Ricardo Lopez (1990-99, Vacated)

Ricardo Lopez – 22

09/21: #6 Milan Melindo vs. Denver Cuello (16-2-5, 8 KO)