Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, Omar Narvaez and The 17

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Cliff Rold - File this one under things which should happen but probably never will.

Former lineal World Flyweight king and WBC titlist Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (72-3-1, 38 KO) won his last time out. Current WBO titlist Omar Narvaez (30-0-2, 19 KO) did as well. Winning is something each has done a lot of throughout the decade [details]

[nachorjj]

pooer Pongsaklek Wonjongkam he is gona be destroyed

[giacomino]

Good column. Both Narvaez and Pong are incredibly talented but neither have taken any real risks in their careers. Pong's "record" was built against ridiculously weak opposition and the one time he had a tough mandatory, Jorge Acre, he was allowed to avoid taking the fight but still remain champion. (Canto never had that luxury). Narvaez, meanwhile, fought some pretty good fighters in Europe early in his career but has been content to take on the mostly lame fighters his promoters have feed him the past few years. It's truly ****** when you have talent in the same division like Narvaez and Pong that they can't get together.

[crold1]

Good column. Both Narvaez and Pong are incredibly talented but neither have taken any real risks in their careers. Pong's "record" was built against ridiculously weak opposition and the one time he had a tough mandatory, Jorge Acre, he was allowed to avoid taking the fight but still remain champion. (Canto never had that luxury). Narvaez, meanwhile, fought some pretty good fighters in Europe early in his career but has been content to take on the mostly lame fighters his promoters have feed him the past few years. It's truly ****** when you have talent in the same division like Narvaez and Pong that they can't get together.

Not really true...he wasn't allowed to avoid. The financing fell through for it when it was scheduled in the States and Arce wasn't traveling. The WBC did nothing to force it on either side, perfectly happy to take good fees from both.

[cool-jupiter]

Not really true...he wasn't allowed to avoid. The financing fell through for it when it was scheduled in the States and Arce wasn't traveling. The WBC did nothing to force it on either side, perfectly happy to take good fees from both.

My very personal opinion is that Arce couldn't stand a chance against Pong considering how he struggled to make even 115. Plus, he was so bad at southpaw fighters. Mijares did a perfect job of making Arce look like a toddler and the Thai Devid was clearly robbed in their eliminator. The ****** WBC wanted to make sure that they could retain a belt in their home turf in a popular figure in El Travieso.

[warp1432]

They both faced pretty terrible opposition, but I think Pong faced the better people myself.

[giacomino]

Not really true...he wasn't allowed to avoid. The financing fell through for it when it was scheduled in the States and Arce wasn't traveling. The WBC did nothing to force it on either side, perfectly happy to take good fees from both.

He was allowed to avoid the defense, whether it was his fault or not. Acre was mandatory and/or interim champion for more than a year. The WBC could very easily have said Pong had to face Acre or he would lose his title. They have done it to many other fighters. In this case they didn't.

[giacomino]

They both faced pretty terrible opposition, but I think Pong faced the better people myself.

I've had this debate with others before, and I think a lot has to do with how you rate flyweights and what region you are from. Neither fought the best. Pong fought a lot of Asian fighters, and Narvaez has fought a number of European and South American fighters.
I base a lot of my questioning of Pong on the fact that he defended 5 times against fighters who had lost their previous fight. It will be 6 times later this month, because he is fighting his first defense of his interim belt against Masuda, who lost his last fight. I also don't rate Naito as highly as some do. I actually think one of Pong's best wins was his most recent UD against Miranda.
Narvaez best opponents were probably Europeans like Mahmutov, who was a top 10 ranked flyweight for the better part of a decade, Asloum, who went on to win a junior fly title, the undefeated American Whitfield and the Columbian Carlos Tamara, who should have gotten another title shot by now.
Again, neither has fought the best and it's a shame they've never made it into the same ring

[VERDUGO]

This fight should've happen a long time ago..back when Pong was still the Champion.