34 Pinoy Fighters in World Ratings Despite Covid-19 Lockdown
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 12 Aug 2020
Their reputation preceding them, Filipino fighters continued to maintain and even in some cases, advance in their world ranking notwithstanding the previous lockdown and current general slowdown in global boxing activities.
A total of 34 Filipino fighters are in the latest ranking of the four major world boxing sanctioning bodies namely the WBA, WBC, IBF and the WBO.
This number is in addition to the four current and reigning Pinoy world champions namely WBA welterweight super titlist Manny Pacquiao, IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas, WBO bantamweight titlist Johnriel Casimero and IBF minimumweight beltholder Pedro Taduran.
There are marked advances as in the bantamweight division where three Pinoys Nonito Donaire, Michael Dasmarinas and Reymart Gaballo hold the top contender positions in the WBC, IBF and WBA. However, there are also noticeable ranking decline especially in the super flyweight where Donnie Nietes is no longer rated by any of the world boxing bodies due to his continued inactivity since late 2018 yet.
Melvin Jerusalem is rated number one by the WBC in the minimumweight towing seven other Pinoy contenders namely Vic Saludar WBO # 2 and WBA #4, Rene Cuarto IBF #3, Robert Paradero WBA #5, Samuel Salva IBF 7, John Marco Rementizo WBC 7, Lito Dante IBF #8 and Toto Landero WBC # 11.
Jerusalem may be up for a title rematch with Wanheng Menayothin once boxing achieves some semblance of normalcy in Thailand. IBF champion Pedro Taduran has made a successful defense of his title against Mexican Daniel Valladares before the Covid-19 lockdown. Local organizers are exploring another all-Pinoy fight for one of the titles under WBA involving mandatory challengers Robert Paradero and Vic Saludar.
Former world title challenger Edward Heno remains the highest rated Pinoy contender at light flyweight at #7 in the WBC followed by Christian Araneta IBF #9, Mark Vicelles WBC # 11, Toto Landero IBF #11, JayseverAbcede WBC #14 and the promising John Michael Zulueta WBA #14.
Geimel Magramo hangs on to number one at flyweight with the WBO as he awaits his oft postponed showdown with Junto Nakatani for the title vacated by Kosei Tanaka. Six other Pinoys are rated as follows: Jayson Mama IBF #3, the highest rated contender in that organization in the division; Genesis Libranza IBF # 6, Jayr Raquinel IBF #11, Jonathan Taconing WBC #11, Dave Apolinario IBF # 14 and Jobert Alvarez WBC # 15.
Pinoy fighters rated poorly in the super flyweight class with Nietes dropping out in the rankings of all four major boxing bodies due to his prolonged inactivity. Only Jade Bornea who is listed as IBF # 7 and WBA # 14 and KJ Cataraja as WBO # 12 remain in the ranking at 115 lbs.
Jerwin Ancajas is obligated to defend his IBF title against Mexican mandatory challenger Jonathan Javier Rodriguez but he is also keen to face American WBA regular titlist Joshua Franco in a breakout unification fight.
Aside from the top ranking trio of Donaire, Gaballo and Dasmarinas, three other Pinoys are in the latest ratings at bantamweight namely Mike Plania WBO # 3, Vincent Astrolabio WBO # 10 and former two time super flyweight title challenger Aston Palicte WBO # 11. Conspicuously missing though is Carl Jammes Martin who was in the ranking before.
Donaire is set to challenge Frenchman Nordine Oubaali for the WBC title while Gaballo and Dasmarinas are waiting for their turns to face the winner of the oft postponed WBA-IBF-WBO unification fight between champions Naoya Inoue and Johnriel Casimero.
Former WBO bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales prospectively becomes the highest rated IBF contender at super bantamweight at # 4 following the ascension of erstwhile # 3 Angelo Leo to the WBO regular championship recently. Inexplicably, IBF listed no one at # 1 and # 2 in its roster of contenders. Uzbek Murodjon Akhmadaliev is the reigning IBF titlist. Joining Tapales in the rankings are Mike Plania WBA# 5, Albert Pagara WBO # 7, Jeo Santissima WBO # 10 and the streaking Jhunriel Ramonal WBC # 12.
Mark Magsayo is the lone Pinoy fighter in the world rankings at featherweight as IBF # 4 and WBC # 4. Mexican Leo Santacruz remains as concurrent WBC featherweight titleholder while UK's Josh Warrington holds the IBF belt.
Asia Pacific regional champion Joe Noynay who is on a winning streak is the lone Pinoy fighter rated in the super featherweight division as WBO #5. American Jamel Herring is the WBO titleholder.
There are no Pinoy fighters in the world rankings in the lightweight and super lightweight divisions though Manny Pacquiao remains champion at the welterweight class as WBA super beltholder.
Pacquiao has yet to announce any definite plans for his ring return more than a year since beating Keith Thurman in July of last year.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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