How Are We Faring in Our Traditional Weight Classes? (First of Four Parts)
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 24 Dec 2022
Introduction
The unbundling of the original eight boxing weight classes, through particularly last more than forty years, has resulted in the what we have as 17 Divisions, 18 if we will consider the newly coined bridgerweight class, currently.
Be that as it may, there have been boxing purists that still reckon professional boxing based on the original eight to ten weight classes, i.e. flyweight as the lowest division and the heavyweights as the biggest which it is still now, despite the call by some to institute the so called super heavyweight class. Their main argument is that the original weight classes have been instituted based on sound scientific grounds taking into consideration physical and physiological factors, though those were determined more than a century ago.
Purists agreed to give some more grounds beginning the late 80s though as the combined factors of physiologically growing population and the fact that the weight difference in certain higher divisions is indeed too huge to overcome or compensate (especially for those moving up, or down, in weight), resulted to the creation of the minimumweight otherwise known as straw weight as the smallest division and the institution of the light/junior and super classes between and among the other divisions.
From the dawn of boxing back at the turn of the last century and through the years and decades that followed, Filipino boxers have established themselves and even created a niche in certain weight classes, particularly in the flyweight and lightweight divisions, to include the junior and super classes.
In this four-part installment feature, we will endeavor to assess how Filipino fighters are faring now in these niche divisions starting with the flyweight class that includes the relatively new minimumweight and light flyweight.
Part One: What Are We Missing At Flyweight?
The flyweights had been a gold mine division for Filipino fighters since when Francisco Guilledo better known as Pancho Villa won the Philippines first world pro boxing title at flyweight in the 1920s. About half of the country's championship harvest has come from this weight class and its derivatives in as recent as the 2010s and early 2020s.
But from as many as three world champions at minimumweight namely Pedro Taduran, Vic Saludar and Rene Mark Cuarto, as late as early 2022, we have none as the current year winds down.
In a space of three years; Saludar lost his WBO crown first in his third defense in Puerto Rico to Wilfredo Mendez then after winning the WBA regular belt, lost the same in Dominican Republic to Erick Rosa in his first defense. Taduran lost his IBF trinket to countryman Cuarto who lost the same belt to Mexico's Daniel Valladares in the Mexican hometown. Talking of hometown advantage, indeed. But we never seemed to learn.
Earlier ArAr Andales went down in what appeared as hometown technical decision loss to WBA minimumweight champion Thamanon Niyomtrong aka Knockout CP Freshmart in Thailand in a fight his camp said he should have won by TKO as the eye injury suffered by the Thai was due to legal punch and not headbutt as the supposed neutral American referee alleged. Andales would like to protest the result and ask for reversal with the WBA but was deterred by the too stiff protest fee which if converted to pesos was more than his purse for the fight.
Likewise veteran internationalist Rey Loreto failed in bid to unseat then long time WBC titlists Wanheng Menayothin losing by disputed decision.
We never had a world champion in the light flyweight and flyweight division since Brian Viloria lost his WBC flyweight title to Juan Francisco Estrada and failed to win the then vacant WBA crown losing to Russian Artem Dalakian who is still champion until today. Donnie Nietes last held and vacate his WBO light flyweight and IBF flyweight titles in 2017 and 2018 in his moves up the weight scales.
Milan Melindo won and briefly held the IBF light flyweight title in 2017 but lost that crown that same year in unification against then WBA titlist Ryoichi Taguchi by UD and subsequent world title attempt at WBC light flyweight title via TKO to Kenshiro Teraji in Japan. His recent sojourn at flyweight resulted to another TKO loss to soon WBO titlist Junto Nakatani.
Other recent Pinoy world title fight losers included the stylist Mark Anthony Barriga at minimumweight and young hopeful Edward Heno who barely lost to Mexico's Elwin Soto at light flyweight.
At least two other Filipinos tried to win a major world title at flyweight but all lost. Giemel Magramo went down in TKO defeat to Junto Nakatani for the vacant WBO belt in 2021 and Jayson Mama was thoroughly schooled by UK's Sunny Edwards in the latest futile attempt. Mama was originally scheduled to challenge then reigning world champion Moruti Mthalane in December 2021 but got cancelled due to alleged training injury to the South African who was later upset by Edwards.
As 2022 ends, all we can boast of is a minor world flyweight champion in the person of Dave Apolinario who won the International Boxing Organization crown by sensational knockout of the grizzled veteran South African Gideon Buthelezi in East London. Apolinario who is still unbeaten, is highly rated by the major boxing bodies and could still figure prominently for the major belts in the coming new year.
Significantly, notwithstanding our recent poor performance, we will be ushering the coming new year with a fresh world title attempt courtesy of the promising Melvin Jerusalem who is challenging WBO minimumweight titlist Masataka Taniguchi in Japan on January 6. 2023.
Likewise, undefeated top ranking light flyweight Mark Vicelles has been nominated by the IBF to meet fellow Pinoy Regie Suganob in a final eliminator to determine the next mandatory challenger to new IBF world light flyweight titlist Sive Notshinga of South Africa.
We are looking up to these fighters to change our fortunes at boxing's littlest weight classes come 2023
Next: The Bantamweight Bubble Is Still On
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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