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Philippines, 07 May 2024 |
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Super Lightweight in State of Flux By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Tue, 12 Dec 2023  Devin Haney (R) dominated Regis Prograis (L) last weekend to capture the WBC title in the 140-lb division. Former undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney recently became two weight division world boxing champion with a surprisingly dominant decision win over WBC defending titlist Regis Prograis, throwing the 140 lbs division in further state of flux. Experts and pundits were all surprised with the seeming ease of Haney's win with the bigger American sweeping all the rounds on the scorecards of the judges after putting the usually durable Prograis down for the mandatory eight count in the third round and having him on the receiving end of his punches for most of the bout. Two years after Englishman Josh Taylor last held the undisputed championship in the weight class, the super lightweights is back to the usual four recognized world champions, with at least three ex-titlists including Taylor himself and Prograis now still very much in the thick of things despite their title defeats. In addition, Mexican former WBC titlist Jose Ramirez can not be counted out Taylor lost his undisputed status last year and left with just his WBO title with the other major boxing bodies withdrawing their recognitions for some reasons. Taylor lost that remaining crown to another former undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez by a surprising dominant decision, thus flinging the gate wide open. Rolando Romero is currently the WBA titlist and new Puerto Rican sensation Subriel Matias is the IBF champion. Gervonta 'Tank' Davis for a time held the WBA interim belt, winning over Mario Barrios who now fights at welterweight. Aside from these current and ex-champions, there are also fighters in and around the division like Arnold Barboza Jr., Ryan Garcia and Liam Paro who are capable of overturning the apple cart so to speak on a good night. Hence boxing is back to square one at the 140 lbs weight class with the prospects of crowning a one true world champion as dark or dim as convincing the current champions to fight each other to determine an undisputed world champion. While Haney and Lopez have been dominating in their respective title quests, the champion who has been regarded as the division's bogey man is Subriel Matias who has also just unmasked the title pretense of erstwhile unbeaten Russian Shojahon Ergashev by a brutal stoppage. The Puerto Rican who is compared favorably to the legendary Tito Trinidad has knocked out or stopped all the opponents he had faced thus far. Matias has declared he is open to a unification fight against either Haney or Lopez in 2024. But according to the boxing grapevine, the most enticing prospect is first a unification clash between Haney and Lopez with the winner facing Matias in a triple crown confrontation later next year. Romero is considered as the weakest of the current titlists and would be a fair game to such opponents as ex titlists Taylor, Prograis or Ramirez or upcomers as Barboza or Ryan Garcia, thus the low priority in any unifications plan next 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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