The Asian fight scene has exploded over the last few years, due in great part to the international success of Manny Pacquiao. With virtual dominance in many of the lower-weight divisions, Asia has
become as much a
force below 130 lbs. as The United States and Europe have become in the heavier weight classes. Here’s a look at Asia’s Top Ten Pound for Pound as of December 25th, 2010. Since these lists are always very subjective, please feel free to comment and/or submit your own lists:
1) Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs)– Was there any doubt that the Pride of the Philippines would be at the top of this list? With eight titles in eight weight classes and more than a handful of quality wins over elite-level opposition, Pacquiao has made the Asian fight scene a mainstream phenomenon and will likely go down as the greatest Asian fighter of all-time as well as one of greats of this era.
2) Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (77-3-1, 41 KOs)– Thailand’s Wonjongkam has been on the short list of elite flyweights since winning the WBC title back in 2001. In his two reigns as WBC flyweight champ, he’s put together a supreme championship record of 22-1-1 while facing quality opposition such as Koki Kameda, Daisuke Naito,Hussein Hussein, and Luis Lazarte.
3) Hozumi Hasegawa (29-3, 12 KOs)– Forget the monster shot he walked into in his TKO loss to Fernando Montiel in April, Hasegawa has already rebounded to capture the vacant WBC featherweight title over tough Juan Carlos Burgos. Prior to that, and Montiel bout notwithstanding, Hasegawa became the elite Japanese fighter by making 10 successful title defenses of the WBC bantamweight title he lifted from Veeraphol Sahaprom back in 2005.
4) Chris John (44-0-2, 22 KOs)– Due to injuries, Indonesia’s John has been relatively inactive recently, but he remains one of the longest reigning champs in the sport with 13 successful title defenses of his WBA featherweight crown since winning the title back in 2003. The crafty, skilled John boasts wins over such quality opposition as Juan Manuel Marquez, Rocky Juaraez, and Derrick Gainer.
5) Nonito Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs)– The Filipino-born Donaire may be the most physically gifted fighter on this list and his resume is just starting to catch up to his talents. Already with impressive
stoppage wins over
Vic Darchinyan and Wladimir Sidorenko, Donaire seems ready to make that next step up– with a February bout against Mexico’s bantamweight kingpin, Fernando Montiel.
6) Daiki Kameda (18-2, 11 KOs)– One of Japan’s famed Kameda brothers, Daiki, at 21 years of age, is already a reigning WBA flyweight champ and holds wins over quality opposition such as Denkaosan Kaovichit, Takefumi Sakata and Wandee Singwancha.
7) Toshiaki Nishioka (37-4-3, 23 KOs)– The reigning WBC jr. featherweight champ has been a force in the 122 lb. weight class since his one-sided victory for the WBC interim title over veteran, Napapol Kiatisakchokchai in 2008. He’s since made 5 successful defenses of the full world title, including a stoppage win over Jhonny Gonzalez and a unanimous points victory over the UK’s Rendall Munroe.
8) Koki Kameda (23-1, 15 KOs)– The former WBC flyweight champ from Japan, despite losing to Pongsaklek Wonjongkam back in March, is still seen as a force at 112 and, perhaps, the most talented of Japan’s Kameda brothers. His crowning glory, so far, is a unanimous decision victory over countryman, Daisuke Naito.
9) Milan Melindo (23-0, 7 KOs)– Melindo has not made a lot of headlines, but he has quietly become one of the Philippines’ biggest success stories. A recent win over former world champ, Carlos Tamara, has put Melindo among the elite in the flyweight division.
10) Rodel Mayol (27-5-2, 21 KOs)– A former jr. flyweight titlist, the Philippines’ Mayol, has been in the ring with the very best and has been competitive with all of them. His list of elite-level opposition is second to none: Ivan Calderon, Ulises Solis, Omar Ni?o Romero, and Edgar Sosa, among others.
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