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Philippines, 15 Feb 2026 |
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What is Keeping the WBC and WBA From Filling up Vacant Light Flyweight Titles? By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Mon, 02 Dec 2024  Kenshiro Teraji had vacated his WBC and WBA light flyweight titles since last October before vying for the then vacant WBC flyweight championship. Teraji has won the WBC 112 lbs crown by stoppage over an old and jaded Nicaraguan Cristofer Rosales who had reigned as titlist six years ago. Before that fight, many has expected either or both the WBC and/or the WBA to announce the rated contenders who will fight to fill up the vacancy. But nothing has emanated from either bodies. What is keeping the WBC and the WBA from filling up their vacant light flyweight titles? Or, what are they waiting for? There's a saying that, "he who holds the gold rules". Presently, the IBF and WBO champions are both Japanese who won their crowns in fights held in Japan, namely Masamichi Yabuki and Shockichi Iwata. Yabuki despite being the challenger was able to entice South African Sivenathi Nontshinga to defend in Japan. Nontshinga just early in the year created a sensation by travelling all the way to Mexico to reclaim his IBF title by knockout over Adrian Curiel who had previously wrested the crown by knocking him out in his first fight outside of South Africa. It just seemed odd that Nontshinga would fight back to back away from his home country and against a dangerous foe as Yabuki. But as they say, money talks. The offer could have been irresistible. Iwata on the other hand despite losing badly in his previous WBO world title try versus Jonathan Gonzalez, got to retain his ranking as #1 contender and hence given another title opportunity (priority?) when Gonzalez moved up to flyweight. Some people were saying Iwata was virtually given a gimme opponent in the fight to fill the vacancy. Money talks. Japan is boxing capital especially in the lower weights Are the WBC and WBA waiting for the right contenders? Or the right bidder or bidders to hold the fights to fill up the vacancies? The top three contenders in the WBC are Venezuela's Carlos Canizales and Thaiand's Panya Pradabsri and Dominican Republic's Erick Rosas, both ex minimumweight titlists. For WBA they are Erick Rosas, Filipino Arvin John Paciones and Mexican Neider Valdez. Rosas and Valdez are reportedly set to fight on December 19 in Santo Domingo but it is not clear whether it is a title eliminator or for any regional championship. The WBA is mum about that fight either. The highest rated Japanese currently are WBC #9 Toshiki Kawamitsu and WBA #4 Kyosuke Takami. But as they say, world ranking is subjective. Are they waiting for the next world ranking before making the decision? Everyone agrees Japan is the biggest fight organizer in Asia outside of Saudi Arabia. He who holds the gold... But does that mean anything to our top ranking contenders AJ Paciones, Christian Araneta, Regie Suganob and Jayson Vayson? 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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