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Philippines, 21 Feb 2026 |
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Mandatory challengers By Joaquin Henson PhilBoxing.com Fri, 28 Feb 2025  L-R: Suganob, Suarez and Araneta lead Filipino mandatory challengers. The latest WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO ratings show six Filipinos in line for title shots as mandatory challengers. That means sometime this year, they’ll get their cracks to join WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem and IBF minimumweight beltholder Pedro Taduran in the roster of reigning Filipino world rulers. The six are WBO superfeatherweight No. 1 Charly Suarez, IBF lightflyweight No. 1 Christian Araneta, WBO lightflyweight No. 1 Regie Suganob, WBA lightflyweight No. 2 (No. 1 is vacant) Arvin Jhon Paciones, IBF minimumweight No. 3 (Nos. 1 and 2 are vacant) Joey Canoy and WBO minimumweight No. 1 Vic Saludar. Suarez, 36, totes an unblemished 18-0 record, with 10 KOs. His last five fights were on foreign soil, three in the US, one in Australia and one in Vietnam. The three-time SEA Games gold medalist and 2012 Olympian is backed by former Gov. Chavit Singson whose connection with Top Rank CEO Bob Arum is key in landing a title shot. His target is WBO king Emanuel Navarrete, a heavy-handed banger whose KO victims include Filipinos Jeo Santisima and Mig Elorde. Navarrete, 30, has a 39-2-1 record, with 32 KOs. A duel between Suarez and Navarrete is inevitable unless the Mexican relinquishes the throne to move up in weight. Araneta, 29, packs a 25-2 mark, with 20 KOs, including nine in the first round. He’s won his last six assignments, five inside the distance. The Bomb’s only setbacks weren’t conclusive. He floored Sivenathi Nontshinga in the 12th round but lost on a close decision in South Africa in 2021. Two judges saw the hometowner ahead by only a point. The other defeat was to Daniel Valladares in Monterrey in 2019 with Araneta suffering a freak shoulder injury in the fourth round. His target is IBF ruler Masamichi Yabuki whose record is 17-4, with 16 KOs. Two of Yabuki’s losses were by KO so he’s vulnerable. When Araneta and Yabuki clash, the fight won’t go the full route for sure. Suganob, 27, carries a 16-1 slate, with six KOs. His only defeat was to Sivenathi on points in an IBF lightflyweight title bout in South Africa in 2023. Suganob’s last three outings were wins over Venezuela’s Ronald Chacon, Japan’s Kai Ishizawa and Thailand’s Nanthanon Thongchai so he’s no stranger to foreign opponents. His target is WBO king Shochiki Iwata who’s set to defend his throne against Puerto Rico’s Rene Santiago in Tokyo on March 13. Iwata claimed the vacant WBO title on a third round disposal of Spain’s Jairo Noriega at the Ariake Arena, Koto-Ku last October. Iwata’s record is 14-1, with 11 KOs and his only loss was to Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Gonzalez on points in Saitama in 2022. More on the mandatory challengers in the second installment of this series. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.  |
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