After Manny Pacquiao?s loss to Jeff Horn in the summer, the mantle of becoming RealSport?s top Asian fighter of 2017 is left wide open. Let?s see who makes the list as we countdown to the start of 2018. 10 Ryota Murata (13-1)
Murata had won his first 12 fights before losing to Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam in a tightly contested match via split decision. The Japanese star executed his sweet revenge and stopped the Cameronian within seven rounds in their rematch.
The 2012 Olympic gold medalist has been vocal about his willingness to fight Gennady Golovkin in what could be the ‘All-Asian super fight of the modern era’. 9 Daigo Higa (14-0)
The 22-year-old Japanese rising star may still have a lot to learn at this stage of his career, but being undefeated and winning all of his 14 fights by knockout is a feat that makes him worthy of a spot in the list.
His lethal body shot serves as a catalyst to his win streak although he needs to prove that he isn’t just a one-dimensional fighter who just leans heavily on his power punches. He has made a good start to his young career this year by winning the WBC flyweight title and successfully defending it. 8 Chayaphon Moonsri (49-0)
The WBC title holder is no doubt the best 105-pounder at the moment showing clear superiority over his long list of victims with his 49-0 record; owing to his outstanding fight phasing and hand-speed.
Despite his success, he is facing a usual career obstacle that most great fighters in his divisions have experienced: looking to secure bigger fights.
Although he finds a way to compensate for his lack of power, with his pint-sized frame, he may not be the same quality of a fighter as he is if he chooses to move up in weight, just like what happened to Puerto Rican legend Ivan Calderon. 7 Mark Magsayo (18-0)
Mark ‘Magnifico’ Magsayo is thriving in the 126lbs division. With his three impressive wins this year, he has surely made his presence felt in the weight class and may be on the radar of current champs such as Leo Santa Cruz and Oscar Valdez as their next foe.
His peak-game may have yet to arrive but with an excellent showing in his career so far, it looks like his chance of a world title may not take too long. 6 Thammanoon Niyomtrong (16-0)
Despite only standing 5’1″, Niyomtrong is a proven hard-puncher against bigger opponents. Regardless of whether people think he only fights in his native Thailand, he has never faced a fellow Thai in his 16 bouts.
Despite a proven hard-hitter in his class, the trouble lies in finding a suitable opponent for him due to his size. This will no doubt limit his attraction in the sport moving forward. 5 Naoya Inoue (14-0)
Having a high punch accuracy can be accounted from Inoue’s rich amateur background. Hopefully, we can see more of him as he continually evolves into a complete fighter.
He made two successful defences of his WBO junior-bantamweight title this year, one of those is his stellar performance in his US debut against Antonio Nieves at the StubHub Center, California.
He is scheduled to make the third defence of his title against the more experienced Yoan Boyeaux of France on December 30 in Yokohama, Japan. 4 Jerwin Ancajas (28-1-1)
Being a well-travelled and often visiting fighter has played a significant role in Ancajas’ career. He has shown that he can stand against the odds and do his talking in the ring.
This year, he destroyed two of his challengers in two different continents outside his territory. In his recent fight, he introduced himself as he arrived in Europe when he stopped local hero Jamie Conlan in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Fighting under Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions should give his career a lot of promise. He is set to make his first fight on US soil on February 18, 2018, in Texas against Israel Gonzalez. 3 Donnie Nietes (40-1-4)
Nietes has mastered the art of out-boxing his opponents with his excellent scouting and gameplan. Being undefeated in the last 13 years shows he is too hot to handle in a head-to-head match-up.
At 35-year-old, he needs to hurry and find himself a fight that boxing fans would remember despite already proving himself to be in the elite class as one of the three Filipino fighters who won titles in at least three weight divisions.
He will have the first defence of his title against Argentinian Juan Carlos Reveco on January 18 in Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort, Macao. 2 Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (40-4-1)
Perhaps the sweetest 2017 campaign among Asian fighters belongs to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand.
He scored two victories against Roman Gonzalez who was once invincible in the lower divisions prior to their face-off. Their first encounter ended up in a majority decision and ‘Chocolatito’ lost his WBC super flyweight title to Rungvisai, an outcome questioned by many as a robbery with the belief that the win should have been given to the Nicaraguan. The two met again six months later and Rungvisai demolished Gonzalez in four rounds.
His successful quest against Gonzalez turned him into a new Asian star. He will attempt his second title defence on February 18 against Juan Francisco Estrada. 1 Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1)
The Kazakh sensation is renowned as one the hardest-hitters of the modern era. Golovkin came away from a lucrative ‘super-fight’ against Canelo Alvarez with a draw in the summer, with many fans leaving disappointed. Although their fight didn’t turn out as a brawl that the boxing community had expected, Golovkin showed his timing, precision and punching brain in their 12 rounder.
‘Triple G’ is the top boxing icon in Asia in terms of marketability and current status, holding the IBF, WBC and WBA middleweight titles.
Aside from Pacquiao, he is arguably the only other Asian fighter at the moment who can be considered pay-per-view material.
