MANILA, Philippines – There are 25 Filipino boxers ranked in the top 10 of the sport?s four most prestigious governing bodies World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organization (WBO). Six are unbeaten while seven lost only once, indicating a solid pipeline of prospects for future world champions.
The list of 25 includes WBO No. 1 superbantamweight Nonito Donaire Jr. who recently relinquished his WBC/WBO bantamweight titles to battle Puerto Rico?s Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. for the vacant WBO 122-pound throne on Feb. 4 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Donaire, 29, has a 27-1 record, with 18 KOs and is unbeaten in his last 26 outings. He is chasing his third world title in three different divisions.
Aside from Donaire, the other Filipinos ranked No. 1 are superflyweight Silvester Lopez by the WBC and bantamweight A. J. Banal by the WBO. Rated No. 2 are minimumweight Denver Cuello by the WBC and flyweight Froilan Saludar by the WBO while the No. 3 contenders are lightflyweight Johnriel Casimero by the IBF, flyweight Rocky Fuentes by the WBC and IBF, lightflyweight Rodel Mayol by the WBO, flyweight Milan Melindo by the WBO, bantamweight Malcolm Tunacao by the WBC and Banal by the IBF.
Only Banal and Fuentes are ranked by all four sanctioning bodies. Banal, 23, is ranked No. 1 by the WBO, No. 3 by the IBF, No. 5 by the WBC and No. 5 by the WBA in the bantamweight division. Banal, a 23-year-old southpaw from the ALA Boxing Gym, has won nine in a row since losing to Rafael Concepcion in 2008 and is ready for a title shot with a 26-1-1 record, including 19 KOs. Fuentes, 25, is rated No. 3 by the IBF and WBC, No. 5 by the WBO and No. 7 by the WBA in the 112-pound category. The reigning Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight titlist, also from the ALA Boxing Gym, has won 11 in a row, including four in Japan, since losing a decision to Richie Mepranum in 2007 to raise his record to 30-6-2, with 18 KOs.
Lopez, 24, has an 18-3-1 record, with 14 KOs. Bebot Elorde?s altar boy from Zamboanga Sibugay has won his last four bouts, all by KO, including an upset over Mexico?s highly touted Oscar Ibarra in Queretaro last September.
The six undefeated contenders are WBO No. 8 minimumweight Merlito Sabillo, Saludar, Melindo, WBO No. 5 featherweight Lorenzo (Thunderbolt) Villanueva, IBF No. 4 lightweight Al Sabaupan and WBA No. 6 lightweight and WBO No. 7 superlightweight Mercito Gesta.
