Don’t cry for Pinoy boxing

The year 2023 ends today with no Filipino reigning as world boxing champion. But there is hope for the future as 26 Filipinos are ranked in the top 10 of the four major governing bodies – WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. Among the 26, three are in line to fight for world crowns as mandatory challengers – WBC No. 1/WBO No. 9 bantamweight Vincent Astrolabio, WBO No. 1/IBF No. 5 bantamweight Reymart Gaballo and IBF No. 4/WBC No. 6 minimumweight Pedro Taduran. Former IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas was set to face WBA bantamweight king Takuma Inoue last Nov. 15 but the fight was postponed after the Japanese suffered a rib injury in training camp. Ancajas will get his chance early next year. He’s ranked No. 3 by WBO, No. 6 by WBA and No. 9 by IBF. Coming close to booking a title crack is WBA No. 2, IBF No. 3 and WBO No. 8 flyweight Dave Apolinario who relinquished the lightly-regarded IBO championship to focus on gunning for a major title.

There are former world champions who are a win or two away from earning another shot at a belt. Former IBF lightflyweight, IBF flyweight and WBO bantamweight ruler JohnRiel Casimero is back in the conversation as a future opponent of undisputed world superbantamweight king Naoya Inoue. Casimero is ranked No. 3 by WBO, No. 5 by IBF and No. 7 by WBC. Former WBC featherweight champion Mark Magsayo has moved up to the 130-pound division where he’s now rated No. 7 by WBC. Early this month, he stopped Isaac Avelar in the third round in Long Beach, California, to make an auspicious debut as a superfeatherweight. Another win could catapult Magsayo to a title fight. Former WBA/WBO minimumweight champion Vic Saludar is rated No. 2 by WBO and No. 6 by WBA. He’s won his last three fights inside the distance and the crafty veteran could make a bid for another title.

Marlon Tapales, who lost his WBA and IBF superbantamweight titles to Naoya Inoue in a unification showdown in Tokyo last Tuesday, remains a serious title contender. Tapales intends to fight once in the Philippines in May or June then figure in a title eliminator before shooting for another world crown. Former WBO minimumweight king Melvin Jerusalem is ranked No. 5 by WBO and No. 7 by WBC and could be a challenger again soon.

Up-and-coming Miel Fajardo is the only Filipino rated in two divisions as he’s the IBF’s No. 6 lightflyweight and WBC’s No. 9 flyweight. Fajardo, 23, is from Agusan del Sur and has an 11-1-2 record, with 10 KOs. His only loss was a decision to ArAr Andales in 2017. Andales is the WBO’s No. 6, WBA’s No. 9 and IBF’s No. 10 minimumweight. Fajardo’s last three bouts ended in first round KOs.

The other Filipinos in the top 10 ratings are IBF No. 7 superfeatherweight Charly Suarez, IBF No. 4/WBO No. 8 superbantamweight Carl Jammes Martin, WBC No. 8 bantamweight Froilan Saludar, IBF No. 8 superflyweight Jade Bornea, WBA No. 7/WBO No. 9 superflyweight KJ Cataraja, WBC No. 4 superflyweight JayR Raquinel, IBF No. 9 flyweight Vince Paras, WBO No. 7/WBA No. 8/IBF No. 8 lightflyweight Regie Suganob, IBF No. 4/WBA No. 5 lightflyweight Christian Araneta, WBO No. 6/IBF No. 9 lightflyweight Arvin Magramo, WBC No. 3/IBF No. 6 minimumweight Joey Canoy, IBF No. 3/WBC No. 4/WBO No. 4/WBA No. 10 minimumweight Jake Amparo, WBA No. 8/IBF No. 8 minimumweight Rene Mark Cuarto and WBC No. 9 minimumweight Garen Diagan.