Suganob remains as top contender in WBO light flyweight division

Regie Suganob in his win over Kai Ishizawa last April in Bohol. | Photo from PMI Bohol Boxing Stable

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Regie “The Filipino Phenom” Suganob, the standout boxer from the PMI Bohol Boxing Stable, has firmly retained his No. 3 ranking in the World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight division, reinforcing his status as a key contender for a world title fight.

The 27-year-old boxer from Dauis, Bohol, remains the highest-ranked contender poised for a shot at the WBO light flyweight crown. The No. 1 and No. 2 positions in the WBO rankings are vacant following the defeat of Jairo Noriega.

Noriega, who previously held the No. 2 spot, was stopped by Japan’s Shokichi Iwata via a third-round technical knockout (TKO) on October 13, in a bout that saw Iwata claim the vacant WBO light flyweight title.

Suganob had previously issued a public challenge to Iwata, calling for a showdown for the world title. However, Iwata chose to face Noriega instead, a decision that led to the Japanese fighter’s dominant victory.

With Iwata now holding the WBO world title and Noriega out of contention, the path seems clear for Suganob to secure his long-awaited shot at the championship.

A potential clash between Suganob and Iwata promises to be an exciting encounter, as both fighters have nearly identical records.

Suganob boasts an impressive 15-1 record, with five of his victories coming by knockout. Iwata, in comparison, holds a slightly higher knockout ratio, with 11 knockouts in his 14-1 (win-loss) record.

Suganob has already proven his ability to overcome tough Japanese opponents. In April, he successfully defended his WBO Global light flyweight title with a dominant eighth-round TKO victory over Japan’s Kai Ishizawa in Tagbilaran City.

Iwata, on the other hand, has a track record of defeating Filipino challengers, having previously beaten Jahzeel Trinidad, Rene Mark Cuarto, Jayson Brillo, Jerome Baloro, and Paolo Sy.

Iwata’s sole professional loss came at the hands of former world champion Jonathan Gonzalez in 2022, a fight for the very title Iwata now holds.

Also making waves in the WBO rankings is another Filipino fighter, Jayson Vayson, who currently holds the No. 5 spot in the light flyweight division. Vayson is also ranked No. 3 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No. 8 by the World Boxing Council (WBC).

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