In 2018 who was the best world champion in Flyweight division ? Artem Dalakian (WBA) vs Sho Kimura (WBO) vs Cristofer Rosales (WBC) vs Moruti Mthalane (IBF) who was the king ?
Mthalane was quite clearly the best fighter out of the bunch. Good little technician with very good guard and excellent jab. He had very respectable and lengthy career - but could've achieved a lot more if He had right people behind him. He gave Donaire trouble before He got stopped with a cut. He then won a title from Pingo Miranda and was very dominant while defending it against solid fighters - particulary young Casimero and Tete, both of whom developed into World class fighters. He had no support in South Africa at the time, so He made couple defences on the road - but eventually vacated his belt when faced with a prospect of travling to Thailand to defend his belt against Amnat Ruenroeng for pennies. Mthalane was out of the ring for good 2 years after that - but eventually came back and made a short run winning and defending lightly regarded IBO belt at home. From what I was reading at the time, He signed with new promoter and was getting paid more for those fight that for his fights for the more legimate IBF belt before. The opposition was not great though - and in terms of his legacy, He wasted the best years of his career, when He quite likely might've been the best flyweight in the world. Eventually He got back on big stage and won his old IBF belt back against Waseem in a good fight, I think on Pacquiao vs Matthysse undercard - and defended it couple times in Japan before losing it to Sunny Edwards. The fact that He was able to make that run in his late 30s tells me a lot about his potential in his prime - when He was only really bested by Donaire, in a fight where He did not look out of his depth either - and was a bit unlucky with the cut.
Like you said and thanks for your message Mthalane was in this period at the end of his career. I'm not sure at all he can go hand-to-hand with Sho Kimura and I'm not sure that he can face the perfect defense of Dalakian. I think Dalakian was the best there and my ranking will be like that : 1- Artem Dalakian 2- Sho Kimura 3- Moruti Mthalane 4- Cristofer Rosales