Rate the current straw champs

Just curious, why do you put Wanheng above Knockout? Just the longevity of his reign? (because there's fairly little distance between them, in that respect).

Can't be opponent quality or eye test, I would imagine.

Granted, he does have more wins than any three of the other four titlists combined even have fights, but going undefeated for a long time is only creditable if you're challenging yourself, which he this far hasn't. (and has even at times put in lackluster performances against the rabble he actually has fought, as has been pointed out)

 

Problem is, 105lbs is so lacking in depth that it would be difficult for any one champ to really distinguish himself with any one scalp in particular.

Let's examine each org's top 5:

WBC (titlist: Moonsri)

1. Simphiwe Khonco - champ with a lesser org, has only ever fought in South Africa, while Moonsri has never left Thailand. Unification extremely unlikely.
2. Melvin Jerusalem - already challenged Moonsri and lost in January 2017. (although it would've been a draw but for a point deduction for a low blow, in what Jerusalem's team called an instance of uneven officiating, with Moonsri having fought much dirtier and never getting warned...although it damages Jerusalem's cause that in his very next outing, a loss to countryman Joey Canoy, he also had a point deducted for excessive low blows)
3. Tsubasa Koura - the current OPBF champion, young and undefeated with some promise shown but has yet to leave Japan (or step up substantially in class), about to make a defense at home in Yokohama versus 15-10-4 Lito Gamba Dante, who is 4-5-1 in his last ten.
4. Ganigan López - N/A, is campaigning at flyweight and holds the WBC Latino Silver title in that division; hasn't actually fought at straw in seven years.
5. Byron Hasael Rojas Hernández - former WBA titlist, defended against Niyomtrong unsuccessfully in 2016, and then challenged to reclaim the belt in a rematch last November, also unsuccessfully. Both matches were competitive but was fairly vanquished in each, and those happen to be his only big steps up in class beyond the Nicaraguan domestic scene, aside from his "one hit wonder" making upset over Hekkie Budler to capture the belt in 2016.

WBA (titlist: Niyomtrong)

1. Alexis Junior Díaz Páez - N/A, campaigns at super flyweight; hasn't fought at straw in almost four years (since being knocked out in four rounds by Niyomtrong)
2. Jose Argumedo - N/A, former IBF title holder, campaigns at light flyweight, hasn't fought at straw in 1½ years since losing his belt to Hiroto Kyoguchi.
3. Ricardo Astuvilca - N/A, has never, as far as I can tell, competed under the straw limit, although he did win the "South American minimumweight title" in 2016 in a match where he was 3¼lbs over the limit and his opponent 4¼ (meaning they didn't even make the light flyweight limit)
4. Julio Cesar Mendoza Ramos - holds the inconsequential WBA Fedecentro title. Failed to capture the Nicaraguan title. Lost wide on points to Argumedo for the IBF title. Quit on his stool against Byron Rojas. Has beaten nobody.
5. Mark Anthony Barriga - lost to Licona challenging for the IBF on the Wilder vs. Fury undercard. Ran him close but no cigar. Has beaten nobody of note, aside from aging Thai contender (and Naoya Inoue victim) Wittawas Basapean aka Samartlek.

IBF (titlist: Kriel)

1. NOT RATED -
2. NOT RATED -
3. Mark Anthony Barriga - got his chance and hasn't fought since; literally coming directly off that loss to Licona. Styles make fights, and both their matches with Licona were competitive, so perhaps he could beat Kriel, but he needs to string a couple of wins together first.
4. Samuel G. Salva - young unbeaten Filipino. Has thus far only fought journeymen and fellow green prospects on the domestic scene but is about to face Rene Cuarto in an eliminator, which ought to produce a worthier mandatory (at the moment) than Barriga.
5. Rene Mark Revillas Cuarto - see above note for Salva, only difference being where Salva is unblemished, Cuarto has a loss and draw to personal bogeyman Jerald Paclar.

WBO (titlist: Saludar)

1. Roberto Caontao Paradero - holds the organization's Asia Pacific Youth title (ho-hum), about to fight #7 Wilfredo Mendez for their (I guess) slightly more prestigious Intercontinental title. His opposition to date has (by FAR) a combined losing record.
2. Masataka Taniguchi - N/A, lost to Saludar this morning, will therefore presumably drop.
3. Tatsuya Fukuhara - as noted above, challenged Moonsri unsuccessfully in 2017 and has picked up a pair of meaningless victories since, and is heading into an undeserved rematch in Thailand with Moonsri, which he will almost certainly lose.
4. Panya Pradabsri aka Petchmanee - N/A, campaigning at flyweight and is the OPBF silver champ there; unsuccessfully challenged for the vacant WBA International straw title in 2017 and lost a MD to Chaozhong Xiong. Win column is for the most part extraordinarily padded, even for a Thai.
5. Shin Ono - coming off a KO loss to 17-7 (9) domestic rival Norihito Tanaka in January, wherein he lost the Japanese straw title.

IBO (titlist: Konkco)

1. Melvin Jerusalem - see note under WBC
2. Byron Rojas - see note under WBC
3. Tsubasa Koura - see note under WBC
4. Tatsuya Fukuhara - see note under WBO
5. Samuel Salva - see note under IBF

See? Really, truly not a strong bunch.

 

Well they need to hurry up and say their prayers, gobble down those senzu beans, train like hell and get in that seasoning & experience. This class needs an influx, badly!

 

Eh, people keep saying that but IMO he isn't even close to being the most technically sound Thai active right now. There is probably a good dozen or so guys I'd rank ahead of him on pure ring craft.

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Like twenty percent of the shots in this video actually land cleanly - and this is supposed to be a HL package!

I think people just get carried away by the # of fights and having the zero intact. And of course looking prodigious against duds is easier than doing so against the caliber that Niyomtrong has fought.