Minimum Weight Division Rankings
Published by: Jake Emen
The boxing world has to begin somewhere, and the unheralded minimum weight class, or straw weight class is where it all starts. The tiny 105 pound fighters have frames that jockeys would be quite envious of. Not much is known about all of the fighters in this class by even the most sincere of U.S. fight fans, however here's a rundown of the biggest names.
Minimum weight division rankings last updated April 2011
- Nkosinathi Joyi - The South African dominated Raul Garcia to win a lopsided Unanimous Decision and the IBF title in March of 2010, and sports a record of 21-0 with 15 knockouts. He has been inactive as of late though, and his only bout since was a NC in January of 2011.
- Donnie Nietes – The WBO titleholder, Nietes has made four successful title defenses and hasn't lost in over six years. His record stands at 27-1-3 with 15 KO victories.
- Raul Garcia – The longtime IBF titleholder got unseated from his perch at the top of the division by Joyi. He still holds an impressive record of 29 (17) - 1 - 1 and had previously made four successful defenses of his strap. He has since captured the interim WBO belt from Luis De La Rosa, and will fight for the full WBO belt shortly against Rommel Asenjo.
- Kazuto Ioka - Kazuto Ioka is the new WBC titlist, defeating the respected Oleydong Sithsamerchai in February of 2011 to take the belt. He scored a 5th round TKO, and it was just the 7th fight of his professional career.
- Kwanthai Sithmorseng - He's undefeated after 32 pro fights, with a 31-0-1 record and 17 knockouts. He took home the vacant WBA belt at the end of 2010, and is getting set to go for the full title against Muhammad Rachman in April.
- Oleydong Sithsamerchai – He had been one of the division's best until being unseated by the upstart Kazuto Ioka, which was the first loss of his career and came after he had strung together a 6-0-1 record in title fights. Not wielding much power he has 13 knockouts amongst his 35 wins.
- Juan Hernandez - Juan Hernandez sits at 18 (13) - 1 , and he has put together 13 straight wins. Most notably were his last two bouts, a DQ win over Denver Cuello and a win over the undefeated Moises Fuentes.
- Juan Palacios - Palacios has lost just once in over 8 years, and it was a very close Majority Decision loss to Oleydong Sithsamerchai. That was at the end of 2009, and he has fought only once since then, at the end of 2010. More activity would help him climb even higher up the rankings.
- Denver Cuello - Cuello had been put down in the second round of his contest against Juan Hernandez, but went on to put Hernandez down in the third. But he would be DQ'd in the same round, losing the contest. Since, he has put together another five wins.
- Katsunari Takayama - He hasn't had much like when he has gone up against the division's best. He lost a wide decision to Roman Gonzalez before Gonzalez moved up in weight, and his title shot against Nkosinathi Joyi ended in a No Contest in the third round.
More Boxing Weight Class Rankings
- 105-108 lbs – Boxing Junior Flyweight Division Rankings
