Super Featherweight Division Rankings

Published by: Jake Emen | Follow us on Facebook & on Twitter

The Super Featherweight division has seen some major star power leave its ranks in the past few years. That includes some great fighters like Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, some aged legends like Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales and some young champions as well, like Robert Guerrero and Humberto Soto. So what's next at 130 lbs, and who are the big dogs left in the Super Featherweight division rankings?

Super featherweight division rankings last updated March 2012

Takashi Uchiyama - Although he has just 18 pro fights, he's undefeated and has 15 knockout wins. He's the WBA champion after knocking out Juan Carlos Salgado, the man who dethroned Jorge Linares via TKO1. He has since defended the title four times, all of which have been TKO victories, most recently against Jorge Solis.
Adrien Broner - Broner didn't win many people over with his lackluster win over Daniel Ponce de Leon. However, he crushed Jason Litzau with a 1st round KO, and since has scored two more early knockout wins, most recently against fellow undefeated American Eloy Perez in what turned into a grudge match of sorts. Broner now has the WBO crown in the division and looks to have real star potential.
Juan Carlos Burgos - Since coming up from featherweight, all Burgos has done is win 4 straight, including wins over then-undefeated Luis Cruz, and former titleholder Cristobal Cruz. Note: if your last name is Cruz, skip your upcoming date against Burgos. He'll win.
Takahiro Ao - He's the WBC super featherweight champion after besting Vitali Tajbert, and has since made two successful defenses of the belt. His two losses both came at featherweight, and were against tough competition at that weight class. Next up is a title defense against Terdsak Kokietgym.
Juan Carlos Salgado - Is there room for two Juan Carlos's in the upper half of the 130 lb division rankings? Sure. Salgado has wins over Jorge Linares and Argenis Mendez, and his only loss is to the division number 1, Uchiyama. Last fight was ruled a No Contest after an early accidental head butt.
Roman Martinez – Just when you think you have a guy who has the potential to be the new Man in the division, he goes and drops a surprising decision. Martinez lost his belt to Ricky Burns, who has since moved up to lightweight, and has only gotten back in the ring once since then. Needs to stay busier to move back up the rankings.
Diego Magdaleno - The undefeated Las Vegas based fighter is slated to face Miguel Beltran Jr next. His level of competition has been rising very slowly - it'd be nice to see him take some bigger steps. But Beltran is a legit opponent, and hopefully after that it's a big fight for the highly touted prospect.
Mzonke Fana – The South African 130 lbs scene is raging. Fana has a mixed record against his fellow countrymen, winning a split decision against Klassen, losing a majority decision to Baloyi, and then defeating Baloyi via UD to win the vacant IBF belt in his last outing. Outside of the first Baloyi fight, he lost only once in the decade, against Marco Antonio Barrera. Has been inactive since the end of 2010 however, so it's unclear what his future is at this point.
Eloy Perez - The undefeated slickster from the West coast had been stepping up his competition and scoring some solid wins, but then ran into Adrien Broner, who was bigger, faster, stronger and more powerful. It was curtains by the 4th round.
Argenis Mendez - Mendez was on a real hot streak heading into a vacant title shot against Salgado. He lost the decision there, but his team feels he didn't get a fair shake. He'll be looking to build up some more momentum then land another title shot.