According to the WBO champions list, the WBO Jr. Bantamweight (115 lbs.) title is vacant. This confirms that Mexico's Fernando Montiel has officially relinquished his title.
Montiel has been having difficulties making the 115-lb. limit. In fact, in his last fight (non-title), he fought Juan Alberto Rosas at 118 lbs. In all likelihood, he is permanently moving up to the Bantamweight (118 lbs.) division. He is scheduled to fight Diego Oscar Silva for the interim Bantamweight title on Mar. 28 in Tijuana.
Current 118-lb. titleholder Gerry Penalosa will challenge Juan Manuel Lopez on Apr. 25 for the Jr. Featherweight (122 lbs.) title. If Penalosa upsets Lopez, the Montiel-Silva winner will very likely be promoted from interim to the full title. If JuanMa retains, then Gerry will be mandated to defend his bantamweight title against the interim titleholder.
Montiel's vacated title will be up for grabs also on Mar. 28 between Jose Lopez and Pramuansak Posuwan in Puerto Rico.
Even with one less title, Mexico still remains on top spot but now tied with the US. Here's the updated list.
As of Mar. 4, 2009Rank | Country | No. of Titles | Title Holders |
1st (2 are tied) | Mexico | 10 |
|
1st (2 are tied) | USA | 10 |
|
3rd (2 are tied) | Puerto Rico | 5 |
|
3rd (2 are tied) | Ukraine | 5 |
|
5th (2 are tied) | Armenia | 4 |
|
5th (2 are tied) | Panama | 4 |
|
7th (4 are tied) | Argentina | 3 |
|
7th (4 are tied) | Japan | 3 |
|
7th (4 are tied) | Philippines | 3 |
|
7th (4 are tied) | UK | 3 |
|
11th (5 are tied) | Ghana | 2 |
|
11th (5 are tied) | Hungary | 2 |
|
11th (5 are tied) | Poland | 2 |
|
11th (5 are tied) | Romania | 2 |
|
11th (5 are tied) | Thailand | 2 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | Colombia | 1 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | Denmark | 1 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | Germany | 1 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | Indonesia | 1 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | Italy | 1 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | Nicaragua | 1 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | Russia | 1 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | South Africa | 1 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | Uzbekistan | 1 |
|
16th (10 are tied) | Venezuela | 1 |
|
hey pare, thanks for the update.
ReplyDeleteso if Gerry wins or loses, we'll still be holding 3 belts (WBO 118 or WBO 122).
that's reassuring, but i have a feeling that if Gerry loses, he'll retire and that'll drop us down to 2!!
that seems to be a likely scenario pare. but, i still want to believe that gerry has at least 1 more fight in him. if he wins (although odds ain't in his favor) then a rematch vs juanma is not something gerry will pass on. if he loses and montiel wins the interim, then that is a lucrative fight too. we know that gerry is just looking for the fights that will help him retire comfortably and these 2 possibilities aren't bad.
ReplyDeleteon dropping down to 2. the pacquiao-hatton and concepcion-luevano fight is just a week after the gerry-juanma so dropping to 2 is not going to happen soon unless donaire loses to martinez on apr 19. have faith brudah :)