Lineal Junior Bantamweight World Champions
[115lbs]
Reigning Junior Bantamweight World Champion: Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (2024 - Present)
1. Rafael Orono (1980 - 1981) Venezuela **
2. Chil Ho Kim (1981 - 1982) South Korea
3. Rafael Orono (1982 - 1983) Venezuela **
4. Payao Poontarat (1983 - 1984) Thailand
5. Jiro Watanabe (1984 - 1986) Japan
6. Gilberto Roman (1986 - 1987) Mexico **
7. Santos Laciar (1987) Argentina
8. Bebis "Sugar Baby" Rojas (1987 - 1988) Colombia
9. Gilberto Roman (1988 - 1989) Mexico **
10. Nana Konadu (1989 - 1990) Ghana
11. Sung-Kil Moon (1990 - 1993) South Korea
12. Jose Luis Bueno (1993 - 1994) Mexico
13. Hiroshi Kawashima (1994 - 1997) Japan
14. Gerry Penalosa (1997 - 1998) Philippines
15. In-Joo Cho (1998 - 2000) South Korea
16. Masamori Tokuyama (2000 - 2004) North Korea **
17. Katsushige Kawashima (2004 - 2005) Japan
18. Masamori Tokuyama (2005 - 2006) North Korea. Retired **
19. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (2018 - 2019) Thailand
20. Juan Francisco Estrada (2019 - 2024) Mexico
21. Jesse Rodriguez (2024 - Present) USA
In 1920 the "Walker law" legalised boxing in New York (6), and introduced a new code of rules for the sport, bringing with it, a new era of boxing across the USA. The new boxing code was formulated by International Sporting club and approved by the army, navy and civilian boards of boxing control (7), and was the first in American history to be sanctioned by a legislative body. Part of the code included measures to ensure champions were regularly defending their title, and were facing good quality contenders. Championship bouts would be 15 rounds, and decisions would be made by two judges, or by the referee if the judges disagreed (8). Another important feature was a new table of weight classes, which included "junior" championships. (1)
"The purpose of the junior championships is the establishment of a large class of youngsters who aspire to senior honors in fisticuffs, but who are too young to enter the ring against older and heavier men. It is noteworthy, also, that the weights for the senior championships tally exactly with the European and Australian scales, which makes the poundage in each class uniform." (1)
The "junior" weight classes specified were: Junior Flyweight (108lbs), Junior Bantamweight (115lbs), Junior Featherweight (122lbs), Junior Lightweight (130lbs), and Junior Welterweight (140lbs).
During its opening years, no true world champion at 115lbs emerged, and the division became largely irrelevant. On the world stage the weight class did not come to prominence again until the WBC sanctioned a bout between Rafael Orono and Seeung Hoon Lee on February 2nd, 1980, to crown their inaugural Junior Bantamweight titlist. The other major sanctioning bodies which are popular today, did not crown a titlist until at least 18 months later (WBA - September 12th, 1981, IBF - December 10th, 1983 and WBO - September 9th, 1989). Although the division was still in its infancy, Orono's 15 round Split Decision victory over Lee, made him the first internationally recognised champion at 115lbs (4).
1980: Rafael Orono defeated Seeung Hoon via a 15 round split decision on February 2nd, 1980, to win the inaugural Junior Bantamweight World Championship. Titles: WBC.
2006: Masamori Tokuyama had his final fight on February 27th, 2006, outpointing Jose Navarro over 12 rounds, in a successful defence of the Championship. On December 6, 2006, Masamori relinquished the Junior Bantamweight Championship, stating that he would only box again if Hozumi Hasegawa gave him an opportunity to fight for the WBC Bantamweight title (5). Tokuyama stated:
“It is six years since I became champion and I am proud that I am in this position but there is nothing left for me to prove at super flyweight.” (5)
2008: On November 1st, 2008, Vic Darchinyan KO’d Cristian Mijares. At the time of the bout Mijares was rated #1 but the Lineal crown was now at stake, as Darchinyan was ranked at #4, behind Fernando Montiel and Alexander Munoz – ratings as per The Ring (January 2009 issue) and Boxing Monthly (November 2008 issue).
2009: On February 7th, 2009, Vic Darchinyan stopped Jorge Arce. At the time of the bout Darchinyan was rated #1 but Arce was ranked at #6 by The Ring, behind #2 Fernando Montiel, #3 Cristian Mijares, #4 Alexander Munoz, and #5 Nobuo Nashiro – ratings as per The Ring (April 2009 issue). Boxing Monthly (February 2009 issue), had Arce ranked slightly higher, at #4 (behind Darchinyan, Montiel, and Munoz).
2018
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai outpointed Juan Francisco Estrada over 12 rounds, on February 24th, 2018, to win the vacant Championship. Titles: WBC/TBRB/Ring.
Rungvisai and Estrada were rated as the #1 and #2 Junior Bantamweights in the world respectively, heading into the bout, as per the TBRB (2). The Ring (3) had the pair rated at #2 and #3, but awarded their belt to the winner, explaining that “No.1 rated Naoya Inoue was skipped due to very strong indications that he’s done at 115” – the indications were correct, as Inoue did not fight at Junior Bantamweight again. Boxing Monthly also had Rungvisai and Estrada at #2 and #3 (January 2018 issue).
References
(1) El Paso Herald (1920) Boxing rules make hit. June 12, 1920.
(2) TBRB (2020) Archives. Official monthly transnational boxing rankings – 13 February 2018. Accessed: August 11, 2020. Link: https://www.tbrb.org/2018/02/20/13-february-2018/
(3) Brian Harty (2018) The Ring. Ratings analysis. June 2018 issue. Accessed online.
(4) Mullan H. et al. (2018) Super Flyweight. The ultimate encyclopaedia of boxing. 9th edition. Sevenoaks. Printed in Dubai.
(5) The Japan Times - online (2006) Tokuyama returns WBC title belt. Link: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2006/12/07/more-sports/tokuyama-returns-wbc-title-belt/
(6) The Evening News- Pennsylvania (1920) Wrangling will kill boxing in New York state. September 16, 1920.
(7) The Miami Herald (1920). Boxing to revive under Walker law. July 2, 1920.
(8) The Buffalo Commercial (1920) Boxing will be handled in very clever fashion. April 28, 1920.
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