Super bantamweight, also known as junior featherweight, is a weight class in professional boxing, contested from 118 pounds (54 kg) and up to 122 pounds (55 kg).

There were attempts by boxing promoters in the 1920s to establish this weight class, but few sanctioning organizations or state athletic commissions would recognize it. Jack Wolf won recognition as champion when he beat Joe Lynch at Madison Square Garden on September 21, 1922, but afterwards the weight division fell into disuse.[1]

The division was revived in the 1970s and the first title fight in 54 years in the division took place in 1976 when the World Boxing Council recognized Rigoberto Riasco as its champion when he defeated Waruinge Nakayama in eight rounds. The World Boxing Association crowned its first champion in 1977 when Soo Hwan Hong knocked out Hector Carasquilla in three rounds to win the inaugural WBA championship. In 1983 the International Boxing Federation sanctioned the bout between Bobby Berna and Seung-In Suh for its first title. Berna won in the eleventh round.

Notable fighters to hold championship titles at this weight have been Wayne McCullough, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Scott Quigg, Wilfredo Gómez, Lupe Pintor, Jeff Fenech, Fabrice Benichou, Daniel Zaragoza, Kennedy McKinney, Érik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Manny Pacquiao, Rafael Márquez, Toshiaki Nishioka, Carl Frampton, Leo Santa Cruz, Isaac Dogboe and Israel Vázquez. Gómez holds the record for longest title reign, at five years and ten months.

Current world champions

Current champions

Sanctioning body Reign began Champion Record Defenses
WBA December 26, 2023 Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) 0
WBC July 25, 2023 Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) 1
IBF December 26, 2023 Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) 0
WBO July 25, 2023 Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) 1

Current The Ring world rankings

As of January 5, 2024.[2]

Keys:

 C  Current The Ring world champion
Rank Name Record Title(s)
C Naoya Inoue 26–0 (23 KO) WBO, WBC, WBA, IBF
1 Stephen Fulton 21–1 (8 KO)
2 Marlon Tapales 37–4 (19 KO)
3 Murodjon Akhmadaliev 12–1 (9 KO)
4 Sam Goodman 17–0 (7 KO)
5 Luis Nery 35–1 (27 KO)
6 Ra'eese Aleem 20–1 (12 KO)
7 Azat Hovhannisyan 21–4 (17 KO)
8 Elijah Pierce 18–2 (15 KO)
9 TJ Doheny 25–4 (19 KO)
10 Liam Davies 15–0 (7 KO)

References

  1. "World Champions: The Last 20 Years", International Boxing Digest, 39, no. 1: 64, August 1997
  2. "The Ring ratings: super bantamweight/junior featherweight". Retrieved 27 December 2023.
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