Super Fly!

By Anson Wainwright

No longer the waste ground between Flyweights & Bantamweights.

Since the Super Flyweight division came into being back in 1980 it has
long been known as the division three whole pounds north of the
Flyweight's and three pounds shy of Bantamweight. It's over the past
28 years been relatively mediocre though it has had a few note worthy
alumni such as the fearsome Thai Khaosai Galaxy 49-1(43) who made a
division record 19 defence's from 1984-1991 with 16 coming via KO.
Galaxy retired on top still as champion and is to this day the longest
reigning 115er in history. American Johnny Tapia also succeeded in
bringing exposure to one of Boxing's smallest weights. He never lost
at this weight going 42-0-2(24) before moving up to Bantamweight and
Featherweight where he also won titles. "Mi Vida Loca" engaged in the
biggest fight in it's history with fellow New Mexican Danny Romero in
1997 when he unified the IBF & WBO titles. Other notes worthy fighters
at 115 are Gilberto Roman, Jiro Watanabe & Masamori Tokuyama.

The division got much needed exposure on the Kelly Pavlik-Jermain
Taylor 2 show on 16 February this year when two of the top guys at the
weight WBC titlist Cristian Mijares 34-3-2(14) & WBO counterpart
Fernando Montiel 36-2-1(27)were matched with top ten opponents.
Mijares 26, put in a impressively solid performance outworking Jose
Navarro while Montiel 29, blitzed Martin Castillo in four with a
howitzer of a body shot that doubled the former champion in two. It
set the stage for both guys to meet in the future. Mijares for his
part would welcome the fight "Of course, I'd like to fight Fernando
Montiel in the future. He has said that he is the best in our division
but at the moment circumstances haven't allowed us to meet in the
ring" As with so many things it comes back to one thing Montiel
continues "Montiel might be a good rival at some point. He said that I
didn't want to fight against him but you know that boxing is also a
matter of money but I am sure that if we have to fight in the future,
we will do" Here's to hoping they do. It's one of the top matches in
Boxing between two guys at the height of their powers. Both are in
their primes the added machismo is that both guys are Mexican it's a
natural for HBO after dark or even as chief support to a main event on
a PPV show.

Not one to sit on his laurels and wait around for that Unification
Mijares has been given another opportunity to unify with WBA champion
the seasoned Alexander Munoz 32-2(27). It looks and excellent fight
and will mark only the second time the division has even been
partially unified. Mexican Mijares will start the favourite appearing
to have the edge in speed, general skills & ring craft for his part
Munoz has the power advantage. However though Munoz appears pretty
heavy handed he generally wins over the distance in world title
matches going 7-2(3) over two reigns as champion. The Venezuelan
buzzsaw won't be phased with going into Mijares lair to do battle;
he's been the ultimate road warrior and regularly takes himself away
from home to fight on his opponent's home turf. With that in mind
Montiel will return to face Luis Maldonado on 31 May in Mexico.

The Super Flyweights don't end with Mijares, Montiel & Munoz though.
The ever popular Jorge Arce still resides at 115 and faces Thai Devid
Lookmahanak in a WBC eliminator though Arce has said he'll likely move
up. The current IBF kingpin is Russian Dimitri Kirilov 29-3-1(9) who
looked very ordinary drawing last time out with perennial contender
Cecilio Santos. He'll face the huge punching Vic Darchinyan 29-1-1(23)
next in America on 2 August. Kirilov will have to be at his best to
beat the Flamboyant Aussie transplant showing all his guile and skill.
Darchinyan certainly has the sort of name that could project himself
into some big matches at this weight if he can gain the title from
Kirilov.

The land of the Super Flyweights has some solid contenders like Jose
Navarro26-4(12) who's only loses have been in world title fights.
Navarro fought in the 2000 Olympics and at only 26 just can't get a
win in the big one, Nobau Nashiro 11-1(7) has already won the big one
taking the WBA title from the very capable but now retired Martin
Castillo but lost it to Munoz and continues his way back with two wins
since. The Philippines Z Gorres 27-2-2(15) has already taken part in
two big fights one when he narrowly lost to Montiel on a split
decision and drew with Darchinyan. His best win is a stunning first
round KO of Glenn Donaire. Southpaw Gorres seems good enough to
eventually win a world title if the right opportunity comes his way
especially given the home backing of some of the money men in
Philippines giving him home advantage with Golden Boy giving them an
interesting outlet into the American market.

Along with some good up and coming prospects including is uber
prospect AJ Banal 17-0-1(14) though he's only 19 Banal is the IBF
number one contender and will be the mandatory challenger to the
winner of Kirilov-Darchinyan having beaten previously unbeaten Caril
Herrera last time out. Banal will likely keep busy and get his shot
within in the next year.

Throw in a few grizzly hardcore veterans like Jose Lopez 36-7-2(30)
of Puerto Rico who's a been a pro for near 17 years and one of
Boxing's nearly men having had four chances at a world title. At 36
Lopez may have 7 losses but he's never been stopped and hasn't lost in
nearly 7 years always has a punchers chance which clearly shows on his
ledger with a vast amount of KO's. Another who springs to mind is Thai
Pramuansak Posuwan 42-1-1(22) who's only loss was to Montiel back in
2005. Pramuansak 39 represented his country in the Olympics in both
1992 & 1996.

Waiting in the wings is Another Filipino Nonito Donaire 19-1(12) who
will likely move upto 115 in search of bigger pay days. Though Donaire
is the current IBF Flyweight champ, Donaire was a regular at 115 and
even above prior to his stunning KO over Darchinyan back in July 2007.
The Filipino Flash is promoted by Gary Shaw promotions the same as
Darchinyan which could set up a rematch down the road.

While things don't look so rosey at Heavyweight there are still fun
divisions in Boxing with plenty of good fighters. Maybe you're
enthused by the current batch of Welterweights Mayweather, Cotto,
Mosley, Margarito, Judah etc or the Lightweights Campbell, Casamayor,
Juan & David Diaz, Katsidis and the soon to be arriving Pacquiao &
Marquez. Why not through in the Super Flyweights with Mijares, Munoz,
Montiel, Arce, Darchinyan it's one of boxing most interesting and
deepest divisions if you only look past there size you'll get your
moneys worth and then some.