Boxing
Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Divisional rankings: Junior featherweight

Boxing

Check out my rankings within each division by clicking on the links below. If there is a lineal champion in the weight class he is ranked No. 1.

For a list of the current champions in all weight classes, click here.

Note: Results through Dec. 11. In an effort to provide the most up-to-date rankings, ESPN.com's division-by-division boxing rankings will be updated every Tuesday.

More divisional rankings


Heavyweight - Cruiserweight - Light heavyweight - Super middleweight


Middleweight - Junior middleweight - Welterweight - Junior welterweight


Lightweight - Junior lightweight - Featherweight - Junior featherweight


Bantamweight - Junior bantamweight - Flyweight - Junior flyweight/Strawweight


JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION (UP TO 122 LBS)

1. Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-1)

Rigondeaux, the two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist, retained his title against mandatory challenger and interim titlist Moises Flores, of Mexico, in June on the Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev II HBO PPV undercard, but it was a no decision because Rigondeaux flattened him with a punch after the bell ended the first round. An immediate rematch was ordered, but with little interest in the fight, Rigondeaux jumped up two weight classes to challenge junior lightweight titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko in the first pro fight between two-time Olympic gold medalists and two of the greatest amateurs in history. The Dec. 9 ESPN fight was massively hyped but Rigondeaux was a massive disappointment. Lomachenko toyed with him and made him quit after six one-sided rounds. Because he lost Rigondeaux likely will be stripped of his junior featherweight title though he probably will continue to fight in the weight class.
Next: TBA

2. Rey Vargas (31-0)
Mexico's Vargas traveled to England and outpointed Gavin McDonnell to win a vacant world title in February. Then he looked good again in his first defense as he rolled to a decision win against Ronny Rios on Aug. 26 on HBO on the Miguel Cotto-Yoshihiro Kamegai undercard. Defense No. 2 came on Dec. 2 on Cotto's farewell undercard and Vargas dominated Colombia's Oscar Negrete in a lopsided unanimous decision.
Next: TBA

3. Jessie Magdaleno (25-0)
Magdaleno's first defense came April 22 as part of a Top Rank PPV card and he looked outstanding, dropping Brazil's Adeilson Dos Santos twice in the second round to get the knockout victory. Defense No. 2 was supposed to be a mandatory against hard-charging Mexican Cesar Juarez (20-5) on the Nov. 11 Top Rank ESPN card, but it was called off because Magdaleno injured his left wrist sparring. The fight could be rescheduled for the Top Rank ESPN card on March 10.
Next: TBA

4. Moises Flores (25-0)
Mexico's Flores, who has defended his interim title twice, got his mandatory shot at full titleholder Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0) on June 17 on the Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev II HBO PPV undercard. The fight ended suddenly when Rigondeaux knocked Flores out with a punch well after the bell ended the first round, leading to a no decision. An immediate rematch was ordered, but it won't happen because Rigondeaux moved up to junior lightweight and lost to Vasiliy Lomachenko, meaning he is likely to be stripped of his junior featherweight title.
Next: TBA

5. Danny Roman (23-2-1)
Los Angeles' Roman extended his winning streak to 15 fights in a row on Sept. 3, when he traveled to Japan and, in a mandatory fight, stopped Shun Kubo in the ninth round of an upset to win a secondary world title. Roman cut Kubo and scored two knockdowns in an impressive and one-sided victory.
Next: TBA

Other contenders: Hugo Ruiz, Julio Ceja, Ryosuke Iwasa, Shun Kubo, Cesar Juarez.

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