Super bantamweight, also known asjunior featherweight, is aweight class inprofessional 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 beatJoe Lynch atMadison 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 theWorld Boxing Council recognized Rigoberto Riasco as its champion when he defeatedWaruinge Nakayama in eight rounds. TheWorld Boxing Association crowned its first champion in 1977 whenSoo Hwan Hong knocked out Hector Carasquilla in three rounds to win the inaugural WBA championship. In 1983 theInternational Boxing Federation sanctioned the bout between Bobby Berna and Seung-In Suh for its first title. Berna won in the eleventh round.
On December 26, 2023, Naoya Inoue became the division's first undisputed champion.
Notable fighters to hold championship titles at this weight have beenWilfredo Gómez,Lupe Pintor,Jeff Fenech,Daniel Zaragoza,Kennedy McKinney,Érik Morales,Naoya Inoue,Marco Antonio Barrera,Manny Pacquiao,Nonito Donaire,Rafael Márquez,Toshiaki Nishioka, andIsrael Vázquez.
Current champions
| Sanctioning body | Reign began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBA | December 26, 2023 | Naoya Inoue | 29–0 (26 KO) | 3 |
| WBC | July 25, 2023 | Naoya Inoue | 29–0 (26 KO) | 4 |
| IBF | December 26, 2023 | Naoya Inoue | 29–0 (26 KO) | 3 |
| WBO | July 25, 2023 | Naoya Inoue | 29–0 (26 KO) | 4 |
As of December 31, 2024.[2]
Keys:
| Rank | Name | Record | Title(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Naoya Inoue | 29–0 (26 KO) | WBO,WBC,WBA,IBF |
| 1 | Marlon Tapales | 39–4 (20 KO) | |
| 2 | Murodjon Akhmadaliev | 13–1 (10 KO) | |
| 3 | Sam Goodman | 19–0 (8 KO) | |
| 4 | Luis Nery | 35–2 (27 KO) | |
| 5 | Alan Picasso | 31–0–1 (17 KO) | |
| 6 | Shabaz Masoud | 14–0 (4 KO) | |
| 7 | TJ Doheny | 26–5 (20 KO) | |
| 8 | Elijah Pierce | 20–2 (16 KO) | |
| 9 | Ramon Cardenas | 26–1 (14 KO) | |
| 10 | Sebastian Hernandez Reyes | 18–0 (17 KO) |
Rigoberto Riasco (1976)
Royal Kobayashi (1976)
Dong-Kyun Yum (1976-1977)
Wilfredo Gomez (1977-1983) Vacated
Paulie Ayala (2002-2003) Vacated
Israel Vazquez (2005-2007) Rafael Márquez (2007) Israel Vázquez (2007-2009) Vacated (2)
Nonito Donaire (2012-2013)
Guillermo Rigondeaux (2013-2022) Abandoned Naoya Inoue (2023-Present)