Suganob regains No. 1 spot in WBO rankings ahead of IBF title eliminator

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Boholano boxer Regie “Filipino Phenom” Suganob has climbed back to the No. 1 spot in the latest World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior flyweight rankings, further strengthening his bid for another world title shot.

The latest WBO rankings list Suganob as one of only two Filipinos in the division’s Top 10, alongside fellow contender Arvin Magramo.

Suganob’s return to the top of the WBO rankings comes just over a month before his highly anticipated rematch with South Africa’s Sivenathi Nontshinga on Sept. 12 in Bohol. Nontshinga is currently ranked No. 12 by the WBO.

Suganob-Nontshinga rematch

The rematch, however, carries even bigger stakes as it serves as an International Boxing Federation (IBF) world junior flyweight title eliminator. Suganob is currently the IBF’s top-ranked contender at 108 pounds, with the winner earning a mandatory shot at reigning IBF champion Thanongsak Simsri of Thailand.

This marks another milestone in Suganob’s steady rise in the professional ranks. He previously held the WBO Global junior flyweight title, a run that propelled him to the No. 1 spot in the WBO rankings in both 2023 and 2024 before briefly dropping in the standings.

The 28-year-old standout from the PMI Bohol Boxing Stable owns an impressive 18–1 record with seven knockouts. His only professional defeat came at the hands of Nontshinga, who scored a unanimous decision victory to capture the vacant IBF world junior flyweight title in July 2023 in East London, South Africa.

That lone setback has fueled Suganob’s determination heading into their rematch on home soil.

Nontshinga, 27, brings a 14–2 record with 11 knockouts into the bout as he seeks another victory over the Filipino contender.

Currently, Suganob is on a five-fight winning streak since losing to Nontshinga. He won the WBO Global title in that process. His most recent bout was in February this year in Bohol where he dominated African Siphamandla Baleni by an eighth round technical knockout.

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