As part of the WBA’s announced effort to ultimately have one recognized champion per weight division, the sanctioning body has ordered a mandatory title bout between Super World super featherweight titlist Takashi Uchiyama and World super featherweight titleholder Javier Fortuna.
Representatives of both fighters “are requested to begin negotiations for a mandatory title defense,” reads a letter from WBA attorney Michael E. McAleenan. “If the parties are unable to reach an agreement and submit signed bout contracts within the next thirty (30) days, the WBA will issue a call for a purse bid.”
Thirty-six-year-old Uchiyama is an 11-year pro (24-0-1, 20 KOs) who won the World title in January 2010 by stopping Juan Carlos Salgado via 12th-round TKO. The Japanese power-puncher has successfully defended his crown 10 times, most recently this past New Year’s Eve, stopping Oliver Flores by third-round TKO. Undefeated, “KO Dynamite” has only one “blemish” on his otherwise spotless record, drawing against Michael Farenas in a title defense in July 2012. Uchiyama was upgraded to Super World champ last February.
Fighting out of Massachusetts by way of the Dominican Republic, his 26-year-old opponent is a seven-year ring vet, also undefeated (29-0-1, 21 KOs, 1 no contest), who won the vacant World title by beating Bryan Vasquez via unanimous decision last May, a title he successfully defended this past September by stopping Carlos Ivan Velasquez via 10th-round TKO. The southpaw drew once, against Luis Franco in August 2013, while his August 2010 bout with Francisco Lorenzo, for the vacant WBA Fedebol super featherweight title, was declared a no contest.
At some point, first-ranked Jezreel Corrales, interim WBA World super featherweight titleholder, will also have to be introduced into the mix. “El Invisible” (19-1, 7 KOs, 1 no contest) won the title last December by retiring Juan Antonio Rodriguez in the 11th.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
