Youngest boxing champions in 2022
Youngest boxing champions in 2022. The southpaw who won the vacant belt by outpointing his opponent is the first person born in 2000 to win a world championship. He is also the youngest active world champion in boxing today, at the age of just 22.
In terms of the youngest champion in boxing history, though, Rodriguez falls far short of Wilfred Benitez’s 17-year-old glory days.
For his fights against Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Tommy Hearns, Benitez is best remembered.
On top of that, the Puerto Rican born in New York City isn’t the only rising star in the sport.
Benitez
Age: 17 years, 5 months, and 24 days old
At the tender age of 15, the Puerto Rican boxer became a professional and won the WBA world title at 140 pounds against Antonio Cervantes, a future Hall of Famer.
Even though he became a two-time world champion at welterweight and junior middleweight at the age of 25, Benitez’s best years were behind him by the time he reached his thirties and forties. With an overall record of 53-8-1, he decided to call it a day.
A tragic side effect of his time in the ring is that Benitez has developed an irreversible and degenerative brain illness since his retirement.
Cesar
18 years, 2 months, and 18 days
He won the IBF junior bantamweight title in a 15-round split decision over Elly Pical from the Dominican Republic.
Polanco’s reign was short-lived, however, as he lost a rematch with Pical three months later in May 1986, and he fought at a much lower level for the remainder of his career before retiring at the age of 26.
Ratanapol
Age: 18 years, 6 months, 5 days old
Thailand’s youngster beat Manny Melchor to win the IBF strawweight title in December 1992.
It took him 12 attempts to retain his title before he was forced to give it up because he had exceeded the weight limit.
After a few months, Vorapin became a two-time champion, winning the IBF belt once more and defending it six times.
Pipino
Age: 18 years, six months and 21 days
Cuevas had a 15-6 record going into the tournament, which is unusual for a world champion.
After defeating Angel Estrada in July 1976, he became WBA welterweight champion by stopping him in the second round of their fight.
Tommy Hearns stopped the Mexican in the second round after he had successfully defended 11 times. After losing six of his next ten fights, he would never again be a serious contender for the world title.
Hiroki
Age: 18 years, nine months and 11 days
Mai Thomburifarm was defeated by Ioka in Osaka, Japan, to claim the vacant WBC title.
Napa Kiatwanchai claimed the belt after two victories. Ioka became WBA junior flyweight champion in 1991 by defeating Myung Woo Yuh but lost the rematch.
Ioka had four more chances to win the world title, but he squandered them all.
Tony
Age: 18 years, nine months and 11 days
Mai Thomburifarm was defeated by Ioka in Osaka, Japan, to claim the vacant WBC title.
Napa Kiatwanchai claimed the belt after two victories. Ioka became WBA junior flyweight champion in 1991 by defeating Myung Woo Yuh but lost the rematch.
Ioka had four more chances to win the world title, but he squandered them all.
Netrnol
Age: 19 years and 15 days
After a failed world title attempt in 1977, the southpaw Thai fought back to beat WBC champion Freddy Castillo 12 months later.
He went on to defend his championship only once before losing to Hilario Zapata in 1981 for a second time.
A motorcycle accident claimed the life of Sor Vorasingh at the age of 23.
Morris
Age: 19 years, one month and two days
As he entered the penultimate round of his fight with Akinobu Hiranaka, East appeared doomed to lose the WBA championship.
East, on the other hand, came out on top in 1992, winning Ring Magazine’s Knockout of the Year Award.
After losing the belt to Juan Coggi in his second fight, the Filipino never returned to the top tier of the sport, retiring at the age of 21.