Junior Bantamweight World/Lineal Championship Fights
The division’s first lineal championship fight would be held when the top-ranked Jiro Watanabe met Gustavo Ballas, rated number three according to Boxing News.
29 July 1982. Jiro Watanabe w rsc 9 (15) Gustavo Ballas
Venue: Prefectural Gym, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBA/Lineal. Referee: Rudy Jordan.
Fight Summary: Trying to regain the WBC title, Ballas (114¾) was never quite able to get to grips with the tricky Watanabe (115), and despite giving it his best shot he was gradually worn down. Although Ballas had a good eighth round, it turned out to be his final throw of the dice. The ninth session had barely started when Ballas was nailed by a left to the jaw. When Watanabe unleashed a battery of lefts and rights for the remainder of the round, with the champion on unsteady legs the referee called a halt on the bell.
11 November 1982. Jiro Watanabe w rsc 12 (15) Shoji Oguma
Venue: City Gym, Hamamatsu, Japan. Recognition: WBA/Lineal. Referee: Marty Denkin.
Fight Summary: With a damaged right optic giving him trouble, at 1.26 of the 12th Oguma (115) was rescued by the referee when his other eye was shut tight following a series of heavy jabs from the champion. Making good use of his five-inch reach advantage, Watanabe (114¾) always appeared to have his fellow southpaw under control.
24 February 1983. Jiro Watanabe w co 8 (15) Luis Ibanez
Venue: Municipal Gym, Tsu City, Japan. Recognition: WBA/Lineal. Referee: Waldemar Schmidt.
Fight Summary: Showing great speed and excellent footwork, Watanabe (114½) proved far too good for Ibanez (114¼). Well in control, Watanabe eventually dropped Ibanez twice in the eighth with heavy head punches, the second of which saw the challenger counted out on the 1.22 mark.
23 June 1983. Jiro Watanabe w pts 15 Roberto Ramirez
Venue: The Prefectural Gym, Sendai, Japan. Recognition: WBA/Lineal. Referee: Marty Denkin.
Scorecards: 141-141, 143-141, 143-140.
Fight Summary: Ramirez (114) turned out to be a very stubborn challenger indeed. After taking two compulsory 'eight' counts in the first round before being dropped in the fourth and ninth sessions from heavy rights, he came back to work the body throughout while running Watanabe (114¾) close.
6 October 1983. Jiro Watanabe w tdec 11 (15) Soon-Chun Kwon
Venue: Prefectural Gym, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBA/Lineal. Referee: Vincent Rainone.
Scorecards: 106-99, 108-99, 109-102.
Fight Summary: Having kept the dangerous Kwon (114), cut over the left eye in the sixth, at bay for most of the contest an accidental clash of heads midway through the 11th saw Watanabe (115) reeling away and unable to continue due to a seriously gashed forehead. Under WBA rules, the champion, deemed by the judges to be ahead on points at the time, was awarded the decision.
15 March 1984. Jiro Watanabe w rsc 15 (15) Celso Chavez
Venue: Castle Sports Centre, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBA/Lineal. Referee: Fritz Werner.
Fight Summary: Chavez (112¾), sporting a longer reach than the champion, gave Watanabe (115) all the trouble he could handle, being in with a real chance until he was blasted to the canvas in the dying embers of the 14th. Somehow coming out for the last round, but not in a fit state, Chavez was battered at will until he was rescued by the referee on the 1.50 mark. Watanabe forfeited WBA recognition immediately after winning the WBC version of the title on 5 July.
5 July 1984. Jiro Watanabe w pts 12 Payao Poontarat
Venue: Castle Sports Centre, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Richard Steele.
Scorecards: 116-113, 115-116, 117-112.
29 November 1984. Jiro Watanabe w rsc 11 (12) Payao Poontarat
Venue: Prefectural Gym, Kumamoto, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Joey Curtis.
9 May 1985. Jiro Watanabe w pts 12 Julio Soto Solano
Venue: Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Davy Pearl.
Scorecards: 117-114, 120-113, 115-113.
17 September 1985. Jiro Watanabe w rsc 7 (12) Kazuo Katsuma
Venue: Castle Sports Centre, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: James Jen-Kin.
13 December 1985. Jiro Watanabe w co 5 (12) Suk-Hwan Yun
Venue: Municipal Stadium, Taegu, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Tony Perez.
30 March 1986. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Jiro Watanabe
Venue: Castle Sports Centre, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Steve Crosson.
Scorecards: 116-112, 116-114, 116-112.
15 May 1986. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Edgar Monserrat
Venue: Pierre De Coubertin Stadium, Paris, France. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Rolando Barrovecchio.
Scorecards: 118-111, 120-115, 115-118.
18 July 1986. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Ruben Condori
Venue: Sports Centre, Salta, Argentina. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Isaac Herrera.
Scorecards: 118-113, 118-110, 118-112.
30 August 1986. Gilberto Roman drew 12 Santos Laciar
Venue: Green Pavilion, Cordoba, Argentina. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Ismael Quinones-Falu.
Scorecards: 117-116, 111-117, 116-116.
19 December 1986. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Kongtoranee Payakaroon
Venue: Hua Mark Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Marty Denkin.
Scorecards: 116-112, 119-111, 117-111.
31 January 1987. Gilberto Roman w rsc 9 (12) Antoine Montero
Venue: Zenith Theatre, Montpelier, France. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Angelo Poletti.
20 March 1987. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Frank Cedeno
Venue: The Bullring, Calafia, Mexicali, Mexico. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Marty Denkin.
Scorecards: 118-107, 118-108, 117-108.
16 May 1987. Santos Laciar w rsc 11 (12) Gilberto Roman
Venue: Rene Thys Stadium, Reims, France. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Angelo Poletti.
8 August 1987. Bebis Rojas w pts 12 Santos Laciar
Venue: Tamiani Fairgrounds, Miami, Florida, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Abraham Bernal.
Scorecards: 119-109, 118-111, 117-111.
24 October 1987. Bebis Rojas w rsc 4 (12) Gustavo Ballas
Venue: Tamiani Fairgrounds, Miami, Florida, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Jesus Arias Torres.
8 April 1988. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Bebis Rojas
Venue: Convention Centre, Miami, Florida, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: John Thomas.
Scorecards: 118-110, 115-111, 115-112.
9 July 1988. Gilberto Roman w rsc 5 Yoshiyuki Uchida
Venue: City Gym, Kawagoe, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Richard Steele.
4 September 1988. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Kiyoshi Hatanaka
Venue: Rainbow Hall, Nagoya, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: James Jen-Kin.
Scorecards: 119-108, 117-111, 115-111.
7 November 1988. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Bebis Rojas
Venue: Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Carlos Padilla.
Scorecards: 119-108, 117-111, 117-113.
5 June 1989. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Juan Carazo
Venue: Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Lou Filippo.
Scorecards: 118-110, 117-111, 116-112.
12 September 1989. Gilberto Roman w pts 12 Santos Laciar
Venue: Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Rudy Jordan.
Scorecards: 117-112, 117-111, 118-110.
7 November 1989. Nana Yaw Konadu w pts 12 Gilberto Roman
Venue: International Arena, Mexico City, Mexico. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Arthur Mercante.
Scorecards: 116-109, 118-104, 119-103.
20 January 1990. Sung-Kil Moon w tdec 9 Nana Yaw Konadu
Venue: Exhibition Centre, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Tony Perez.
Scorecards: 87-84, 86-81, 86-84.
9 June 1990. Sung-Kil Moon w rtd 8 Gilberto Roman
Venue: Palpal Gym, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Richard Steele.
20 October 1990. Sung-Kil Moon w tdec 5 Kenji Matsumura
Venue: Hanyang University Gym, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Jesus Torres.
Scorecards: 50-42, 48-43, 49-43.
16 March 1991. Sung-Kil Moon w rsc 4 Nana Yaw Konadu
Venue: Prince Felipe Pavilion, Zaragoza, Spain. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Joe Cortez.
20 July 1991. Sung-Kil Moon w co 5 Ernesto Ford
Venue: Ramada Renaissance Hotel, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Malcolm Bulner.
22 December 1991. Sung-Kil Moon w rsc 6 Torsak Pongsupa
Venue: Indoor Gym, Inchon, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Jose Medina.
4 July 1992. Sung-Kil Moon w rsc 8 Armando Salazar
Venue: Goomin Hall, Inchon, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Delgado Bince.
31 October 1992. Sung-Kil Moon w pts 12 Greg Richardson
Venue: Olympic Fencing Stadium, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Lupe Garcia.
Scorecards: 119-108, 116-110, 114-114.
27 February 1993. Sung-Kil Moon w rsc 1 Hilario Zapata
Venue: Olympic Fencing Gym, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Toby Gibson.
3 July 1993. Sung-Kil Moon w pts 12 Carlos Salazar
Venue: Education and Culture Centre, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Toby Gibson.
Scorecards: 114-115, 116-112, 116-111.
13 November 1993. Jose Luis Bueno w pts 12 Sung-Kil Moon
Venue: The Gym, Pohang, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Rudy Ortega.
Scorecards: 117-112, 114-115, 118-110.
4 May 1994. Hiroshi Kawashima w pts 12 Jose Luis Bueno
Venue: The Cultural Gym, Yokohama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Marty Denkin.
Scorecards: 114-113, 114-112, 116-110.
7 August 1994. Hiroshi Kawashima w pts 12 Carlos Salazar
Venue: Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Vince Delgado.
Scorecards: 118-110, 117-113, 115-113.
18 January 1995. Hiroshi Kawashima w pts 12 Jose Luis Bueno
Venue: Cultural Gym, Yokohama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Arthur Mercante.
Scorecards: 118-109, 116-111, 115-114.
24 May 1995. Hiroshi Kawashima w pts 12 Seung-Koo Lee
Venue: Cultural Gym, Yokohama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Lupe Garcia.
Scorecards: 117-112, 116-111, 116-111.
8 November 1995. Hiroshi Kawashima w rsc 3 Boy Aruan
Venue: Ryogoku Sumo Arena, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Carlos Padilla.
27 April 1996. Hiroshi Kawashima w pts 12 Cecilio Espino
Venue: Ryogoku Sumo Arena, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Lupe Garcia.
Scorecards: 120-107, 119-110, 118-109.
12 October 1996. Hiroshi Kawashima w rsc 2 Domingo Sosa
Venue: Ryogoku Sumo Arena, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Laurence Cole.
20 February 1997. Gerry Penalosa w pts 12 Hiroshi Kawashima
Venue: Ryogoku Sumo Arena, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Richard Steele.
Scorecards: 116-112, 115-114, 114-115.
14 June 1997. Gerry Penalosa w co 9 Seung-Koo Lee
Venue: Mactan Air Base, Cebu, Philippines. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Lupe Garcia.
23 November 1997. Gerry Penalosa w co 10 Young-Joo Cho
Venue: Indoor Gym, Songnam, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Luis Carlos Guzman.
25 April 1998. Gerry Penalosa tdraw 2 Joel Luna Zarate
Venue: Cuneta Astrodome, Manila, Philippines. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Richard Steele.
29 August 1998. In-Joo Cho w pts 12 Gerry Penalosa
Venue: Ritz Carlton Hotel, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Nobuaki Uratani.
Scorecards: 116-113, 117-115, 112-116.
10 January 1999. In-Joo Cho w pts 12 Joel Luna Zarate
Venue: Ritz Carlton Hotel, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Tony Perez.
Scorecards: 116-112, 115-114, 114-114.
13 June 1999. In-Joo Cho w co 8 Pone Saengmorakot
Venue: Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: James Jen-Kin.
5 September 1999. In-Joo Cho w pts 12 Keiji Yamaguchi
Venue: Ryogoku Sumo Arena, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Laurence Cole.
Scorecards: 114-110, 117-107, 117-108.
2 January 2000. In-Joo Cho w pts 12 Gerry Penalosa
Venue: Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Marty Denkin.
Scorecards: 115-112, 116-113, 114-115.
14 May 2000. In-Joo Cho w pts 12 Julio Cesar Avila
Venue: Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Richie Davies.
Scorecards: 118-109, 118-109, 117-111.
27 August 2000. Masamori Tokuyama w pts 12 In-Joo Cho
Venue: Prefectural Gym, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Lupe Garcia.
Scorecards: 119-107, 117-109, 116-110.
12 December 2000. Masamori Tokuyama w pts 12 Akihiko Nago
Venue: Maishima Arena, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Frank Cappuccino.
Scorecards: 118-108, 117-109, 117-109.
20 May 2001. Masamori Tokuyama w co 5 In-Joo Cho
Venue: Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel, Seoul, South Korea. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Tony Perez.
24 September 2001. Masamori Tokuyama w pts 12 Gerry Penalosa
Venue: The Arena, Yokohama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Larry O’Connell.
Scorecards: 116-113, 115-113, 115-113.
23 March 2002. Masamori Tokuyama w rsc 9 Kazuhiro Ryuko
Venue: The Arena, Yokohama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Kazumasa Kuwata.
26 August 2002. Masamori Tokuyama w rsc 6 Erik Lopez
Venue: Super Arena, Saitama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Frank Cappuccino.
20 December 2002. Masamori Tokuyama w pts 12 Gerry Penalosa
Venue: Castle Sports Centre, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Eddie Cotton.
Scorecards: 116-111, 114-113, 113-114.
23 June 2003. Masamori Tokuyama w pts 12 Katsushige Kawashima
Venue: The Arena, Yokohama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Nobuaki Uratani.
Scorecards: 116-114, 116-112, 116-112.
3 January 2004. Masamori Tokuyama w pts 12 Dmitry Kirillov
Venue: Central Gym, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Vic Drakulich.
Scorecards: 117-111, 117-112, 116-112.
28 June 2004. Katsushige Kawashima w rsc 1 Masamori Tokuyama
Venue: The Arena, Yokohama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Jay Nady.
20 September 2004. Katsushige Kawashima w pts 12 Raul Juarez
Venue: Bunka Gym, Yokohama, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Bill Clancy.
Scorecards: 114-110, 113-111, 117-107.
3 January 2005. Katsushige Kawashima w pts 12 Jose Navarro
Venue: Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Mark Green.
Scorecards: 109-120, 115-114, 115-113.
18 July 2005. Masamori Tokuyama w pts 12 Katsushige Kawashima
Venue: Central Gym, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Ian John-Lewis.
Scorecards: 118-109, 115-112, 117-110.
27 February 2006. Masamori Tokuyama w pts 12 Jose Navarro
Venue: Central Gym, Osaka, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Mark Green.
Scorecards: 117-113, 116-113, 116-113.
Tokuyama relinquished the WBC title on 6 December due to weight-making difficulties, and at the same time the lineal title was also vacated. The lineal title was next up for grabs when the fifth-ranked Fernando Montiel met the top-rated Martin Castillo in defence of his WBO title.
16 February 2008. Fernando Montiel w co 4 Martin Castillo
Venue: MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Recognition: WBO/Lineal. Referee: Joe Cortez.
31 May 2008. Fernando Montiel w rsc 3 Luis Maldonado
Venue: The Bullring, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Recognition: WBO/Lineal. Referee: Raul Caiz Jnr.
Montiel relinquished the WBO title on 10 January 2009 in order to contest the organisation’s vacant bantamweight crown, an action that was followed by the lineal title being automatically vacated. Further to that, Vic Darchinyan, who already had three of the four main titles under his belt, should be accorded lineal status.
7 February 2009. Vic Darchinyan w rsc 11 Jorge Arce
Venue: The Pond, Anaheim, California, USA. Recognition: IBF/WBA/WBC/Lineal. Referee: Lou Moret.
12 December 2009. Vic Darchinyan w rsc 2 Tomas Rojas
Venue: Agua Caliente Casino, Rancho Mirage, Ca, USA. Recognition: WBA/WBC/Lineal. Referee: Raul Caiz Jnr.
6 March 2010. Vic Darchinyan w pts 12 Rodrigo Guerrero
Venue: Agua Calianta Casino, Rancho Mirage, California, USA. Recognition: WBA/WBC/Lineal. Referee: Ramon Corona.
Scorecards: 117-111, 120-108, 118-110.
Darchinyan forfeited the WBA, WBC titles, while the lineal title was vacated. When the second-ranked Yota Sato’s next defended his WBC title against the world’s number three, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, it should also be seen as involving the lineal title because the top-ranked Omar Narvaez had failed to meet anyone from the top ten since April 2011.
3 May 2013. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai w rsc 8 Yota Sato
Venue: Khonmuangsri Stadium, Si Sa Ket, Thailand. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Guido Cavalleri.
15 November 2013. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai w rsc 9 Hirofumi Mukai
Venue: Provincial Stadium, Rakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Malcolm Bulner.
31 May 2014. Carlos Cuadras w tdec 8 Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
Venue: Agustin Melgar Arms Hall, Mexico City, Mexico. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Jay Nady.
Scorecards: 78-73, 77-74, 77-75.
20 September 2014. Carlos Cuadras tdraw 4 Jose Salgado
Venue: Baseball Stadium, Guamuchil, Sinaloa, Mexico. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Jay Nady.
13 November 2014. Carlos Cuadras w rsc 6 Marvin Mabait
Venue: The Hilton, Washington DC, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Eddie Claudio.
4 April 2015. Carlos Cuadras w pts 12 Luis Concepcion
Venue: Martin Alarcon Sports Complex, Metepec, Mexico. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Laurence Cole.
Scorecards: 117-111, 117-111, 118-110.
15 August 2015. Carlos Cuadras w rsc 5 Dixon Flores
Venue: Alberto Vega Flores Baseball Stadium, Guamuchil, Mexico. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Frank Garza.
28 November 2015. Carlos Cuadras w pts 12 Koki Eto
Venue: Xebio Arena, Sendai, Japan. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Hector Afu.
Scorecards: 117-111, 117-111, 116-112.
23 April 2016. Carlos Cuadras w rtd 8 Richie Mepranum
Venue: Multipurpose Centre, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Tom Taylor.
10 September 2016. Roman Gonzalez w pts 12 Carlos Cuadras
Venue: Fabulous Forum, Inglewood, Los Angeles, California, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Tom Taylor.
Scorecards: 117-111, 115-113, 116-112.
18 March 2017. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai w pts 12 Roman Gonzalez
Venue: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NYC, New York, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Steve Willis.
Scorecards: 114-112, 114-112, 113-113.
9 September 2017. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai w rsc 4 Roman Gonzalez
Venue: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NYC, New York, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Tom Taylor.
24 February 2018. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai w pts 12 Juan Francisco Estrada
Venue: Inglewood Forum, Los Angeles, California, USA. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Jack Reiss.
Scorecards: 115-113, 117-111, 114-114.
6 October 2018. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai w pts 12 Iran Diaz
Venue: Impact Arena, Pak Kret, Thailand. Recognition: WBC/Lineal. Referee: Jay Nady.
Scorecards: 120-108, 119-109, 119-109.