Pictured: TTR's #1 ranked bantamweight contender Lus Nery, the reigning WBC World Bantamweight Champion


Part 13 centers on the fourteen contenders for the vacant Lineal World bantamweight title ranked in TTR's revised end-of the year bantamweight rankings. We had to compile and post those rankings a second time because we did not include "still" WBA World bantamweight champion Jamie McDonnell the first time around.

Prior to McDonnell-Liborio Solis II, McDonnell's trainer David Coldwell announced that, win or lose, the bout was McDonnell's last at 118. McDonnell was moving up to 122 (and possibly even 126). On November 30, the WBA issued its November 2017 rankings which listed their 'regular" world bantamweight title as VACANT based on McDonnell voluntarily relinquishing the title to campaign at 122 (and/or 126). On December 4, McDonnell's promoter, Eddie Hearn, stated that the WBA had made a mistake and that McDonnell had not given up the title. A few days later, the WBA announced McDonnell was still their champion and on December 31, they (the WBA) made it official by listing McDonnell as their world bantamweight champion when their December rankings were posted. Apparently, Hearn wants to try and make a Ryan Burnett-McDonnell fight at 118 before McDonnell gets to move up to a weight class where he will feel more comfortable physically.

So, here are the aforementioned contenders, including McDonnell, and "their 2017s":

1. Luis Nery (25-0, 19 KOs)
- 3/11- Jesus Martinez.....W TKO-4
- 8/15- Shinsuke Yamanaka.....W TKO-4
(won WBC and Ring Magazine World Bantamweight Titles)
- 9/26- The Ring stripped Nery of their title and restored it to Yamanaka because Nery had tested positive for the banned substance Zilpaterol. (The WBC and the Japan Boxing Commission did not take follow The Ring's lead. Instead, the WBC ordered a mandatory rematch between Nery and Yamanaka which was approved by the JBC.)
- 11/4- Arthur Villanueva.....W TKO-6

2. Ryan Burnett (18-0, 9 KOs)
- 2/25-Joseafat Reyes.....W PTS. 8
- 6/10- Lee Haskins.....W UD 12
(won IBF World Bantamweight Title)
- 10/21- Zhanat Zhakiyanov.....W UD 12
(retained IBF World Bantamweight Title; won WBA Super World Bantamweight Title)

3. Shinsuke Yamanaka (27-1-2, 19 KOs)
- 3/2- Carlos Carlson.....W TKO-7
(retained WBC and Ring Magazine World Bantamweight Titles)
- 8/15- Luis Nery.....L TKO-4
(lost WBC and Ring Magazine World Bantamweight Titles)
- 9/26- The Ring restored their World Bantamweight title to Yamanaka because Nery had tested positive for Zilpaterol.

4. Zhanat Zhakiyanov (27-2, 18 KOs)
- 2/10- Rau'shee Warren.....W SD 12
(won WBA Super World Bantamweight Title; for IBO World Bantamweight Title- IBO title became vacant because Zhakiyanov did not pay the sanctioning fee)
- 10/21- Ryan Burnett.....L UD 12
(lost WBA Super World Bantamweight Title; for IBF World Bantamweight Title)

5. Juan Carlos Payano (19-1, 9 KOs)
- 1/13- Isao Gonzalo Carranza.....W TKO-7
- 8/22- Alexis Santiago.....W UD 10

6. Jamie McDonnell (29-2-1, 1 ND, 13 KOs)
- 11/4- Liborio Solis.....ND-3
(retained WBA World Bantamweight Title)
- 11/30- The WBA listed its "regular" World Bantamwight Title as vacant based on McDonnell relinquishing the title to campaign at 122 or 126.
- 12/31- The WBA again listed McDonnell as their "regular" World Bantamweight Champion because his move to a higher weight class has been postponed.

7. Zolani Tete (26-3, 21 KOs)
- 4/22- Arthur Villanueva.....W UD 12
(won vacant WBO Interim World Bantamweight Title)
- 4/27- upgraded to full WBO World Bantamweight Champion
- 11/18- Siboniso Gonya.....W KO-1
(retained WBO World Bantamweight Title)

8. Liborio Solis (25-5-1, 1 ND, 11 KOs)
- 11/4- Jamie McDonnell.....ND-3
(for WBA World Bantamweight Title)

9. Paul Butler (25-1, 13 KOs)
- 4/8- Carlos Ruben Dario Ruiz.....W TKO-4
- 9/30- Stuart Hall.....W UD 12

10. Omar Narvaez (47-2-2, 25 KOs)
- 10/14- Nikolai Potapov.....W TKO-7

11. Karim Guerfi (26-3, 1 ND, 8 KOs)
- 10/12- Stephane Jamoye.....W TKO-8

12. Nordine Oubaali (13-0, 10 KOs)
- 6/2- Alejandro Hernndez.....W TKO-10
- 12/16- Mark Anthony Geraldo.....W KO-7

13. Takuma Inoue (10-0, 2 KOs)
- 8/30- Hiroyuki Kudaka (AKA Hiroyuki Hisataka).....W UD 10
- 12/30- Kentaro Masuda.....W UD 10

14. Lee Haskins (35-4, 14 KOs)
- 6/10- Ryan Burnett.....L UD 12
(lost IBF World Bantamweight Title)
- 12/5- Isacc Quaye.....W PTS. 6