Tomoya Tsuboi, 3-0, vaults into WBO’s No. 1 spot at 115lbs

Although none of the WBO’s top three fighters at junior bantamweight fought over the last month, the sanctioning body still switched up the order of its rankings.

Going into March, the WBO had Joselito Velazquez at No. 1, followed by Ryusei Kawaura at No. 2 and Tomoya Tsuboi at No. 3.

But in the organization’s latest monthly ratings update, released April 1, Tsuboi is now No. 1 followed by Velazquez at No. 2 and Kawaura at No. 3.

Tsuboi, 3-0 (2 KOs), is a 30-year-old from Tokyo, Japan. Given his advanced age, he’s been progressing quicker than many prospects from other countries would (though on par with some of Japan’s top up-and-comers).

Tsuboi turned pro in March 2025 with a second-round TKO of the 14-3 Boonrueang Phayom. Last June, he outpointed the 18-1 Van Thao Tran. Both of those bouts took place at bantamweight. Tsuboi competed for the first time within the 115lbs limit in November, when he sent former titleholder Carlos Cuadras into retirement with an eighth-round stoppage.

Tsuboi’s fourth pro fight is scheduled for April 11 against former 108lbs titleholder Pedro Guevara, who has gone 1-0-1 since being demolished by Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in 2024. Guevara was unranked by the WBO in March but, perhaps not coincidentally, has re-entered the ratings at No. 8 this month.

Velazquez, 22-1-1 (14 KOs), is a 32-year-old from Mexico and living in California. He had been the WBO’s No. 1 junior bantamweight since last September following a similarly unprompted reshuffling. Days after that ratings update, Velazquez scored a fourth-round knockout of the 15-1 Aniel Viamontes.

Kawaura, 15-2 (9 KOs), is a 32-year-old from Tokyo. He last boxed this February, taking a split decision over the 5-0 Ryang Ho Han.

The WBO junior bantamweight title is held by “Bam” Rodriguez, who also has the WBA and WBC belts and is the lineal and Ring Magazine champion. Tsuboi has also been ranked No. 1 by the WBC since February.

Tsuboi, Velazquez and Kawaura are followed in the WBO’s top 15 by Kenshiro Teraji, Israel Gonzalez, John Ramirez, Fernando Martinez, Guevara, Rene Calixto Bibiano, Charlie Edwards, Jack Turner, Kenta Nakagawa, Theophilous Kpakpo Allotey, Brandon Gael Rodriguez Hernandez and Bryan Largaespada Blandon.

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.