FILIPINO Olympian and undefeated super featherweight contender Charly Suarez is closing in on his dream of becoming a world champion as he secured the No. 1 spot in the latest World Boxing Organization (WBO) rankings, bringing him one step closer to a title shot.
Suarez, 36, earned his lofty spot with a dominant third-round TKO victory over Jorge Castaneda on Sept. 21 in Glendale, Arizona.
The win not only extended his undefeated record to 18-0, with 10 victories coming by knockout, it also earned him the WBO International title.
Castaneda was a late replacement for the original opponent, Andrés Cortés, who withdrew two weeks before the fight.
Cortés, previously ranked No. 2, has since dropped to No. 3 in the WBO rankings.
Suarez, who was ranked No. 3 before the fight, surged to the top spot thanks to his impressive performance against Castaneda.
In addition to his WBO ranking, Suarez is currently positioned at No. 5 in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) standings.
He hopes to earn a shot at the WBO World Super Featherweight Championship, which will be contested between Mexican fighters Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez.
Notably, another Filipino boxer, former featherweight champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo, is ranked No. 4 in the WBO’s super featherweight division, adding to the excitement in the weight class.
