Boxing’s tiniest division remains one sanctioning body’s biggest headache.
The long-ago ordered Thammanoon Niyomtrong-Erick Rosa WBA title consolidation bout is headed back to a purse bid hearing. The latest development comes as both sides defaulted on a previously reached deal for a fight once targeted to take place this weekend.
Instead, a July 21 Zoom hearing will once again determine promotional rights.
“The situation has been unprecedented due to a series of events that have prevented both fighters from stepping into the ring to fight for the world championship,” WBA Championship Committee chairman Carlos Chavez said of the ongoing situation. “For that reason, the [WBA] decided to make an unprecedented decision with the intention of resolving the situation and leave the 105 lbs. with only one champion.
“The bidding is scheduled to take place under WBA rules but with certain conditions… [the fight] cannot be organized in Thailand or the Dominican Republic due to the inconveniences that have delayed the fight in previous occasions.”
Thailand’s Niyomtrong (24-0, 9KOs) has held the WBA ‘Super’ strawweight title since June 2016, which is the longest active and uninterrupted title reign among male boxers. Dominican Republic’s Rosa (5-0, 1KO) won the interim WBA title in a July 2021 points win over unbeaten Ricardo Astuvilca. He upgraded to WBA ‘Regular’ titleholder with a win over Vic Saludar in their December 2021 bout to determine the final mandatory for Niyomtrong.
Rosa has not fought since that night as he has awaited his shot at the full crown.
Niyomtrong-Rosa first went to a purse bid hearing last December in Orlando, Florida, held during the WBA’s annual convention. Petchyindee Boxing Promotions posted $140,000, outbidding Shuan Boxing ($122,000) who hoped to bring the fight either to D.R. or on a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card in early 2023.
The fight was budgeted to take place March 1 in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand. As previously reported by Boxing Scene, their March 1 bout ran into trouble when Rosa (5-0, 1KOs) was detained by Thai immigration officials upon arrival in Bangkok. Rosa’s passport did not meet the requirements for Dominicans to travel to Thailand, though it remains unclear why he was not stopped upon boarding a plane en route to Thailand.
A breakdown in communication between his team–led by promoter Belgica Pena of Shuan Boxing—and Petpiya Fight left Rosa’s travel status in limbo before receiving permission to return home. The development thus killed plans for the fight, to the detriment of Petpiya who invested heavily into the event.
was determined by the WBA that both parties were at fault prior to ordering a fresh round of talks with an assigned March 28 date for a purse bid should the two sides fail to reach terms. A deal was reportedly reached that would see the fight land on a summertime PBC event. There remains unresolved issues which forced the WBA to go back to the well.
“Whoever wins the rights to organize the fight must do it in a period between 60 and 90 days… between September 19 and October 19, 2023,” confirmed Chavez. “On the other hand, the WBA offered the possibility to both fighters to make a fight without their titles at stake.
“In case of accepting this fight by either of them, it must be done before August 21.”
Niyomtrong has made eleven successful title defenses, along with four wins during his interim title reign. He has not fought since a twelve-round, unanimous decision over countryman, close friend and former long-reigning WBC titlist Wanheng ‘TBE’ Menayothin last July 20 in Chonburi, Thailand.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox