It doesn’t take much to make things interesting.

Last weekend’s epic junior lightweight title showdown between O’Shaquie Foster and Eduardo Hernandez didn’t garner the attention Tyson Fury embarrassing himself against Francis Ngannou did. It doesn’t change what happened in the ring.

Fans who tuned in were treated to a gem. For three minutes of the eleventh round, they got the best single frame of action so far in 2023 (and there ain’t much 2023 left). Couple that fight with the exciting Emanuel Navarette-Oscar Valdez fight over the summer and these are significant signs of life at 130 pounds.

Enter Joe Cordina. 

The 31-year old Welshman defends the IBF crown in the division on Saturday (DAZN, 3 PM EST) against 28-year old Texan Edward Vazquez (15-1, 3 KO). It will be Cordina’s second fight of the year, following regaining a title he lost to injury outside the ring. Cordina’s win over Shazkatdzhon Rakhimov gives the division a trifecta of solid title fights for the year already. 

If Cordina-Vazquez delivers this weekend, on the heels of Foster-Hernandez, a division that has seemed without much identity in recent years could have one hell of a foundation for 2024. Throw in what could be an intriguing match between Hector Garcia and Lamont Roach later this month, and that foundation further crystalizes. 

Junior lightweight is a place where great action can happen, with big stars and without, throughout its history. Could this new core be the start of something unexpected, a pleasant surprise?

Contrast that with the support bout underneath Cordina-Vazquez.

There is a clear identity right now at junior flyweight. His name is Kenshiro.

The lineal and unified champion at 108 pounds, Kenshiro Teraji (22-1, 14 KO) has two of the belts in the class with an eye on a third. The hope earlier this year was for further unification with WBO titlist Jonathan Gonzalez. Gonzalez recently pulled out of a planned title defense with Gerardo Zapata due to illness; he was sick with pneumonia earlier this year scuttling a planned Teraji fight.

24-year old IBF titlist Sivenathi Nontshinga (12-0, 9 KO) seems to be in sound health. 

Nontshinga won his belt last year in an excellent scrap with Hector Flores and has defended once. He will face 24-year old Adrian Curiel (23-4-1, 4 KO) on Saturday. The challenger is unbeaten in his last eight fights but Nontshinga will be favored and, with a good showing, he’s every bit as needed for Teraji to complete his unification goals as Gonzalez is.

Assuming Nontshinga wins, it also adds an interesting element to Teraji’s pursuit. Teraji is already 31 and Gonzalez is 32. Nonthshinga stands out from the other two beltholders in the division for his youth. The longer anyone waits to fight him, the better he can get and the more they will age.

Time is on his side if he can just keep winning.

Heading into the weekend, it gives us a distinct tale of two title fights, one that can maintain momentum for a division coming to life and one that can maintain the drive toward a story of unification. Both fights, occurring in interesting divisions, are worth a look through the lens of a night and the bigger picture.

Cliff’s Notes…

Why is it so hard to make Juan Francisco Estrada-Kazuto Ioka? Estrada is aging and has been out of the ring for a year. Letting rust accumulate tempts fate and neither man is getting any younger. It’s the right fight at the right time…Francis Ngannou versus Deontay Wilder would reset the impressions for last week with sudden violence…So it looks like December 16th is the closing date for Showtime Boxing. Circle it and enjoy the memories. The nostalgia package will probably be as good as the show. The night HBO went out, the nostalgia package was better. 

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com