Open Boxing

WBO light flyweight world title

Covers world title bouts since 1989. Current champion: Rene Santiago, since 13th Mar 2025.

World title bouts
73
Champions
23
Longest reign (Donnie Nietes, 2011–2016)
4 years, 10 months
Most successful defences in one reign (Donnie Nietes, 2011–2016)
8

Current champion

Rene SantiagoSince 13th Mar 2025 · 1 year, 8 months · 2 successful defences

Reigns and world title bouts

Jan 2022 – Jan 2027

WBO
Jonathan GonzalezIwataRene Santiago
AprJulOct2023AprJulOct2024AprJulOct2025AprJulOct2026AprJulOct2027
1990200020102020

World title bout

Reigns by length

  1. 1Donnie NietesWBO2011–20164 years, 10 months · 8 successful defences
  2. 2Nelson DieppaWBO2001–20054 years · 4 successful defences
  3. 3Ivan CalderonWBO2007–20103 years · 5 successful defences
  4. 4Jose de JesusWBO1989–19922 years, 9 months · 3 successful defences
  5. 5Jonathan GonzalezWBO2021–20242 years, 8 months · 3 successful defences
  6. 6Elwin SotoWBO2019–20212 years, 3 months · 3 successful defences
  7. 7Hugo CazaresWBO2005–20072 years, 3 months · 5 successful defences
  8. 8Josue CamachoWBO1992–19941 year, 11 months · 1 successful defence
  9. 9Rene SantiagoWBO2025–present1 year, 8 months · 2 successful defences
  10. 10Angel AcostaWBO2017–20191 year, 6 months · 3 successful defences
  11. 11Jacob MatlalaWBO1995–19971 year, 1 month · 1 successful defence
  12. 12Paul WeirWBO1994–199511 months · 1 successful defence
  13. 13Kosei TanakaWBO2016–201711 months · 2 successful defences
  14. 14Juan Domingo CordobaWBO1998–199810 months · 1 successful defence
  15. 15Jorge ArceWBO1998–19997 months · 1 successful defence
  16. 16Giovani SeguraWBO2010–20117 months · 1 successful defence
  17. 17Ramon Garcia HiralesWBO2011–20115 months · 0 successful defences
  18. 18Shokichi IwataWBO2024–20255 months · 0 successful defences
  19. 19Melchor Cob CastroWBO1997–19984 months · 0 successful defences
  20. 20Masibulele MakepulaWBO2000–20004 months · 0 successful defences
  21. 21Michael CarbajalWBO1994–19943 months · 0 successful defences
  22. 22Jesus ChongWBO1997–19972 months · 0 successful defences
  23. 23Jesus GelesWBO2011–20118 days · 0 successful defences
  24. 24Michael CarbajalWBO1999–19991 day · 0 successful defences

Timeline of world title events

  1. 1989

  2. Jose de Jesus beats Fernando Martinez via technical decision 9/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  3. Jose de Jesus beats Isidro Perez via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  1. 1990

  2. Jose de Jesus beats Alli Galvez via knockout 5/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  3. Jose de Jesus beats Abdi Pohan via knockout 7/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  4. 1992

  5. Jose de Jesus’s reign as the WBO light flyweight world champion ends

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  6. Josue Camacho beats Eddie Vallejo via knockout 6/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  7. 1994

  8. Josue Camacho beats Paul Weir via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  9. Michael Carbajal beats Josue Camacho via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  10. Michael Carbajal’s reign as the WBO light flyweight world champion ends

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  11. Paul Weir beats Paul Oulden via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  12. 1995

  13. Paul Weir beats Ric Magramo via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  14. Jacob Matlala beats Paul Weir via technical decision 5/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  15. 1996

  16. Jacob Matlala beats Paul Weir via knockout 10/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  17. 1997

  18. Jacob Matlala’s reign as the WBO light flyweight world champion ends

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  19. Jacob Matlala beats Mickey Cantwell via split decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  20. Jesus Chong beats Eric Griffin via knockout 2/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  21. Melchor Cob Castro beats Jesus Chong via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  22. 1998

  23. Juan Domingo Cordoba beats Melchor Cob Castro via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  24. Juan Domingo Cordoba beats Sandro Orlando Oviedo via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  25. Jorge Arce beats Juan Domingo Cordoba via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  26. 1999

  27. Jorge Arce beats Salvatore Fanni via knockout 6/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  28. Michael Carbajal beats Jorge Arce via knockout 11/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  29. Michael Carbajal’s reign as the WBO light flyweight world champion ends

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  1. 2000

  2. Masibulele Makepula beats Jacob Matlala via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  3. Masibulele Makepula’s reign as the WBO light flyweight world champion ends

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  4. Will Grigsby v Nelson Dieppa ends in a no contest

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  5. 2001

  6. Andy Tabanas and Thongchai Utaida draw via split decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  7. Nelson Dieppa beats Andy Tabanas via knockout 11/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  8. Nelson Dieppa beats Thongchai Utaida via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  9. 2002

  10. Nelson Dieppa and Jhon Alberto Molina draw via technical decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  11. 2004

  12. Nelson Dieppa beats Kermin Guardia via knockout 1/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  13. Nelson Dieppa beats Ulises Solis via majority decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  14. 2005

  15. Nelson Dieppa beats Alex Sanchez via knockout 11/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  16. Hugo Cazares beats Nelson Dieppa via technical decision 10/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  17. Hugo Cazares beats Alex Sanchez via corner retirement 8/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  18. Hugo Cazares beats Khachonsak Pothong via knockout 6/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  19. 2006

  20. Hugo Cazares beats Domingo Guillen via knockout 1/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  21. Hugo Cazares beats Nelson Dieppa via knockout 10/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  22. 2007

  23. Hugo Cazares beats Wilfrido Valdez via knockout 2/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  24. Ivan Calderon beats Hugo Cazares via split decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The RingNew WBO champion

  25. Ivan Calderon beats Juan Esquer via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  26. 2008

  27. Ivan Calderon beats Nelson Dieppa via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  28. Ivan Calderon beats Hugo Cazares via technical decision 7/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  29. 2009

  30. Ivan Calderon and Rodel Mayol draw via technical decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  31. Ivan Calderon beats Rodel Mayol via technical decision 7/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  1. 2010

  2. Ivan Calderon beats Jesus Iribe via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  3. Giovani Segura beats Ivan Calderon via knockout 8/12

    Light Flyweight · WBA Super, WBO and The RingNew WBO champion

  4. 2011

  5. Giovani Segura beats Ivan Calderon via knockout 3/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  6. Giovani Segura’s reign as the WBO light flyweight world champion ends

    Light Flyweight · WBO

    Jesus Geles becomes the WBO light flyweight world champion

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  7. Ramon Garcia Hirales beats Jesus Geles via knockout 4/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  8. Donnie Nietes beats Ramon Garcia Hirales via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  9. 2012

  10. Donnie Nietes beats Felipe Salguero via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  11. 2013

  12. Donnie Nietes and Moises Fuentes draw via majority decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  13. Donnie Nietes beats Sammy Gutierrez via knockout 3/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  14. 2014

  15. Donnie Nietes beats Moises Fuentes via knockout 9/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  16. Donnie Nietes beats Carlos Velarde via corner retirement 7/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  17. 2015

  18. Donnie Nietes beats Gilberto Parra via corner retirement 9/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  19. Donnie Nietes beats Francisco Rodriguez Jr via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  20. Donnie Nietes beats Juan Alejo via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  21. 2016

  22. Donnie Nietes beats Raul Garcia via corner retirement 5/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO and The Ring

  23. Donnie Nietes’s reign as the WBO light flyweight world champion ends

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  24. Kosei Tanaka beats Moises Fuentes via knockout 5/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  25. 2017

  26. Kosei Tanaka beats Angel Acosta via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  27. Kosei Tanaka beats Rangsan Chayanram via knockout 9/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  28. Kosei Tanaka’s reign as the WBO light flyweight world champion ends

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  29. Angel Acosta beats Juan Alejo via knockout 10/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  30. 2018

  31. Angel Acosta beats Carlos Buitrago via knockout 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  32. Angel Acosta beats Abraham Rodriguez via knockout 2/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  33. 2019

  34. Angel Acosta beats Ganigan Lopez via knockout 8/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  35. Elwin Soto beats Angel Acosta via knockout 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  36. Elwin Soto beats Edward Heno via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  1. 2020

  2. Elwin Soto beats Carlos Buitrago via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  3. 2021

  4. Elwin Soto beats Katsunari Takayama via knockout 9/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  5. Jonathan Gonzalez beats Elwin Soto via split decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  6. 2022

  7. Jonathan Gonzalez beats Mark Anthony Barriga via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  8. Jonathan Gonzalez beats Shokichi Iwata via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  9. 2024

  10. Jonathan Gonzalez beats Rene Santiago via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  11. Jonathan Gonzalez’s reign as the WBO light flyweight world champion ends

    Light Flyweight · WBO

  12. Shokichi Iwata beats Jairo Noriega via technical knockout 3/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  13. 2025

  14. Rene Santiago beats Shokichi Iwata via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBONew champion

  15. Rene Santiago beats Kyosuke Takami via split decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBA and WBO

    Source: Santiago Shocks Japan and Unifies Titles in Tokyo(opens in a new tab), World Boxing Association, Rowerth Goncalves,

  16. 2026

  17. Rene Santiago beats Masataka Taniguchi via unanimous decision 12/12

    Light Flyweight · WBA and WBO

    Source: René Santiago Silences Korakuen Hall, Remains WBA Champion(opens in a new tab), World Boxing Association, Rowerth Goncalves,