Who’s next Filipino world boxing champ?

Aside from three reigning world champions, there are 39 Filipino boxers in the top 15 ratings of the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO – widely considered the most prestigious governing bodies of the sport. Of the 39, eight are ranked No. 1 and next in line for a mandatory title shot.

The three reigning Filipino world champions are WBA welterweight titlist Sen. Manny Pacquiao, IBF superflyweight ruler Jerwin Ancajas and WBO minimumweight king Vic Saludar. Michael Dasmariñas holds the IBO bantamweight belt but the IBO isn’t recognized as a major international body. Two Filipinos are interim WBA titleholders – featherweight Jhack Tepora and bantamweight Reymart Gaballo but they’re still not safely on the throne.

Three Filipinos were recently thwarted in world title bids. Froilan Saludar was stopped by Japan’s Sho Kimura in a WBO flyweight title bout in China last July. Milan Melindo was halted by Japan’s Ken Shiro in a WBC lightflyweight championship fight in Yokohama last month. Randy Petalcorin went down thrice in bowing to Nicaragua’s Felix Alvarado via a seventh round stoppage for the vacant IBF lightflyweight crown at the Midas Hotel and Casino Tent in Pasay last Monday.

Two Filipinos will attempt to join Pacquiao, Ancajas and Saludar in the championship circle before the year ends. Nonito Donaire Jr., 35, takes on WBA bantamweight titlist Ryan Burnett of Northern Ireland in Glasgow on Saturday (Sunday morning, Manila). Also at stake is the vacant WBC silver championship. The winner will advance to face WBO ruler Zolani Tete of South Africa in the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series box-offs to determine the unified champion. Donaire is no stranger to world title fights as he has held the IBF/IBO flyweight, interim WBA superflyweight, WBC/WBO bantamweight, WBA/IBF/WBO superbantamweight and WBA featherweight championships. But he’s up against an unbeaten champion who’s almost 10 years younger with an unblemished 19-0 record, including 9 KOs. Donaire, however, is highly motivated to succeed in his latest mission. Experience will be on his side.

The other Filipino lined up for a title shot is IBF No. 1 minimumweight contender Mark Anthony Barriga, a London Olympian with a 9-0 record, including 1 KO. Barriga, 25, will take on Mexico’s Carlos Licona for the vacant IBF title at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Dec. 1. The fight is in the undercard of the WBC heavyweight championship bout between defending titleholder Deontay Wilder and undefeated Englishman Tyson Fury who was stripped of his IBF, WBO, IBO and WBA belts because of drug issues, went on a 2 1/2-year sabbatical and has come back to win twice this year.

Aside from Barriga, the other Filipinos ranked No. 1 in their divisions are WBO featherweight Genesis Servania of Bacolod, WBC featherweight Mark Magsayo of Tacloban, WBA featherweight Tepora of Cebu, WBA bantamweight Gaballo of Polomolok, WBO superflyweight Donnie Nietes of Murcia, WBC lightflyweight Jonathan Taconing of Zamboanga del Norte and WBO minimumweight Robert Paradero of Bukidnon.

Servania, 27, lost in a bid to dethrone WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez of Mexico in Tucson last year. Servania decked Valdez once and was also floored in dropping a unanimous 12-round decision. He has since scored three KOs in a row to raise his record to 32-1, with 15 KOs. Magsayo, 23, has an 18-0 record, with 13 KOs. He recently moved to Las Vegas to hook up with promoter Cameron Dunkin and brother Joe under new manager Vikram Sivapragasam of Malaysia. A promotional dispute with ALA Boxing is something Magsayo has to resolve if he plans to push his career forward.

Tepora, 25, totes a 22-0 record, with 17 KOs and was impressive in halting Mexico’s Edivaldo Ortega in the Pacquiao-Matthysse undercard in Kuala Lumpur last July. Gaballo, 22, is also unbeaten with a 20-0 record, including 17 KOs. The heavy-handed slugger has claimed victories in Hollywood, Mexico and Hawaii. Nietes, 36, would’ve been the new WBO superflyweight champion but was held to a split draw by countryman Aston Palicte in a duel for the vacant throne in Inglewood last September. He’s a former WBO minimumweight, WBO lightflyweight and IBF flyweight titlist with a 41-1-5 record, including 23 KOs.