Mexican boxer Eduardo “Sugar” Núñez has been crowned the new International Boxing Federation (IBF) super featherweight world champion after a decisive victory in Yokohama, Japan, over Japan’s Masanori Rikiishi.
The 27-year-old native of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, won the vacant 59-kilogram (130-pound) title with a unanimous decision from the three judges, who scored the fight 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113, respectively, in favor of Núñez.
The 12-round bout was held Wednesday in 1-year-old Buntani Arena in Yokohama, Japan’s second-largest city.
With the triumph, Núñez took another step in establishing himself among Mexico’s boxing elite.
He improved his record to 28 wins and just one loss, with each of his first 27 wins coming by knockout — cementing his reputation as one of boxing’s most formidable punchers.
He is ranked seventh by The Ring magazine, which proclaimed that he “boxed brilliantly from start to finish and proved too much for a defiant Rikiishi” on Wednesday. Rikiishi, who’ll turn 30 on June 10, entered the fight with a 16-1 record.
Núñez, who will turn 28 in July, began his professional career in 2015. His only loss occurred in 2018, in his 11th fight, a unanimous six-round decision at the Grand Oasis Arena in Cancún that went to Hiram Gallardo, a native of México state who since retired with a 12-5 record with two draws.
He earned the title shot by defeating former world champion Shavkat Rakhimov of Tajikistan in February 2024.
Núñez becomes the sixth current Mexican world champion across boxing’s divisions, spanning from flyweight (50.8 kg) up to cruiserweight (86 kg).
The others are Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez (undisputed super middleweight champion), Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez (WBA & WBO cruiserweight champ), Emanuel Navarrete (WBO super featherweight champ), Rafael Espinoza (WBO featherweight champ) and Ángel Ayala (IBF flyweight champ).
WBA stands for World World Boxing Association and WBO for World Boxing Organization; IBF was defined above. The fourth major world boxing sanctioning body is the World Boxing Council.
A short, two-part history of boxing in Mexico was presented earlier this year in the pages of Mexico News Daily.
In the fight on Wednesday, Núñez continually pressed the action, immediately taking the front foot and forcing Rikiishi onto the defensive. As the rounds progressed, Núñez’s early investment in body shots began to pay off, visibly tiring the Japanese fighter.
In the 10th round, Núñez sent Rikiishi reeling into the ropes with a perfectly timed overhand right. Rikiishi stayed upright, but Nunez’s intensity never wavered.
Afterward, Núñez had a video call with his family and dedicated the win to his brother.
“I feel very happy, very satisfied with the work we did tonight,” he said in his post-fight interview. “The truth is, we’ve been working for 10 to 13 years for this moment; thank God it arrived. We took advantage of the opportunity.”
He also dedicated the championship “to all of Mexico.”
According to his promoter, Eddie Hearn, Núñez’s next opponent could be Navarrete, the current WBO super featherweight champ who hails from San Juan Zitlaltepec in México state. Other possibilities include former WBA featherweight champion American Ray Ford of the U.S. or a different ranked contender.
