The IBF Super Featherweight title changes hands

The year may have only just kicked off but we've already seen the first world title fight of the year and we've also seen the first clear moment of controversy of 2014.

Fighting in the US, Cuba's Rances Barthelemy (20-0, 13), best known to us for stopping Fahsai Sakkreerin, challenged Dominican Argenis Mendez (21-3-1, 11). Mendez, who started the year as the IBF Super Featherweight title, was a highly ranked fighter.

Despite the fact Mendez had struggled with Afghanistan's Arash Usmanee, he was still a clear favourite over Barthelemy with his experience and excellent skills expected to see him over the line against Barthelemy, who had also struggled with Usmanee. The favourite tag however didn't help Mendez who found the power of Barthelmy too much.

The power of Barthelemy was the difference between the two men in the opening round as he momentarily buckled the knees of the defending champion. The power was again felt late in round 2 as Mendez was dropped for the first time in his career. The champion never really recovered and Barthelemy let his hands go freely landing a couple of clean shots clearly after the bell. Those 2 shots were all it took to knock out Mendez.

Although Mendez did come in to the bout as the champion it was clear, from the first time he took a left hook that he couldn't cope with the power of the challenger. The ending may have been controversial though it did seem somewhat inevitable with the fact Mendez had been shaken and dropped in less than 6 minutes of action.

From an Asian point of view this is a massively important result.

Firstly for Arash Usmanee, the #9 ranked IBF fighter. The Canadian based Afghan is surely going to be looking for a rematch with Barthelemy a man many felt he beat and with the added experience he has since that bout there would be a sizable figure backing him for the upset. For Masao Nakamura, the IBF #6 ranked fight, this result would likely see him licking his lips for a potential clash with Barthelemy in what would be a flat out shoot out. And, finally, tough Filipino Michael Farenas, the IBF #12 ranked fighter, would likely view himself as a potential challenger and he could well be the most likely to get the shot out of the 3 Asian ranked challengers.

Away from the challengers this result is certainly not a bad one for WBA champion Takashi Uchiyama or WBC champion Takashi Miura. The two Japanese champions, who are both set on unifying their belts together, will know they are a league, if not 2 above Barthelemy and will also know that if they fought Mendez they'd have taken him out. In all honesty, Daiki Kaneko is the big loser here, had he targeted the IBF title and performed as he did against Uchiyama he'd be a world champion right now and if he could get Barthelemy in the ring, despite not being IBF ranked, he'd need to be favoured there as well.

Note-There is talk about this result being appealed due to the shots coming after the bell. In all honesty we don't see the appeal actually over-turning the result.

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