The Scoop
Meza-Clay Edges Closer to Major World Title Shot
By Tony DeFazio

Local featherweight fighter Monty Meza-Clay edged closer to a major world title opportunity last month when the World Boxing Organization (WBO) moved him up to the No. 4 ranked contender in the world in the official featherweight division rankings. Meza-Clay (27-1, 18 KO) is one of only two Americans in the WBO's top 15, with the other being Marcos Ramirez of Kansas City.

Based out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the WBO is one of the four major sanctioning bodies recognized in professional boxing along with the IBF, WBA and WBC. Meza-Clay is currently ranked 11th by the WBA and 14th by the IBF, but these rankings do not take into consideration his impressive February 1st destruction of recent world champion Eric Aiken by seventh round knockout.

In front a standing room only crowd at the Monroeville Expo Mart and a national television audience on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights last month, Meza-Clay dominated the entire fight and rocked Aiken early in the seventh round, forcing him to the ropes. Meza-Clay, who had worked the body brilliantly early, unleashed a ferocious barrage of head shots, landing 23 in just 39 seconds, including seven straight clean blows and didn't let up until referee Ernie Shariff stepped in and stopped it 39 seconds in.

Meza-Clay, of Rankin, is trained by Tommy Yankello, the Beaver County trainer who helped bring former champion Paul Spadafora to prominence. Yankello and the rest of the Meza-Clay camp feels his dominating victory over Aiken will earn him higher status when their new rankings are released.

The current WBO featherweight champion is Steven Luevano, who is scheduled to face the No. 1 ranked contender in Thailand's Terdsak Jandaeng March 15. Following this bout, and regardless of the outcome, Meza-Clay is expected to rise to the No. 3 ranked position in the world.

Meza-Clay is the highest rated professional boxer in the Pittsburgh region among all 17 weight classes combined.