Walters moves up WBA rankings

Leroy Brown, Gleaner Writer

Nicholas Walters, Jamaica's brightest hope for another world title in boxing, moved one step nearer to his goal over the week-end, when he moved up in the World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight division ratings, from No. 6 to No. 4.

Walters, who is 25 years old, is the WBA Fedelatin Featherweight champion, a title he won on December 18, 2009, by defeating Carlos Manuel Reyes on points over 11 rounds in Haiti.

He has had three successful title defences, the latest being a second-round technical knockout victory over Argel Salinas from Mexico at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium at Jamaica College on June 16 this year.

Devastating puncher

Walters, who has developed a record as a devastating puncher, knocked Salinas down in the first round of that fight and put so much pressure on him in the second round that referee Frank Gentile stepped in and called a halt to proceedings. Walters now has an 18-0 record with 15 victories inside the distance.

The WBA featherweight champion is Jonathan Barros from Argentina, and filling out the top five in the weight class are the No. 1 Contender Celestino Caballero from Panama, followed by Yuriorkis Gamboa from Cuba and Miguel Angel Garcia from Mexico.

Following his impressive performance in June, discussions are now taking place for Walters to fight in Jamaica again later this year.