Any confusion over the WBA’s bantamweight title situation has been clarified by the sanctioning body, and Antonio Vargas is recognized as the organization’s bantamweight champion heading into next Saturday’s fight with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.
The WBA had previously, until a few days ago, listed Seiya Tsutsumi as bantamweight champion, and not Vargas. But their latest update to their rankings does now list Vargas as WBA world champion, with Tsutsumi removed.
Tsutsumi has been moved to “champion in recess”
status “due to a medical condition,” according to the WBA.
Over the last year and change, Vargas and Tsutsumi have been in a dance that is strange even by WBA standards. This has not been the standard “super world” and “world” issue people who care about this stuff usually expect to see from the group.
Tsutsumi won the title from Takuma Inoue in October 2024, then defended against Daigo Higa in February 2025. Their bout went to a draw. The WBA ordered a fight between Tsutsumi and Vargas, who was interim champ at the time.
Instead, Tsutsumi became “champion in recess” due to injury, and Vargas was elevated to defend against Higa in July 2025. Their fight also went to a draw.
Vargas has not fought since. In the meantime, Tsutsumi returned, was reinstalled as champ, and successfully defended against Nonito Donaire in December 2025. Tsutsumi’s name appeared on the WBA rankings page, Vargas’ did not.
Now, we’re back to Vargas as the champ recognized by the WBA, and Tsutsumi sidelined. If Rodriguez beats Vargas on Saturday, he will officially have won the WBA bantamweight title, and then if, as anticipated, he moves up to 122 lbs to face Naoya Inoue late this year or in early 2027, the WBA may not even have to fill a vacancy, as Tsutsumi could come back off the shelf and be reinstalled again.
None of this is even meant to pass any aggressive or new judgment on the situation. Boxing’s world titles are hard enough to really take as seriously as you’d want to, unless you’re just extremely passive about it all, and the WBA have the tendency to be the most ridiculous of the four big bodies.
But this is definitely a unique situation, even for the WBA. And if anyone needed any air cleared ahead of Bam vs Vargas, there you go. Yes, Antonio Vargas is recognized as WBA champion, and will be defending against “Bam” Rodriguez
