There is action across Asia this coming Saturday, though the two most noteworthy shows for the day both take place in Japan, and both feature title bouts.
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan The more notable of the two shows comes from Tokyo, where we get two title bouts, and the next bout in the career of an exciting and hard hitting young Japanese prospect. The main event will see Japanese Flyweight champion Jukiya Iimura (5-1, 1) make his second defense, as he takes on mandatory challenger Yuga Inoue (15-3-1, 3), in what is almost certainly going to be a high speed technical chess match. Iimura is a brilliant technical boxer, but he has shown some durability issues, as seen in his 2022 loss to Esneth Domingo, and if he gets tagged he could be in trouble. Matched against a fellow light puncher, such as Inoue, he won't need to worry much about his chin. Saying that however Inoue is known to drag fights into wars, and although he lacks power he doesn't mind fights being up close, as he loves to set a high tempo up close. If Inoue can cut the ring off he could be a really tough test for Iimura, however that’s a big if. The chief support bout here will see WBO Asia Pacific Super Flyweight champion Kenta Nakagawa (24-4-1, 12) defending his title against Tetsuro Ohashi (11-3-1, 2), who has stated that he is dedicating the bout to the recently deceased Kazuki Anaguchi who he described as his best friend. The 38 year old Nakagawa will be looking for his second defense of the title, and whilst no world beater he is a solid, and experienced all rounder, who has good skills, decent pop and good speed. He is however a man who has, in recent fights, started to look his age a little and father time will catch up with him shortly. As for Ohashi he is a skilled fighter, but he lacks pop and will struggle to get Nakagawa's respect here. Despite that he has a good work rate and good speed, and could be looking to rely on his youth against the much, much, older champion. The other bout of note on this card will see hard hitting youngster Kakeru Mashimo (7-0, 6), regarded by some as a future long term fixture of the Dynamic Glove series, taking on Indian visitor Dharmender (10-3, 6). Mashimo is aggressive, heavy handed, really exciting and one to keep an eye on with his aggressive mentality and style. Sadly Dharmender isn’t likely to ask any real questions of Mashimo, especially when you consider the only previous time he has fought outside of India, Dharmender was stopped in 6 rounds by Sathaporn Saart. Dhamender has fought at Featherweight, and might show some resistance, but it would be a huge surprise to see him last the 8 round distance here. Sangyo Shinko Center, Sakai, Osaka, Japan The other Japanese card is in Osaka and sees veterans colliding in the main event, a potentially explosive support bout, and a notable prospect in action. The main event of the card will see 46 year old Japanese veteran Yuki Nonaka (37-12-3, 11) take on 50 year old Australian Sam Soliman (49-18-1-2, 19) in a bout for the vacant OPBF Super Middleweight title. Soliman is a late replacement, after Rohan Murdock had to pull out, and on paper added a bit of extra star power for the bout, though Soliman is much faded from the man who once held the IBF Middleweight title. Nonaka has rebuilt well following back to back losses to Hiroya Nojima and Tyson Koki, and has won his last 2 bouts whilst settling at Super Middleweight, but given his lack of power, and his age, he will find it very, very hard to progress beyond the regional scene. As for Soliman, the wild and unorthodox Aussie has always kept himself in great shape, and will see this as a great chance to end his career with another title around his waist. At a combined age of 96 it’s hard to know what either man will do after this bout, but from a stylistic view, this should be really interesting, with Nonaka being a crisp, clean puncher, who sets himself and throws lovely technical shots, and Soliman really having a wild, crazy style, that lacks in terms of technical foundations and makes for some messy and wild fights. In a major supporting bout we’ll see Kyonosuke Kameda (11-3-2, 8) take on Ryukyu Oho (9-6-1, 5) in what should be a very fun, and potentially explosive clash. Kameda is always fun to watch, and win or lose he does make for good fights with his technical limitations masked by his size and power. Oho is better than his record suggests sadly for him however he has gone 2-2-1 in his last 5, and only has a single TKO win since 2021. If Oho can't make Kameda respect him, he could be in for a painful night here. A third bout worthy of attention here will see 19 year old Japanese prospect Shuri Oka (2-0, 1) look for his third win, as he takes on 17 year old Thai visitor Chanathip Khotchai (3-2, 2) in a scheduled 8 rounder. Despite only being 19 Suri is certainly one to keep an eye on, though we do hope he isn’t rushed too much as there is still a lot of work to do with him and given his age, and the fact he’s still maturing, there really is no need to race him into domestic or regional title fights. As for the visitor he has lost his last two, and actually had his unbeaten record ended last time he fought in Japan, when he was stopped in 2 rounds by Tomonori Nagao. Batangas City Coliseum, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines Over in the Philippines we’re set for some low profile cards, one of which is in Batangas. The show really is a low profile one, and the best looking matchup set for the show will see the once beaten Leboy Atencio (3-1) take on Reynald Condes (3-3-1, 1). On paper this doesn’t look like a great bout, and with neither man having much power, it’s fair to suggest this may not end up being particularly exciting, or dramatic. Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines A second low level Filipino card is set for Toledo City. The only bout on the boxrec schedule at the time of writing is a matchup between the once beaten Jusue Bastillada (6-1, 3) and glass cannon Jayar Aliasot (6-6, 5). On paper this doesn’t look great, but it looks even worse when you realise that Aliasot has lost his last 5, with 4 of those losses being by TKO. Interestingly Bastillada’s sole loss was by stoppage, and given that Aliasot has power he could spring the upset here, but he will clearly be the under-dog. Hannam Gymnasium, Seoul, South Korea Staying with low level cards, we’re also expecting one in Seoul, in what is very much a novice show. Almost all the bouts feature a debutant, with the only exception to that being a clash between Sang Myung Lee (1-0) and Dae Yub Jang (2-0, 2), who face off a Super Featherweight. Lee is 23 and debuted in January, with a 4 round win, whilst Jang is 24 and made his debut just over a year ago, with both of his wins so far being TKO3. against win-less fighters.
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Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Friday we get an interesting card at Korakuen Hall promoted by Hideki Todaka, who has regularly put together really good bouts at a low level. The main event here will be a really interesting Flyweight bout, as Josuke Nagata (5-2) takes on Ryuto Oho (16-6-2, 7) in an excellent looking 8 rounder. Nagata is a former Japanese Flyweight champion, having won the title in april 2023, but his reign was short, lasting just 3 months, and he has lost his last 2. Although talented, Nagata lacks power and struggles to get respect from opponents who will feel comfortable taking his shots. Oho on the other hand has never reached the highs of Nagata, but is coming into this with some form, having won 4 of his last 5 bouts. Oho has mixed at a good level, fighting Masamichi Yabuki in 2019, but he does lack a signature win, and will see this as a chance to change that. A really interesting match up, and good domestic level main event on a card like this. The chief support bout for this card will be a 6 rounder, and will see the aggressive Shido Arai (5-4-1, 3) take on talented teenager Shiryu Kamata (1-1), who’s a counter puncher. Stylewise this could be the best bout of the show, with styles that should gel well and make for some really interesting back and forth action. Arai Arai has failed to win his last 3 bouts, having won the previous 5, and unfortunately for him lacks the power to go with his aggressive output, output that could struggle over 6 rounds. As for Kamata he lost on debut, last August, but bounced back with a wide decision win in December, and that win should give him the confidence needed to pick up another victory here. In one of the supporting bouts we’ll see Norris Yano (6-4-1) clash with Ryota Shibuya (7-2-2, 1) in a scheduled 8 rounder, that seems almost certain to go the distance given that neither man has much power. Another scheduled 8 rounder will see veterans collide as Isao Aoyama (13-12-1, 4) takes on Taisei Higashi (10-12-1, 6). Both of these bouts are perhaps not the best looking on paper but, as mentioned, Hideki Todaka shows tend to put on great low level bouts, with styles that gel and fights that give really good value, and we suspect that will be the case in both of these bouts, which provide a lot more excitement than fans suspect when the see the match ups.This is part of what Hideki Todaka promoted shows so great to watch, and so much fun. Opal Paint Stadium, Bang Pakong, Thailand
The main bout of the day takes place in Thailand and will see the once beaten Pakistani fighter Moin Khan (6-1-1-1, 4) take on limited Thai fighter Pornchai Srithong (11-10, 5) in a bout for the WBC Asian Silver Featherweight title. Coming in to this Khan has gone unbeaten in his last 5 bouts, and whilst they have come at a lower level they have seen him fighting in Azerbaijan, Thailand and Pakistan, and although he’s clearly no world beater he will have plenty of confidence thanks to his current run of results. As for Srithong he has had some mixed results, but has won his last 5 fights, and like Khan has some confidence coming into this bout. Notably the Thai local has actually gone 11-3 in his last 14 bouts, and whilst it would be easy to say this is a mismatch he is in good form, and this could genuinely end up being a very hotly contested, albeit low level, match up Maharaja Ranjit Singh Public Senior Secondary School, Tarn Taran Sahib, India We also have a small show in India, as the Indian boxing scene continues to slowly grow into something, as the country looks to reveal some genuine boxing talent. One of the main bouts on this card is an 8 rounder as the once beaten Harpreet Singh (8-1, 4) faces off with Karanveer Sharma (6-3, 2). On paper this looks like it could be competitive, but it’s really hard to see anything but a win for Singh, who has competed at a higher level and showed some ability and toughness in his sole loss, a TKO5 defeat to unbeaten Russian Varazdat Mkrtchyan. Sharma on the other hand has lost his last 3, and been stopped in 2 of those bouts. In fact Sharma has never beaten anyone with more than a single win to their name, and a win here would easily be the biggest win of his career. Another 8 rounder is set to feature the hard hitting Sehran Sandhu (8-0, 8), though his opponent has yet to be confirmed and given he was also penciled in to fight on March 31st he may end up being removed from this show, set to take place just a few days later. Sandhu isn't likely to be a world beater, but it's good that he's staying active, and if the Indian scene is going to become something, it will take fighters like Sandhu, running up unbeaten records and knocking out domestic foes, to get behind One other bout of note on this card is a clash between Naveen Verma (4-6, 4) and Jaskaran Singh (4-1-1). On paper this is a weird one, and one that’s hard to call, despite the very different records of the two men. Verma is the more well known man, having fought Mitsuro Brandon Tajima in Japan, and is the naturally bigger fighter, and we mean a lot bigger naturally than Singh. Despite that he has lost his last 5, and been stopped in 4 of those 5 losses, with all the stoppages coming in the first round. Singh is in much better form, but he fought at Lightweight just 3 fights ago, and will now be competing at Cruiserweight, in what is a crazy increase in weight. The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, USA Over in the US 39 year old US based Uzbekistani fighter Ravshan Hudaynazarov (19-5, 14) will be looking to return to the ring with a win, after more than 2 years out of action, as he takes on the unbeaten Jordan Panthen (7-0, 6). Hudaynazarov has shown some promise in the past but he has gone 2-5 in his last 7, dating back to 2018, and prior to that bad form he has been out of the ring for 4 years, making him 2-5 in the last 10 years! His career promised a fair bit but really has been wasted potential. As for Panthen he has looked dangerous, promising, heavy handed and even at this early stage of his career is one to keep an eye on. Aged 27 he will need to begin stepping up soon, but a win over Cameron Krael in just his 6th bout showed there was something there, and his team have got a promising fighter on their hands. 36ers Arena, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
This coming Wednesday attention will turn to Australia for an interesting card featuring former world champion Jamel Herring and the debut of Alex Leapai Jr, the son of former world Heavyweight title challenger Alex Leapai. Whilst the card is certainly an interesting one, the interest for us is one of the supporting bouts, which will see Korean fighter In Duck Seo (15-3-2, 8) take on fun to watch Aussie fighter Jack Brubaker (17-5-2, 8) in a scheduled 8 rounder. A few years ago Seo looked like one of the top prospects in South Korea, and he was 12-1-2 in the summer of 2019. Sadly for him he has since gone 2-3 and has only fought once since the start of 2022, losing any momentum his career once had. Despite that he'll know a win here could give his career a big boost, and we expected to see that last time he was in Australia as he scored a major upset of Tysinn Best, but sadly suffered back to back losses straight after that loss. As for Brubaker, he is a former OPBF champion at 147lbs who defended the belt 3 times, but in recent years his career has really hit the brakes, losing 3 of his last 4, including stoppage losses to both Tim and Nikita Tszyu. Given his recent results it’s hard to know what the 32 year old Brubaker has left in the tank, but at his prime he’d have been strongly favoured against Seo. This version of Brubaker however is a real toss up, and given the styles of the men involved, this could be a genuine show stealer. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
The main event of the card will see Fumiya Fuse (13-3, 2) and Taichi Sugimoto (10-1-3, 1) battle for the vacant Japanese Bantamweight title. Both men are talented, but light punching, with just 3 stoppages between their 23 wins, and should make for a really intriguing match up, with both being very overlooked. Fuse is the more well known of the two, Since turning professional in 2017 he has won Rookie of the Year and the Japanese Youth Bantamweight title, and is known internationally for his 2022 clash with Sam Goodman, officially scoring a knockdown against Goodman in round 3 of their clash. Sugimoto also turned professional in 2017, but hasn't really made the impact of Fuse, with his most notable bouts being a draw with Tom Mizokoshi and a draw against Daichi Hirai. This should be very much a high speed chess match early on, but we expect this will break down into something of a grueling war later on. For those curious, the Japanese Bantamweight title became vacant when Seiya Tsutsumi vacated the belt, following his tragic December win over Kazuki Anaguchi. In the chief support bout we’ll see former amateut standout Madoka Wada (0-0) begin her professional career, and do so in an A Class bout, reportedly becoming the first Japanese female fighter to do so. Wadsa, one of the best Japanese amateur female fighters ever, will be up against Thai visitor Pimchanok Thepjanda (8-4, 5), in what looks like a decent debut match up. The 20 year old Thepjanda has been a professional since August 2022, and has been busy, but also suffered losses in her most notable bouts, including a TKO loss to Sumire Yamanaka in 2023 and a loss last time out to Gabriela Timar in Switzerland. Wada should win this without any issues, but it will be interesting to see if she can take out Thepjanda quicker than Yamanaka did, and whether her team will be happy to fast track her, which given her pedigree they really should do. Wada isn't the only notable novice on this card facing a Thai visitor, as Kosei Nogami (1-0, 1) takes on Sakda Langkabam (8-2, 6). The talented Nogami went 49-18 in the unpaid ranks and looked destructive in his debut, last July. In just his second bout he is already fighting in 8 rounders and we suspect he'll be in the domestic title picture within 2 years. As for the visitor he has been stopped in both of his losses, and we wouldn't be surprised at all if he fails to see the final bell here. In another 8 round bout, this time at Flyweight, Kanta Yamauchi (9-3-1, 6) will face off with Kenshi Noda (3-3, 2). Yamauchi comes into this on the back of 6 straight wins, and has rebuilt brilliantly since a 2021 loss to Kanamu Sakama, though many of those wins have come against lesser fighters and this is a credible step up in class. Noda, although his record suggests a limited fighter, is a genuine talent and might well be the best 3-3 fighter in the sport, with losses to Toshiki Kawamitsu and Yuga Ozaki marking his record. We expect this one to be a hotly contested fight, though do suspect Yamauachi being the naturally bigger man, will be favoured here in what could be something of a gem on this card. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Monday isn’t a hugely busy day in boxing, but there is some action to look forward to coming from Korakuen Hall, with a 6 fight show from Kawasaki Nitta gym. The real bout of note to look out for on this card is an 8n round Bantamweight bout, which will pit the touted unbeaten Japanese fighter Reo Nishioka (2-0, 1) against unbeaten Thai visitor Weerawat Noolae (3-0, 2). As an amateur Nishioka went 53-15 and is regarded as the best prospect at the Nitta Kawasaki Gym, and he's expected to be moved very rapidly through the ranks, after having a few bouts to adjust to the professional ranks. A win here would likely be his last against novice imports, with his team likely to be matching him against much more solid imported fighters, or even domestic foes. As for Noolae the 21 year old Thai debuted in December, and has yet to face a fighter with a professional win. He has got an 8 rounder under his belt, having gone 8 with As an amateur Nishioka went 53-15 and is regarded as the best prospect at the Nitta Kawasaki Gym, and he's expected to be moved in January, but this is a massive step up for him and his first bout outside of Thailand. We get the only title fight of the show in the main support bout, as veteran Kimika Miyoshi (17-14-2, 6) defends the Japanese female Featherweight title against Akane Fujiwara (5-3-1, 2) in the second bout between the women. Back in June 2022 these two fought to a draw, with Miyohsi retaining her title. Since then she has gone 1-1, and at 40 years old is certainly winding down her career. As for Fujiwara, who herself is 36, she has lost both of her fights since the draw with Miyoshi, with both of those coming in regional title fights at 122lbs, but will know this is likely to be her last chance to pick up some silverware, with time ticking down on her professional career. A rather notable under-card bout will see Yui Oikawa (7-6, 4) and a lengthy break from the sport, as he takes on Atsuyuki Sato (7-5-2, 4). Oikawa was once seen as something of a potential domestic contender in Japan, but in 2019 he essentially hung them up, following 3 straight losses in, and it seemed like his career was over. It now appears he is going to give it one last shot, and has been matched in a 6 rounder here, his first 6 rounder in more than 6 years.As for Sato he has lost his last 2 inside the distance, and is almost 2 years removed from his last win, which came against the very limited Tomohiro Tsunoda. A fourth bout of some interest on this show will see veteran Ken Achiwa (12-16-6, 4), as he takes on Yoshikoi Shiina (5-4), in what will be Achichiwa's first bout since June 2021, when he lost a decision to Tsubasa Murachi, and he will be looking for his first win since June 2019. In fact that 2019 win for Achiwa is the only win in the last8 bouts for Achiwa who is 1-5-2 dating back to November 2016. As for Shiina he has had very mixed results recently, going 2-2 in his last 4, and has been fighting at a very, very low level. We do wonder if this bout has been set up to allow Achiwa an easy win, and to end his career with a victory, before bowing out of the sport at the the age of 37. For those wanting to watch this card, it will be available on tape at the following link: https://easy-ticket.live/watch.php?id=1698830911 October 23rd-Notable names in action in Philippines, 15 year old looks to claim title in Thailand10/20/2022 The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines
The main show this coming Sunday is in the Philippines, where we see two notable Filipino hopefuls in action, along with a veteran. The most notable bout on the card will see Charly Suarez (12-0, 7) take on Carlo Magali (25-13-3, 13) in a bout for the unified GAB and WBA Asia Featherweight titles. The 34 year old Suarez is a real talented, and it's a shame, in many ways, that he didn't begin his professional journey until 2019, which was way too late and then he essentially saw his career stall due to the pandemic. Since turning professional he has looked class, but is running out of time to make a big impact. As for Magali he is a former OPBF champion and is better than his record suggests but has gone 2-4 in his last 6 and is without a fight since 2019, suggesting his hunger for an upset here might not be what it was just a few years ago. Unbeaten puncher Weljon Mindoro (8-0, 8) will be looking to continue his current and score a 9th straight stoppage as he takes on Junjesie Ibgos (13-6, 11). On paper this looks a good test for Mindoro, however Ibgos has been stopped in his last 3, and 4 of his last 5, and is with out a win in over 4 years. The 22 year old Mindoro is one to watch, and someone to keep a close eye on over the coming years, but we would like to see him begin to face international opponents in the next 12-18 months, rather than continue against fellow Filipino fighters. One other fight worth of attention sees veteran fighter Mark John Yap (30-17, 15) fight for the 48th time as a professional, as he takes on Junior Kauko Raka (2-1, 2) from Papua New Guinea. Raka scored a notable win over Allan Vallespin on debut but was beaten by Roldan Aldea last time out. As for Yap he's one of those fighters who has been there, fought there and has the T-Shirt, however he has lost his last 4 and 5 of his last 6, and it's unclear how badly he wants to win fights now a days, with his last win coming in March 2019. Yuto Sogo Gym, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan In Japan we get a small card packed with 4 rounders. Hard to say much about this card, but from the 14 fighters scheduled for the show, there are 6 debutants. Notably the most experienced fighter on the card is 28 year old Masami Moriizumi (5-11-1, 4), who takes on Masashi Tokihiro (1-3-2, 1). Moriizumi has a bizarre record that saw him going 5-0-1 (4) to begin his career, before losing 11 in a row and is now without a win since 2013. Tokihiro on the other hand won his debut, but has gone win-less in his 5 fights since then. Rangsit International Stadium, Rangsit Over in Thailand we have a very notable bout as Saowaluk Nareepangsri (13-19, 6) clashes with Kullathida Kueasanor (3-0, 2) in a bout for the vacant Thai Female Light Flyweight title. Aged 28 the experienced Saowaluk has faced a bit of a who's who including Kayoko Ebata, Masae Akitaya, Ayaka Miyao, Cherneka Johnson and Hee Jung Yuh, however she has picked up a loss every time she's fought anyone of note. Aged 15 Kullathida is a boxing baby, but a win here would make her one of the youngest title holders in world boxing, and give her career a huge shot at such an early stage. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Saturday attention turns to Korkuen Hall for an interesting card under a join A-Sign and Dangan banner. The card features a number of notable names, and whilst none of the matches look like certified bangers, they should provide good action. The main event will see former world title challenger Shingo Wake (28-7-2, 20) take on Mugicha Nakagawa (24-9-2, 14). For Wake the bout serves as his second since a a 2021 loss to Takuma Inoue, and he will be looking to secure another victory here and move towards having one more run at the domestic or regional title scene. Although 35 Wake is still a very capable fighter and the talented, sharp shooting southpaw will feel he can still mix with the top domestic level fighters. As for Nakagawa the once promising fighter is now 0-4-1 in his last 5, he's not scored a win since 2018, and his career seems to be coming towards an under-whelming end. He did get some attention this year, prior to a very ugly fight with Ryo Akaho, and it's likely that this will be one of his final bouts. In a really interesting match up we'll see former Japanese 140lb champion Masahiro Suzuki (6-1, 4) look to bounce back from a recent loss to Shu Utsuki as he takes on Tetsuya Kondo (6-6, 4). On paper this is a mismatch, however the loss to Utsuki was a hard painful one and it's fair to say that Suzuki probably is well off getting something of a gimmie here. That loss came after a very close win over Seiryu Toshikawa and it's hard to know whether he really still have the hunger he showed in his title victory over Daishi Nagata. Coming in to this with 4 straight losses Kondo won't be given much of a shot, but his losses have come to decent domestic fighters, including Takeru Kobata, Kaiki Yuba and Daishi Nagata, and he could genuinely be a decent challenge for Suzuki. Another bout of note will be a rematch, as Hironori Shigeta (8-2-1, 5) and Shoki Sakai (26-13-2, 14) face off for the second time. These two clashed in 2020, in what was Sakai's Japanese debut, in what was a very fan friendly bout, and we're expecting another really fun one here between two fighters who have solid power, good engines and styles that gel well. We suspect Sakai's extra experience and know how will be the difference, as it was in their first bout, but this should still be a really fun one to watch. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Thursday we turn our attention to Korakeun Hall for a mouth watering card from Dangan. The show is headlined by a Japanese title fight, and also features two very solid under-card bouts. The main event of the show will see Japanese Bantamweight champion Seiya Tsutsumi (6-0-2, 5) make his first defense, as he takes on Kenshin Oshima (7-2-1, 3). The hard hitting Tsutsumi won the title earlier this year, when he stopped Kyosuke Sawada, finally getting a big win after controversial draws against Kazuki Nakajima and Daigo Higa. The hope for him is that he can retain his title here and move on to bigger and better things, including potential regional title fights or even world title bouts, further down the line. As for Oshima this is his second shot at the "cursed title", following a technical decision loss to Sawada for the belt back in February. Oshima is a talented fighter, and does have good technical skills, though he can be made to look wild at times and we do wonder whether he has the power needed to get Tsutusmi's respect. Our preview of this bout can be read here Japanese champion Tsutusmi faces Oshima in first defense In a solid supporting bout the hard hitting Jin Minamide (6-2, 5) will face off with Yuki Yonaha (12-3-1, 8), in what is a very competitive looking match up and a Japanese title eliminator, with the winner set to face the winner of the main event next year. Heading into the bout Minamide is ranked #1 by the JBC and is coming in to the bout on the back of TKO wins over Kiyohei Endo and Takeshi Takehara. Despite those wins it is worth noting he has been stopped twice. Yonaha on the other hand is ranked #2 by the JBC and is unbeaten in his last 6, with notable wins against Shota Kawaguchi and Motoki Osanai. He has momentum and form coming into this, but he was stopped the last time he was in with an aggressive puncher, though that was way back in 2016. Another great supporting bout will see fast rising Japanese hopeful Jukiya Iimura (3-0, 1) take on Filipino visitor Esneth Domingo (16-2, 8), in a solid step up for the unbeaten Japanese youngster. Coming in to the bout Iimura looks to be a very skilled fighter, but one who does need to have a still test before moving towards regional title fights. Whilst Domingo isn't an OPBF title level fighter, he isn't far from that level and he should serve as something of a gatekeeper to that level. A win for Iimura is likely to see him move into title bouts within 2 or 3 fights, but this is certainly not a gimmie Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
At Korakuen Hall this coming Tuesday we get a small, yet notable, card thanks to Kawasaki Nitta Gym. The main event of the bout will be the rubber bout between Kimika Miyoshi (16-13-2, 6) and Yoshie Wakasa (7-3, 2), who are fighting for the Japanese Featherweight title. In their first bout Miyoshi lost the belt to Wakasa, in 2020, but reclaimed the belt with a win in their rematch earlier this year. Coming into this third bout between the two women it seems clear that neither are going to be winning world titles, but against each other they have proven to be well matched, and it's always better to see competitive bouts that seeing total mismatches. Notably Miyoshi is 38 and her career will be coming to an end, but she might still have enough in the tank here to retain her title and win the series with the 4 year old Wakasa. Our preview of this bout can be read here Miyoshi Vs Wakasa III - The Rubber Match In a supporting bout we'll see Shunsuke Isa (9-5-1, 1) risk his regional WBO ranking as he takes on Naoki Morooka (6-6, 3). The 24 year old Isa is a former Japanese Youth champion and is certainly no push over, though he was surprisingly taken out inside a minute last time out by Yuni Takada, in what was the third bout between the two, and it'll be interesting to see how he looks following that loss. As for Marooka his record looks poor, but the 29 year old has been matched pretty hard, with 2 losses to Tsubasa Koura, but he has won his last 2 and does have momentum coming in to this bout. In a notable under-card fight we'll see two notable former amateurs face off as Junki Shirasaki (1-1) tries to bounce back from a loss, in June, to Yudai Murakami. As an amateur Shirasaki went 33-25 (3) and was notable on the domestic scene, and will feel he can get back to winning ways here. In the opposite corner to Shirasaki will be the debuting Gaito Sakakino (0-0), who went 21-13 in the unpaid ranks, and is tipped highly to be another stand out from the Kadoebi Gym. The 23 year old has real talent, but is being thrown in tough here on debut. |
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