Macao, China To begin the Chinese new year we get the first of two shows at the Cotai Arena in Macao, with the second set to be held on January 30th. In the main event we'll see IBF Super Flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas (25-1-1, 19) make his first defense as he takes on Mexican veteran Jose Alfredo Rodriguez (32-4, 19), who is best known for losing to Kazuto Ioka on a New Year's Eve show and to Milan Melindo the following year. For Ancajas it's a bout that should be an easy first defense,but in many ways it's also a chance for him to return to Macau, where he has fought twice before, earn some money following a paltry purse for his title win, and potentially move towards some bigger and better fights in 2017. For Rodriguez the bout is a huge opportunity to win a world title, but he'll be the clear under-dog for the bout, and it's hard to see what he has to really test Ancajas. In a supporting bout we see unbeaten Heavyweights collide as Frenchman Raphael Tronche (8-0, 4) takes on touted Romanian Bogdan Dinu (16-0, 12) for the IBF Inter-Continental Heavyweight title. Although not a star Dinu has the potential to become a force on the Heavyweight scene and a win here could see the talented Romanian move into the IBF world rankings and give his career a huge shot in the arm. Troche is a real unknown and this will be a huge step up for him, and his first fight above the French domestic scene. Another supporting Heavyweight bout will see Carlos Takam (33-3-1, 25) face off with Marcin Rekowski (17-4, 4) in what should be a straight forward win for the under-rated Frenchman. The 39 Rekowski has lost 3 of his last 4 and although he holds wins over Danny Williams and Oliver McCall both of those wins came against fighters well beyond their best. Metro Manila, Philippines There will also be a show in the Philippines, although a small card it does have some people of note on it. The most notable fighter on the card is Argie Toquero (11-5-2, 8), who is looking to secure his third win since his controversial 2016 loss to Rikki Naito in Kanagawa. In the opposite corner to Toquero will be veteran Danilo Pena (27-26-4, 11). Although Toquero is is far from a world class prospect he is a handful and should easily see off Pena. In a supporting bout Jonel Dapidran (7-1, 4) will be looking to bounce back from his first professional loss. Dapidran will be up against Jesson Inso (9-6-1, 3) and should be strongly favoured here, despite the 19 year old being beaten last time our by the unheralded Richard Morales back in October. Another once beaten teenager on this show is Cris Ocano (7-1-1, 5), who will be taking on the limited Roy Lagrada (3-14-1, 3) in a 6 rounder. Ocano should be more than good enough to over-come Lagrada, who has lost his last 8 in a row. Imphal, India The growth of Indian boxing continues this coming Sunday as we get a show in Imphal. In the main event fans will see the unbeaten Siddharth Ravindra Varma (3-0) battle with the debuting Jaganathan (0-0). The rest of the card sees local debutants taking on limited visitors, but shows the clear growth behind Indian boxing as we go forward.
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Cavite, Philippines The most notable bout of the day, at least in Asian circles, sees once beaten Filipino fighter Jerwin Ancajas (24-1-1, 16) getting his long await world title shot against the unbeaten IBF Super Flyweight champion McJoe Arroyo (17-0, 8). Arroyo won the title in 2015, taking a debatable decision over Filipino Arthur Villanueva in a very forgettable bout, but has been inactive since with hand issues. For Ancajas, who has been waiting for his shot, this has been a long wait and he'll be raring to go at the man who has pretty much froze his career for 6 months. Metro Manila, Philippines As well as the Ancajas/Arroyo bout we have more action in the Philippines with a showcase card in Metro Manila. One of the being show cased is the unbeaten, third generation fighter, Dave Penalosa (11-0, 8) who puts his unbeaten record on the line against the limited Edison Berwela (13-34-8, 3) in what should be a straight forward win for the grandson of Carl Penalosa, and the son of Dodie Boy Penalosa. Staying with the Penalosa dynasty we'll also see Carlo Caesar Penalosa (5-0, 1) put his unbeaten record on the line against the limited and light hitting Ernie Mino Jr (4-6-2). Like the bout with Dave Penalosa we're next expecting any surprises here. Thankfully the card does have some interesting match ups as well as the show cases. One of those will see once beaten puncher Jeric Potaso (2-1, 2) battle the unbeaten KJ Natuplag (2-0, 2) in a bout that shouldn't be expected to go the distance. Another sees the unbeaten pairing of Claudevan Sese (3-0-2, 1) and John Lawrence Ordonio (4-0-1, 3) face off in arguably the best matched bout of the card. This Saturday is one of the busiest and possibly most memorable days this year for boxing fans around the globe. For us it's a day that feature two major world title bouts and a lot, lot more besides. Aichi, Japan The big show of the day, for us at least, comes from Japan where an impressive record is under threat and we may well be able to crown the next Japanese sensation. That potential sensation is the incredibly talented 19 year Kosei Tanaka (4-0, 2) who looks to claim the WBO Minimumweight title in just his 5th professional bout. In the opposite corner to Tanaka will be once beaten Mexican fighter Julian Yedras (24-1, 13), a decent contender though a man who is seen as being “up against it” here against a potential superstar in the making. Tanaka has been nothing but sensational thus far into his career and a win here would see him setting a Japanese national record for fewest bouts to a world title. A loss would be a serious set back but given his age Tanaka would bounce back. In the chief support bout fans will see unbeaten OPBF and Japanese ranked contender Yushi Tanaka (13-0-3, 9) battle against the brave but limited Mako Matsuyama (7-8-2, 3). Tanaka is slowly working towards a title bout and should come out on top here, though we're unsure just how good he is, or how good he could become. As for Matsuyama we'll never forget his amazingly brave effort against Rex Tso last year and we hope for a similarly exciting bout here, though we're next expecting one even near to the same level. Another supporting bout will see the experienced Shota Hayashi (24-5-1, 15) battle against Yasuyuki Otagaki (5-3-3, 1) in what looks to be a stay busy fight for Hayashi, who hasn't fought this year. Hayashi is ranked by both the OPBF and JBC and this bout seems to be more about shaking off ring rust than anything else. As well as the 3 bouts mentioned this card is scheduled to feature 4 undercard bouts as well. Yucatán, Mexico The second world title fight of the day involving and Asian fighter we'll see Milan Melindo (32-1, 12) challenge hard hitting IBF Light Flyweight champion Javier Mendoza (23-2-1, 19). This is a really tough test for Melindo though he has been up against it in the past and managed to acquit himself well in his only other bout at this level, losing a competitive decision to Flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada. For Mendoza this will be the first defense of the title that he won last year, in a really engaging brawl with Ramon Garcia Hirales, and he won't be wanting to give that title up. We really expect that this one could be something a little bit special México, Mexico Staying in Mexico fans will see Filipino fighter Vergel Nebran (13-8-1, 8) take on former world champion Cristian Mijares (51-8-2, 25). Mijares, once one of the best pure boxers on the planet, is several years removed from his best however he should still be too good, too quick and too skilled for the 25 year old Filipino who has gone 3-5 in his last 8 and is 0-5 outside of the Philippines. Davao del Norte, Philippines Having mentioned a few Filipinos in international action it makes sense to look at what's going on in the Philippines with an interesting looking card coming from General Santos City. The main event here will see Adones Cabalquinto (19-0, 12) defend his Filipino national title against Jonel Gadapan (9-7-2, 5) in what appears to be a complete mismatch in favour of the champion. We do like Cabalquinto but really cannot understand why he's still toiling around at this level rather than being pushed upwards and onwards towards an OPBF title fight. Another notable fighter in action here will be the sensationally talented Jerwin Ancajas (22-1-1, 14) who is fighting a stay busy fight against Juan Purisima (11-7-1, 4). Ancjas has looked brilliant recently and we're hoping to see him fighting at a higher level than this shortly though he has been out of the ring since last November, when he blitzed Fadhili Majiha in Macau. Hopefully a quick win here will allow the “Pretty Boy” to return to action sooner rather than later. Another fighter on this show who has been showcased in Macau is Aston Palicte (17-1, 15). The heavy handed Palicte made an impressive statement when he stopped Ismael Garnica and will be hunting his 8th straight stoppage here as he battles Michael Escobia (10-9-1, 2). Interestingly Escobia has gone the distance with some good fighters, including Froilan Saludar and Masaaki Serie, though he has been stopped thrice. One final name of note on this show will be Drian Francisco (27-2-1, 21) who will be in a genuinely interesting looking match up against Jason Canoy (23-5-2, 17). On paper this is, easily, the stand out bout and although Francisco is more experienced, at least at a higher level, we're not expecting him to just have a walk in the park here. Brilliant match up. Dongducheon, South Korea There is also a card in South Korea, sanctioned by the KBC. This card is certainly not a big one and only features novices though it may still be an interesting card. From what we understand there is no notable name in action as much of the card is focused on debutants. Despite that there should be some good action, including a Welterweight bout between Woo Min Kim (1-0) and Won Suk Lee (0-0-1) who are both risking their unbeaten records. New Dehli, India The most peculiar card of the day comes from New Dehli in India as Brazilian promoter Mike Miranda puts on what is believes to be the first professional boxing show in India since 1952. The card, despite it's historic status, is a weak looking one with the main event being a 12 round bout between Neeraj Goyat (2-2-2) and Nelson Gulpe (8-4, 3) for the lightly regarded WBC Asian Boxing Council Welterweight title. We're not sure what either fighter has done to deserve a title fight but the belt does add some allure to the card. The only other notable fighter in action here is Gurlal Singh (6-0, 6) who fights against Vikas Hooda (0-0). Singh has been based in Thailand fighting under the guidance of South Korean promoter Andy Kim and he'll be hoping to carry on his run in the country of his birth. Texas, USA In Texas fans will see Filipino veteran Juanito Rubillar (49-22-7, 24) battle against former world champion Joseph Agbeko (29-5, 22). The 38 year old Rubillar has seen much better days, in fact he's not fought in more than 18 months and not scored a win in more than 2 years, in fact you need to go back to 2009 to find his second most win. Agbeko might not have scored a win in 2 years but he's a world class fighter and should over-come his Filipino foe. Connecticut, USA Another bout in the US will see Kyrgyzstan's Timur Shailezov (17-9-1, 4) battle against the unbeaten Nate Green (7-0, 2) in a tough looking 6 round for the 35 year old from Bishek. Shailezov has won just 1 of his last 8 and we're not expecting him to pick up the win here, though he has scored an occasional upset in the past. Queensland, Australia In Australia fans will see Filipino journeyman Fernando Ocon (13-8-1, 5) battle against Jason Cooper (13-2-1, 7) in a contest for the WBA Oceania Super Bantamweight title. It's a tough ask to see Ocon coming back with the win here but it's a good opportunity for the well traveled Filipino. (Image courtesy of Kosei Tanaka's blog) We have two shows this Sunday, local time, in Asia with one of those boxing a huge, monster show with one of the biggest names in the sport. Macau The biggest show of the day for almost every boxing fan is in Macau where Bob Arum's Top Rank Promotions returns for another huge show with some of the biggest names in Asian boxing and some genuinely compelling match ups. The main event, as is often the case, is the main talking point as Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38) risks his WBO Welterweight title against unbeaten American Chris Algieri (20-0, 8). For Pacquiao this will be the first defence of the title he regained when he defeated Timothy Bradley earleir this year, following a highly controversial loss to Bradley in 2012. As for Algieri this is a chance to continue an unlikely rise to stardom which is all the more shocking considering his lack of power. Pacquiao is of course one of the biggest names in world boxing and he is strongly favoured to retain his belt here though will need to over-come a notable size disadvantage to defeat the gutsy Algieri who really shocked many when he defeated Ruslan Provodnikov earlier this year. In a second world title bout fans will see Thailand's experienced Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo (52-1, 33) attempt to claim the WBO Featherweight title from former amateur sensation Vasyl Lomachenko (2-1, 1). Lomachenko will be defending the belt he won earlier this year when he defeated the previously undefeated Gary Russell Jr and we suspect the talented Ukrainian will just have too much of everything for the experienced but limited Thai, who is of course best known for his loss to Chris John in his only previous world title bout. On paper this looks like a very odd contest given the huge gulf in professional experience but in reality the gulf in in skills and not experience. A third world title bout on this show will see the controversial Jessie Vargas (25-0, 9) defending his WBA Light Welterweight title against former Lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco (31-3-1, 23). Vargas always appears to get the rub of the green in close fights and we wouldn't be shocked if he did the same here however this will be his first bout outside of the US and DeMarco is as gutsy as they come, as seen memorably in his bouts with Edwin Valero and Jorge Linares. This could be the most competitive contest on the show even if there is no Asian involved in the bout. Yet another 12 rounder on this show will pit unbeaten fighters together as China's former amateur sensation-turn professional hopeful Zou Shiming (5-0, 1) risks his perfect record against Thailand's Kwanpichit OnesongchaiGym (27-0-2, 12). On paper this is one of the most compelling bouts on the show though we do suspect that Shiming will end up having a relatively easy time with his Thai opponent. Kwanpichit is world ranked by 3 of the big 4 organisations however we are in the "he's lucky to be unbeaten" camp having seen him narrowly escape an opening round defeat to Ben Mananquil in 2013 in a bout that could so easily have been stopped, and having narrowly taken a decision over the limited Jay-Ar Estremos earlier this year. Shiming might not be as good as advertised but he really should have more than enough to see off Kwanpichit who has feasted on smaller and less experienced men throughout his career so far. This is a must win for Shiming but if he loses then he isn't going to be good enough to ever win a world title. On the under-card we have 4 bouts that we rather like the look of, for one reason or another. One of those will see the exciting Jerwin Ancajas (21-1-1, 13) take on the tough Fadhili Majiha (15-5-4, 7) in an 8 round bout. Ancajas impressed on his Macau debut s he blew away Inthanon Sithchamuang however he'll be expecting a much, much more competitive contest here with Majiha having proven his toughness in recent decison losses to Marlon Tapes and Pungluang Sor Singyu with the Punglunag bout being a surprisingly competitive one. In another under-card bout the always entertaining Rex Tso (14-0, 9) battles late fill in Espinos Sabu (11-2-1, 5) who has taken the fight on short notice after Kenta Okumura was forced to pull out with a hand injury. Tso is one of the sports more exciting fighters but unfortunately the popular Hong Kong fighter is somewhat limited and we suspect that he will find his level sooner rather than later. With that said, the tough Sabu is unlikely to be the one who does take the unbeaten record of Tso. It wouldn't be the biggest upset of the year if Sabu won but it would be somewhat a shock. In 6 round action fans will see Chinese Light Heavyweight hopeful Qu Peng (6-0-1, 4) fight against Andrew Robinson (3-2, 2) in what looks like a step up for Peng. Also in another 6 rounder is the popular Kuok Kun Ng (5-0, 2) who faces fellow unbeaten Steve Attard (5-0-2, 2). We'll admit we like Ng, a lot, and view him as potentially the best of the emerging Chinese novices and if he's as good as we think he should come out on top here. Aichi, Japan Their is only one show in Japan this Sunday as Hatanaka put on one of their “Soul Fighting” cards which will be shown, at some point, on CBC TV in Japan, which we've been informed is a regional channel so fans likely won't be able to find this one available for streams. The main event here is a WBC Youth Bantamweight title bout as the unbeaten Yushi Tanaka (12-0-3, 8) looks to make the third defense of his belt. Unfortunately for fans, and Tanaka, this defense looks like a mismatch as the promising Japanese youngster battles against Indonesian visitor Rendi Stone (3-2-1, 2) in what looks like a huge step backwards for Tanaka following recent wins over Vergel Nebran and John Bajawa. Whilst Stone does enter this bout on a trio of wins we do wonder several things about him, including what his complete record looks like as we have real doubts that he is “only” 3-2-1 (2) considering his career began back in 2006. In the chief support bout Shota Hayashi (23-5-1, 15), the #7 ranked Japanese Featherweight, will be fighting against experienced but limited Indonesian fighter Jason Butar Butar (16-14-1, 12). Hayashi will enter this bout on a 9 fight unbeaten streak, including 4 successive stoppages, and will know that if he can continue running up wins he can move towards a title fight of some kind. Butar Butar may be a recognisable name for some fans who may remember his loss, in Macau, to Harmonito Dela Torre, and sadly for the Indonesian fighter he is better known for his losses than his wins and is 0-8-1 on the road. Sanaa, Yemen In Yemen we see a collision of unbeaten fighters as Muhammad Harazi (4-0, 1) battles against Hasan Dhubaibi (1-0, 1) in a bout for the Yemeni Minimumweight Title. The title will be defended by the 16 year old Harazi who won the belt with a 12 round decision ove Ali Rafik in October and it would seem plausible that the winner here will be looking for a big domestic show down with Ali Raymi. (Image courtesy of Boxmob.jp) November 22nd-Takashi Miura, Roman Gonzalez, Rocky Fuentes and Hidenori Otake all in title action!11/19/2014 This Saturday is a busy one with 2 major cards featuring Asian fighters in world title bouts. It may not be the busiest day of the year but it is certainly one of the most interesting. Tokyo, Japan As well as the Macau show we are also looking forward to a Japanese show promoted by Japanese promotional power house Teiken promotions who are putting on a small, 8 bout, card though one that features several very interesting looking contests including 2 world title bouts. Prior to the world title action fans will get the chance to see the world ranked Ryo Akaho (24-1-2, 16) battle against recent world title challenger Antonio Tostado Garcia (14-3, 6). Akaho isn't one of the sports most talented fighters but he is certainly entertaining and with his power we suspect he'll stop Garcia in the middle rounds of the bout, if not earlier. The first of the two world title fights will see Nicaraguan sensation Roman Gonzalez (40-0, 34) make the first defense of his WBC Flyweight title. Gonzalez, one of the sports most impressive fighters, will be battling against tough Filipino Rocky Fuentes (35-7-2, 20) in what looks likely to be a very entertaining bout though one that Gonzalez has to be favoured in, especially considering the way he won the title back in September by stopping Akira Yaegashi. The other world title bout on this show will see the heavy handed Takashi Miura (27-2-2, 20) defending his WBC Super Featherweight title in a mandatory defence of his belt against heavy handed Mexican slugger Edgar Puerta (23-4-1, 19) in what could potentially be a FOTY contender. Miura is earning himself a reputation as a Mexcutioner after 3 successive wins over Mexican foes, including his thrilling win over Sergio Thompson, and he'll be hoping to extend that run as he takes on a fighter who is similar to him in terms mentality in the ring. Expect this one to be violent and highly exciting as long as it lasts. Liverpool, England The final world title bout involving an Asian fighter comes from the United Kingdom as former Japanese Super Bantamweight champion Hidenori Otake (22-1-3, 9) battles the unbeaten Scott Quigg (29-0-2, 22) in a bout for the WBA Super Bantamweight title. When this bout was signed Otake was unranked by the WBA, though he is now ranked #9 rather mysteriously. Otake is seen as a huge under-dog and with good reason considering his best wins are against domestic opponents and with that in mind we'd be shocked to see win, though like the two title bouts in Japan this should be entertaining as long as it lasts due to the styles of the men involved. (Image courtesy of Boxmob.jp) This coming Saturday is one of the weakest for boxing in months. Despite that Filipino fans do have something to look forward to with two separate shows. Metro Manila, Philippines The lesser of the two shows is the Elorde promoted show in Metro Manilla which features a number of "name" fighters but little in terms of solid match ups. The main event here will experienced Filipino Dennis Laurente (47-5-5, 28) battling against Indonesian Elly Pangaribuan (3-3, 1). Laurente will be defending his WBC Asian Boxing Council Light Middleweight title and should retain his belt relatively easily against Pangaribuan. Although we believe the Indonesian's record is incomplete he didn't look particularly good last year when he fought Nobuhiro Ishida and was stopped in 2 rounds by the Japanese fighter. The two chief support bouts on this show will be the Elorde brothers and sadly they are in equally as one-sided bouts against Indonesian visitors. At Featherweight Juan Miguel Elorde (15-1, 7) will be battling the "win-less" Paulus Baransano (0-3) whilst Juan Martin Elorde (15-1-1, 7) will be battling against Juniston Simbolon (7-11-1, 3). Again we don't believe the Indonesian's have "complete" records on boxrec but we also don't suspect that either Elorde will struggle. The most interesting of the bouts on this show will see unbeaten teenager Giemel Magramo (10-0, 7) battling against Filipino journeyman Jovel Romasasa (10-14, 4). Magramo, aged 19, looks like one of the most exciting prospects in the Philippines and has shown some great body shots so far, hopefully he can advance his skill to become more than just a prospect. Davao del Sur, Philippines The other Filipino card looks to be much more exciting on paper. One of the main bouts here will see the very promising Jerwin Ancajas (20-1-1, 12) fighting against the limited Yokthong KKP (15-4, 11). Ancajas is great fun to watch with his speed and combinations and should make very light work of Yokthong, who is of course the only man to be stopped by Zou Shiming so far in Shiming's career. It's a shame that Ancajas isn't fighting at a higher level but it's still great to see him being active and this is his 5th fight in less than 12 months. Another fighter who should be in harder than he is is Filipino GAB Light Welterweight champion Adones Cabalquinto (16-0, 9) who will be fighting in a non-title fight against the limited Elmer Legaria (13-7, 4). Where not sure what Cabalquinto is really doing with his career but it's time he stepped up rather than continued fighting this domestic level of opposition. Perhaps, if Cabalquinto wins, he looks again at an OPBF title fight with Keita Obara or even a clash with someone like Min Wook Kim or Ja Ik Goo. Though of course those bouts might be too dangerous for the once promising Filipino. Another promising Filipino on the same card will be the unbeaten "Golden Boy" Jack Tepora (10-0, 6) who will be fighting against Michael Escobia (10-7-1, 2). Aged 24 Tepora is thought to be one of the best prospects in the Philippines and will hopefully come good in coming fights however, like Cabalquinto, he will need to step up notably over the next year or two if he's to ever reach the heady heights expected of him. One more prospect, on what looks to be a very deep undercard, will be Joneil Dapidran Pacquiao (4-0, 2) who will be hoping to extend his winning run as he takes on the light punching Gabby Siempo (5-4-1, 1). It's hard to see Siempo winning here but it's also hard to tell just how good Pacquiao is and how much of his attention is due to his surname. (Image courtesy of Powcast.net) In boxing some days are bigger than others, some fights more significant and some shows more attention grabbing than others. This Saturday, the Saturday closest to Cinco de Mayo, is one such day and is a day that has almost become synonymous with undefeated American Floyd "Money" Mayweather. Mayweather is such a big draw that all boxing pales in insignificance to him and we're well aware of that, however that doesn't mean that there are no fights in Asia on the same day. In fact the day it littered with Asian fighters fighting in bouts of widely differing significance. Of course none are close to what Mayweather has in store against Argentina's Marcos Maidana but all have their own significance. Cebu, Philippines The most important card in Asia is, easily, the on in Cebu which features not only the most important fight of the day but also two very highly tipped prospects. It's the sort of card that, were it happening else where on the planet, it would be given some notable attention. The fact it's in the Philippines and on "Mayday" however has seen it relegated to being little more than a regional card. The show's lesser experienced prospect will be Jack "The Golden Boy" Tepora (9-0, 5). Tepora is a former amateur stand out, his nickname coming from his amateur successes. He now looks to turn amateur success into professional success as he battles Jo-as Apericio (11-11, 8) for the lightly regarded WBF International Super Bantamweight title. The belt might be as insignificant as the belt you wear to work though it'll be Tepora's first professional title fight and that experience seems to be the key. Tepora isn't the only unbeaten prospect looking for his first taste of gold as compatriot Harmonito Dela Torre (12-0, 7) attempts to pick up the WBF international Super Featherweight title. Dela Torre, known as "El Huracan de Gensan" looked sensational in stopping Indonesia's Yakobus Heluka in February in Macau and will be hoping for a similar showing when he takes on Gadwin Tubigon (10-8-2, 5). If Dela Torre performs as well as we know he can he shouldn't struggle, in the slightest, with Tubigon. The main event of this show, and easily the most significant yet least exciting, is the IBF Light Flyweight title fight between defending champion Johnriel Casimero (19-2, 11) and the very undeserving Mauricio Fuentes (16-2, 10). We've no idea why, or how, Fuentes has gotten a world title bout but we can't help but think he's on to a hiding to nothing here. It's awful from the IBF to allow this fight and we hope that standards will rise, significantly, in Casimero's next defence. Davao del Sur, Philippines The Cebu show isn't the only one in the Philippines and we also have one in Davao del Sur. Interestingly this show is headlined by a man show shared the last Macau card with Harmonito Dela Torre and impressed just as much as Dela Torre. That man was the once beaten Jerwin Ancajas (19-1-1, 11) who stopped a mismatched Thai in very eye catching fashion on that show. Ancajas will be looking for win #20 when he takes on another Thai opponent in the form of Petchwanchai Sor Visetkit (14-6, 6) and in all honesty we cannot see any way in which Ancajas loses this one. Ancajas impresses us and we really see this as a formality. Tokyo, Japan It's not just the Philippines that are hosting cards on "Mayday" but also Japan which has two separate cards. The most significant of those is in Tokyo where we get "Dangan 100". The show doesn't have a "stand bout" but instead it has 4 very interesting match ups that are a little bit more interesting than you'd get on a typical domestic card. One of those 4 bouts will see unbeaten fighters colliding as Japanese based Filipino Johnreil Maligro (10-0, 8), otherwise known as Jun Sakura, battles against Tatsuya Yanagi (10-0, 4) in a very interesting bout. Neither man is ranked, such is the the strength in the Super Featherweight division in Japan, but both know that a win could help them in to the top 15. The least interesting of the 4 notable match ups is a contest between former Japanese Super Bantamweight champion Masaaki Serie (24-6, 10) and the visiting Filipino Michael Escobia (10-6-1, 2). Both are ranked by their relevant domestic organisation but we can't help but think that this should be a walk over for Serie if he's still even half the fighter he once way. Interestingly another of those 4 contests features Rikiya Fukuhara (28-7-1, 20), who beat Serie last time out. Fukuhara also a former Japanese Super Bantamweight champion and like Serie he'll be expected to pick up a win as he battles visiting Filipino Jaderes Padua (9-3-1, 6). This does, like the Serie fight, look a mismatch. At 35 years old however Fukuhara is windin gdown his career and has lost 4 of his last 8. The remaining bout of note looks like one of the most even of the day as Ryuta Otsuka (13-6-2, 3) faces Yosuke Fujihara (14-2, 4). This bout isn't the best on paper, nor does it contain a fighter of real significance but Otsuka holds a notable ranking with the JBC whilst Fujihara has run current Japanese current Japanese Bantamweight champion Kentaro Masuda very close. This should very competitive. Osaka, Japan The second Japanese bout is in Osaka as former OPBF Featherweight champion Hiroshige Osawa (24-3-4, 13) battles against the seemingly over-matched Kosuke Saka (8-2, 5). Saka himself is a good fighter but we do think he's in a bit deep here against a very good fighter. Maybe isSaka had another 5 bouts under his belt he'd be ready for one like this but for now we feel it's a bit too soon for him. (Image, the poster from "Dangan 100", courtesy of Danganboxing and boxmob.jp) |
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