April 12th

2016-Japanese Super Middleweight Shintaro Matsumoto scored his career defining victory as he claimed the OPBF Super Middleweight title and over-came Yuzo Kiyota in their third bout. Kiyota, who had fought for the WBO world title in Germany in 2013, had stopped Matsumoto in their first two meeting but this would be third time looking for Matsumoto as he took a technical decision. Sadly for Matsumoto he would lost the title just 6 months later to Jayde Mitchell in his first defense.

2014-Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao had controversially been beaten by Timothy Bradley in 2012, losing the WBO Welterweight title to the American. The two men would have their first rematch on this day in 2014 with Pacquiao taking the clear decision to reclaim the WBO title title and set the record straight. The two men would later have a rubber match, with Pacquiao defeating Bradley a second time in 2016 to win their 3 fight series 2-1, though many felt like he had won all 3 bouts.

2013-Once touted as a Chinese fighter to watch Ik Yang always seemed to be a bit of a charismatic enigma in the ring. Interestingly on this day in 2013 he made his US debut, scoring a win over Ivan Zavala. Sadly for Yang he would be best known to American fans at looking like a lost and confused fighter against both Cesar Rene Cuenca in 2015 and Leonardo Zappavigna in 2016 as his career fizzled out in rather disappointing fashion.

2003-Mongolian fighter Lakva Sim made his US debut as he took on, and defeated, Luis Villalta in Florida. This wasn't just Sim's first bout since losing in a WBA Super Featherweight title challenge against Yodsanan Sor Nanathachai but also his US debut. Interestingly Sim would only fight 5 more bouts after this bout, 4 of which took place in the US, including his WBA Lightweight title win the following year against Miguel Callist.

1980-Korean great Chan Hee Park claimed the WBC Flyweight title in 1979 when he upset the legendary Miguel Canto. Although Park's career is best known for his trilogy with Japanese rival Shoji Oguma he did have a pretty notable reign as the world champion. On this day in 1980 he made his 5th, and final successful, defense of the title as he over-came limited Mexican challenger Alberto Morales in Daegu. Sadly for Perk his reign would end only weeks later as he suffered his first of 3 losses to his Japanese nemesis.