A new week begins and looking back over the last 7 days we some good, some bad, and some bloody ugly. It's a week that will last long in the memory of some fans, be forgotten easily by others and really fade into a blur for others. Some fighters really shone, other covered themselves in nothing bis disgrace, and an extra layer of fat. Sometimes this sport does it's self no favours, however in a week like this we really did have more than enough positives to go with the bad.
 
The Good
1-Ryosuke Iwasa put in career best performance
On Saturday night Ryosuke Iwasa put together one of, if not the, most accomplished performance of his career to dismantle former WBO Bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales. Iwasa, who turned professional with expectations, has been inconsistent through out his career but here he really showed what he could do and twice dropped the rugged Tapales. Through the fight Iwasa was busy, accurate, heavy handed and really, really impressed. Too many times in his career he has been focused on his power but this was an all round performance from a fighter who may, finally, have found his recipe for sustained success. Fingers crossed he can replicate this type of performance next time.
 
2-Kosuke Saka steam-rolls Sueyoshi
From one inconsistent fighter to another! Kosuke Saka really showed what he can do as he dominated the usually tricky Masaru Sueyoshi to become a 2-weight Japanese national champion. It was only around 8 months ago that Saka had been stopped in 2 rounds by Joe Noynay, but here he looked fantastic, aggressive, powerful and confident. He pressured Sueyoshi from the opening bell and refused to give Sueyoshi any space before dropping him in round. Saka's performance was the antithesis to how Andy Ruiz Jr fought Anthony Joshua, and showed how a pressure fighter should cut the distance.
 
3-Akhmedov lands a bomb
We have a few great shots this week, but the pick of the bunch was the right hand from hell that Sadriddin Akhmedov landed on Jose Antonio Villalobos. The 21 year old Kazakh really is one of the best prospects in world boxing, and whilst he's not getting much attention, outside of his native Kazakhstan and adoptive Canada, he is going to become a big star in the near future. A knockout like this one is the sort of thing he will be built on when people start putting together a highlight reel of him.

​This past week has certainly not been a banner week for Asian boxing, or boxing in general, but there was more than enough to talk about, and some stuff that was well hidden, hey we're looking at you Korea!

Fighter of the Week
John Riel Casimero (29-4, 20)
Filipino warrior John Riel Casimero has long been a road warrior, a true "had gloves, will travel, and fight anywhere" kind of fighter. Despite being one of the best road warriors in world boxing he has also been a fighter who blows hot and cold. When he's on fire he is excellent, but as we saw against Jonas Sultan in 2017 he can also turn up and not care about what happens in the ring. Thankfully he showed how hot he can be, at least for around a minute, as he claimed the WBO Bantamweight title and stopped Zolanu Tete to claim one of his biggest career wins.
 
Performance of the Week
John Riel Casimero (29-4, 20)
It's rare that a "Performance of the Week" will go to a man who really did nothing for 2 rounds but, lets be honest, what Casimero did in the third round made up for the nothingness of the first 2. He dropped Tete with a fantastic right hand just over a minute into the round and never let Tete back into things, in fact really the referee should have stopped things there and then. It was an awful showing by the referee but a brilliant round of destruction by Casimero.
 
Fight
Lei Wang vs Marlon Paniamogan
If we're being totally honest this past week was a weird one. There was little to really get excited about and looking for a fight that stood out, on a quiet week to begin with, was always going to be a struggle. Other than Casimero's bout with Tete nothing really got the juices flowing going into the week, and given how nothing happened for 2 rounds of that fight it massively under-delivered as an actual fight. Thankfully we did get some fun and games in China with Lei Wang and Marlon Paniamogan putting on a fun fight in Qingdao. Paniamogan brought the fight, walked through bombs and refused to go down, whilst Wang showed off some real skills. This wasn't a fight of the year contender, but it was the best of a weak bunch in a poor week of fights.
 
Round
Hyun Je Baek vs Joo Hwan Suh (2)
With no major bout delivering a round to get excited about we had to turn out attention to a club level Korean show, and in fairness they do tend to deliver great action at the very lowest of levels. That was shown again this week when Hyun Je Baek and Joo Hwan Suh just stood their ground and lets shots fly. This was the sort of fight that trainers would hate their fighters for getting involved in, but for a week that was so lacking in action this was a highlight. Sadly the round involved a fight ending headclash that ended in a technical draw. Regardless what we got here was fun!

KO
No suitable contender
It should be noted that whilst there was no suitable KO this week, the right hand that Casimero dropped Tete with was easily the punch of the week. A brute of a shot!
 
Prospect 
Yi Hung Chiang (4-0, 3)
The obvious choice for Prospect of the Week would have been Andy Hiraoka, who made his US debut with a quick win on the Top Rank show on Saturday night. We, however, have never been one for sticking with the obvious when someone else deserves a mention and the reality is that we were really impressed by two novice Taiwanese fighters. One of those was the debuting Kai Ting Chuang and the other was Yi Hung Chiang, who looked so exciting that it was hard to not be impressed. We don't imagine either fighter reaching the top of the sport, something Hiraoka could potentially do, but we do expect to be thoroughly entertained every time we see Chiang in action.
 
Upcoming fight 
Joe Noynay (18-2-1, 7) vs Kenichi Ogawa (24-1, 18)
There may be bigger and better bouts out there next week, including a world title fight in Mexico and an interim world title fight in the US, but the one we are looking forward to the most is the WBO Asia Pacific title bout between Joe Noynay and Kenichi Ogawa. This year has been a huge one for Noynay, and another win here puts him well and truly in the world title mix, whilst Ogawa is still battling to redeem himself following his failed drug test in 2017. We expect explosive action here, and this should be a little bit of a gem in a very, very busy day of fights.

This coming December is absolutely insane with notable fights taking place almost daily. As has become traditional Japan has a packed scheduled for the month, but this time around it's not just Japan delivering the action in the final month of the year, in what is really a massive month all around the globe!
 
December 2nd
Tokyo, Japan
Koki Inoue (14-0, 11) Vs Jheritz Chavez (9-3-2, 7) - Tokyo, Japan
The first notable show of the month will see unbeaten Japanese national champion Koki Inoue look to add the WBO Asia Pacific Light Welterweight title to his collection as he takes on Filipino foe Jheritz Chavez, This should be a really interesting match up between two men who have power and can both take a show. Inoue should be favoured, as the unbeaten local is a real talent, but Chavez will not be there to just make up the numbers, and the Filipino has proven himself to be a dangerous fighter, having come close to beating Rikki Naito. This could end up being much, much tougher for Inoue than many expect.
 
December 7th
Jerwin Ancajas (31-1-2, 21) vs Miguel Gonzalez (31-2, 8) - Puebla, Mexico
On a packer Saturday we'll see a lot going on. Among the most notable bouts, for us at least, we'll see IBF Super Flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas take on Chilean challenger Miguel Gonzalez, in what looks like a good bout on paper. Sadly we suspect the paper lies here and can't see anything other than an Ancajas win. The Filipino world champion should be too quick, too sharp and too powerful for the game, but light hitting and limited, Gonzalez who has come up short the two times he has mixed at close to world class. One thing worth noting is that Ancajas was supposed to fight a few weeks earlier, before having that bout cancelled, and may well look lacklustre as a result of having a change of opponent. Even with that in mind we still see this as being an easy win for the "Pretty Boy"

Marlon Tapales (33-2, 16) vs Ryosuke Iwasa (26-3, 16) - New York, USA
A second major IBF bout on December 7th will see former world champions collide for the IBF "interim" Super Bantamweight title. In one corner is the criminally under-rated Marlon Tapales, who is a former WBO Bantamweight and has proven himself as a hard hitting road warrior who is much more dangerous than his record suggests. Tapales will be up against former IBF Super Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Iwasa, who is the naturally bigger man, but very much a fighter who blows hot and cold. This is a hard one to call, though we are leaning to Tapales, and is a wonderful bout mixing fighters with different styles that should gel, and heavy hands. A potential hidden gem for the month, despite the "interim" title.

Joe Noynay (18-2-1, 7) vs Kenichi Ogawa (24-1, 18) - Tokyo, Japan
In 2019 Filipino fighter Joe Noynay has has impressed. He travelled to Japan and stopped Kosuke Saka to claim the WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight title and then returned to stop Olympic bronze medal winner Satoshi Shimizu. Noynay looks to make it 3-0 against Japanese fighters this year as he takes on Kenichi Ogawa in a really, really, good looking bout. Ogawa is attempting to move towards a second world title bout, but will need to over-come the in form Noynay, which is tough for anyone. There's a lot on the line here, and the winner will be in the world title mix in 2020, whilst the loser will have some genuine rebuilding to do in the new year. This bout is very much high risk, high reward, for both men.
 
Masaru Sueyoshi (19-1-1, 11) vs Kosuke Saka (19-5, 16) - Tokyo, Japan
A second title bout at 130lbs, on the same show in Tokyo in fact, will see Japanese national champion Masaru Sueyoshi defending his title against Kosuke Saka, who looks to bounce back from his loss to Joe Noynay. For Sueyoshi this bout will mark his 5th defense of the title as he continues to edge closer and closer to a bout for some form of international or world title. The talented, though often frustrating, Sueyoshi is a tricky man to beat, though we do have questions over his chin. Hopefully Saka will manage to test Sueyoshi's whiskers though we suspect that the boxing brain and unique rhythm of the champion will be too much for the naturally smaller Saka to deal with here.

Quebec, Canada
Sadriddin Akhmedov (10-0, 9) vs Jose Antonio Villalobos (12-5-2, 7)
Hard hitting Kazakh youngster Sadriddin Akhmedov looks like he has got superstar potential, with an exciting style, a great look, and the ability to box or bang. He is as a good a prospect as Kazakhstan has right now and his promoters in Canada seem to know they have a special talent on their hands. Despite Akhmedov being a special talent Eye of the Tiger Management aren't rushing him, and here he gets another fight to develop his experience and talent, as he goes up against tough Argentinian fighter Jose Antonio Villalobos, who has only been stopped once. This should be another win for Akhmedov, who already has 4 wins this year, but we're glad he's being kept active and getting experience at such a young age. Bigger fights will come for the 21 year old, and this is just the next step to those bigger bouts.
 
December 8th
Osaka, Japan
Musashi Mori (10-0, 6) vs Takuya Mizuno (17-1-1, 14) - Osaka, Japan
Unbeaten Japanese youngster Musashi Mori has been tipped as one to watch for a while by those in the know in Japan and the currently WBO Asia Pacific Featherweight champion is certainly an excellent prospect, with a lot of potential. Here we'll see him risking his title and unbeaten record against the heavy handed Takuya Mizuno in a very interesting test. Mori once looked like a bit of raw talent, but has been getting nurtured this year and has been taken under the win of Ismael Salas, who is expected to to help round off the rough edges that Mori has, and calm his offensive mentality. That'll be a big ask, but if Salas can get Mori to buy into the philosophy he can go a very long way. Mizuno is technically quite crude, but with heavy hands he tends to be able to punch his way to victory, and if he catches Mori the youngster could be in trouble. We suspect Mori should have the scales to win, but this is no walk in the park for the youngster.
 
Takayuki Okumoto (23-8-4, 11) Vs Kenta Nakagawa (17-3-1, 12) - Osaka, Japan
Takayuki Okumoto looks to make his next defense of the Japanese Super Flyweight title as he takes on former champion Kenta Nakagawa in what looks like a decent match up. Okumoto has been in great form over the last few years in terms of results, but looks to be very much a transitional champion, who is rather lucky the division is a weak one in Japan right now. Nakagawa held the title for 5 months in late 2016 and early 2017, but lost in his first defense and hasn't really impressed since then. Nakagawa has the skills to test Okumoto, but we suspect the champion will retain again here.
 
Yuki Beppu (20-1-1, 19) Vs Ryota Yada (19-5, 16) -Osaka, Japan
We'll see a potential shoot out at Welterweight as former Rookie of the Year Yuki Beppu faces former Japanese champion Ryota Yada for the WBO Asia Pacific Welterweight title. Both of these men can bang, both are aggressive and both believe in their power. Of the two Yada is the more proven, but he's also been stopped multiple times, whilst Beppu has shown a gritty toughness that could help here in what could be one of the most exciting bouts of the month. We don't expect this one to go the distance, and instead we expect fireworks, a lot of fireworks! If you're watching this one, don't blink!

Toshiki Shimomachi (10-1-2, 6) vs TBA -Osaka, Japan
The once beaten Toshiki Shimomachi is pencilled in to make his first defense of the JBC Youth Super Bantamweight title. At the moment no opponent has been named, sadly, We suspect an opponent was in mind but that bout has failed to materialise and Shimomachi has been left opponent-less. There is a chance his team will secure a decent opponent in the coming days but it is looking less and less likely as the days go by. As for Shimomachi he's a very talented, having won Rookie of the Year in 2018 and the Japanese Youth title earlier this year.
 
Thanongsak Simsri (12-0, 11) vs Christian Bacolod (12-0, 9) - Osaka, Japan
One of the most interesting match ups for the month comes quite low down the profile scale, but features two unbeaten young hopefuls in what could be a truly compelling match up. In one corner is Thai punch Thanongsak Simsri, who has already been compared to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, whilst the other corner plays home for world ranked Filipino Christian Bacolod. On paper this looks excellent, and despite being quite far down the card, and lacking any immediate title honours, we suspect this could be a bit of a thriller.

This past week we really saw action pick up in a big way, with a number of notable Japanese cards which created headlines, a major upset in Russia and a card in Saudi Arabia. It's a week that felt so much different to recent weeks and it's very clear that business is picking up, after a dreary June.

Fighter of the Week
Ryota Murata (15-2, 12)
When a fighter loses in fashion that sees them being dominated, especially in an upset, it can be easy to write them off. We certainly did that last year when Ryota Murata was beaten by Rob Brant. This week however Murata showed he shouldn't be written off as he avenged his loss to Brant in shocking fashion, beating Brant in 2 rounds, and forcing the referee to save the American, who was wobbling and had been down. This was not what we were expecting from Murata, but we're so glad to have seen him show what he can do, reclaim the WBA "regular" Middleweight title. Although Murata has so much ability this was the first time he's truly shown that ability, and we're really hoping he can build on this win. Sadly though much of his career has been flat and this performance may end up being little more than an anomaly.
 
Performance of the Week
Joe Noynay (18-2-1, 7)
Filipino youngster Joe Noynay has been written off as the under-dog far too many times in his career, and this past Friday he showed that fighters, and fans, need to take notice of him. He travelled to Japan, dropped Olympic bronze medal winner Satoshi Shimizu 3 times, twice in the opening round, and successfully defended the WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight title. Although not a puncher this was Noynay's second straight stoppage win in Japan and he is going to be getting himself a serious reputation as a Japanese Killer, similar to that off forgotten Filipino Bantamweight Jess Maca.
 
Notable mentions:
Andy Hiraoka, Kenshiro, Rolden Aldea
 
Fight
Naoko Fujioka Vs Tenkai Tsunami
When we have two of the best female fighters on the planet facing off we can always expect a dark horse of a fight, and that's what we got this week with a thrilling 10 round battle between the legendary Naoko Fujioka and the under-rated Tenkai Tsunami. The bout, was engaging, swung one way then the other and was almost impossible to call. It was one of the bouts that had the potential to be something special, and it delivered. in a big way, again showing what happens when two top, world class, well matched female fighters face off. Given the result, the action and the way the bout was fought we're really hoping to see the two run it over again, and give us another special bout.
 
Round
Shinobu Charlie Hosokawa vs Koki Tyson (RD 12)
One thing we didn't expect this week was for for the OPBF Middleweight title to remain vacant. We expected Shinobu Charlie Hosokawa and Koki Tyson to give us a shoot out, with one man eventually taking the other out to take the crown. Surprisingly however we got the opposite with the two men competing in a 12 round fight that had some dull moments but was a thoroughly engaging contest with tactical holding from Tyson and bombs from both. Despite some sloppy action at times the final round was great, with both firing off some bombs, and the round got better as it went on, with a loud fan base cheering on Tyson. It won't go down as a Round of the Year contender, but with the atmosphere, the huge power shots from both and the clear desire this was a great round, and a fantastic ending to a fight we had expected to be over much, much earlier.

KO
Roldan Aldea KO8 Mikhail Alexeev
For much of the week it seemed like Kenshiro's TKO over Jonathan Taconing, to retain the WBC Light Flyweight title, was going to take the honour of the best stoppage of the week. It wasn't a clear KO but it was a beautiful finish of a usually durable Filipino. Instead however it was Filipino journeyman Roldan Aldea that stole honour for the best KO, and did so in relatively notable upset in Russia. The unheralded Aldea Aldea was cornered by the previously unbeaten Mikhail Alexeev in round before landing a gorgeous uppercut that split the guard of Alexeev who had his senses turned off. It took a second or two, but after a slight delay Alexeev would then crash face down onto the canvas. This was a beauty of a shot, and one of the most eye catchign KO's of 2019. Truly fantastic from Aldea.

Prospect 
Andy Hiraoka (14-0, 9)
It's fair to say that Andy Hiraoka has been almost demanding a chance to show what he can do in recent months, being very much a frustrated man on social media and a young fighter simply wanting a chance. This week he got a chance, and he showed what he could do, as he clearly out boxed former world title challenger Akihiro Kondo to claim his first major scalp. The youngster showed poise, skills, speed and a solid ring IQ to score his best win to date, and the hope will surely be for him to fight for a senior title in 2020
 
Upcoming fight 
Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39) Vs Keith Thurman (29-0-0-1, 22)
Despite having had a great week this past week the next few days are a bit lacking, though we do have 3 fights of real note featuring Asian fighters in the West. One of those will fee Filipino great Manny Pacquiao take on big talking American Keith Thurman, in a bout to unify the regular and super titles at Welterweight. The bout is a good one on paper and we're expecting to see both men being forced to answer big questions about their future. Sadly it's not the same bout it could have been a few years ago, but should still be a very interesting contest.

The middle portion of July is incredibly packed with a lot of action coming in just a few days, including 4 world title bouts, a regional title bout and several notable hopefuls. It really is set to be an insanely busy few days.
 
July 12th-

• Rob Brant (25-1, 17) Vs Ryota Murata (14-2, 11) - Osaka, Japan

One of 3 world title bouts on July 12th will see Japanese star Ryota Murata attempt to reclaim the WBA "regular" Middleweight from Rob Brant. Last year we saw Brant dominate Murata over 12 rounds, and this rematch really is a must win for Murata, though stylistically it's a very hard one to see him winning. Brant, at least in their first bout, appeared all wrong for Murata and we're sadly expecting something similar here.
 

• Kenshiro (15-0, 8) vs Jonathan Taconing (28-3-1, 22) -Osaka, Japan

Unbeaten WBC Light Flyweight champion Kenshiro looks to make his next defense as he battles against hard hitting Filipino challenger Jonathan Taconing, who enters as the mandatory challenger. At the moment Kenshiro is arguably the most under-rated world champion in the sport, and is certainly the most under appreciated fighter in Japan. This however is no gimme for the champion and Taconing brings a real air of danger with him thanks to his hard hitting southpaw style. On paper this may end up being the bout of the month, and is a true boxer Vs banger affair.
 

• Joe Noynay (17-2-1 6) vs Satoshi Shimizu (8-0, 8) - Osaka, Japan

Another fantastic Japan Vs Philippines bout in Osaka on the 12th will see Filipino fighter Joe Noynay defending his WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight title against Japanese challenger Satoshi Shimizu. Of the two men Noynay is the more technically sound boxer, and is a very under-rated young fighter, however Shimizu is an Olympic Bronze medal winner and a huge puncher. This is a tough one to call, with Noynay riding a real wave of confidence following a stoppage last time out against Kosuke Saka and Shimizu coming into the bout after quite a long break from the ring, and moving up in weight.
 

• Shokichi Iwata (2-0, 1) Vs Paolo Sy (6-3-1, 3) -Osaka, Japan

Touted Japanese prospect Shokichi Iwata takes a slight step up in class as he takes on Filipino foe Paolo Sy, in what should be a good test for Iwata. If Iwata is as good as hyped he should shine here, stop Sy and moved on to bigger bouts by the end of the year. Notably though Iwata seems to have been holding back in his first 2 fights and we really don't know how good he is, though we're not likely to find out here. For Sy this is a big chance to get some attention, but it would take a career best performance to even be competitive with Iwata.
 

• Naoko Fujioka (18-2, 7) v Tenkai Tsunami (26-12, 15) - Tokyo, Japan

Staying in Japan, though moving from Osaka to Tokyo, we'll see WBA female Flyweight champion Naoko Fujioka defending her title against fellow Japanese fighter Tenkai Tsunami, in what could be the sleeper fight for the month. The bout won't get much attention, especially given what else is going on on the same day, but this is expected to be an action packed, and thoroughly intense 10 round battle between two true stalwarts of the Japanese female boxing scene.
 

• Akihiro Kondo (31-8-1, 18) v Andy Hiraoka (13-0, 9) - Tokyo, Japan

Whilst Fujioka Vs Tsunami is an all Japanese bouts between stalwarts the show also features a potential passing of the torch fight, with former world title challenger Akihiro Kondo taking on rising youngster Andy Hiraoka. On paper this is a must win for Kondo, who was stopped last time out by Downua Ruawaiking, though a loss for Hiraoka would be a huge set back. Both men are taking a risk, and that's why this fight is so damn good on paper.
 

• Lerato Dlamini (12-1, 6) v Dave Penalosa (15-0, 11) - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

We don't want to cheer lead the activities of the Saudi Arabia government too much, though the match up between unbeaten Filipino Dave Penalosa and once beaten South African Lerato Dlamini is a mouth watering showdown and could be something very exciting on a card that is other wise pretty unappealing. It's worth noting this bout is for the WBC silver Featherweight title, and will put the winner in the mix for a shot at Leo Santa Cruz.
 

• Ivan Dychko (8-0, 8) Vs Nate Heaven (9-2, 7) - Florida, USA

Unbeaten Kazakh Heavyweight hopeful Ivan Dychko looks for win #9 as he takes on limited American puncher Nate Heaven. Dychko is really having his career wasted by poor promotional work and the hope is that after Heaven he will be stepped up. The Kazakh is a former amateur stand out and deserves much stiffer competition than this.
 

• Mussa Tursyngaliyev (9-0, 6) Vs Ricardo Nunez (29-9, 23) - Florida, USA

Another unbeaten Kazakh hopeful is Mussa Tursyngaliyev, who takes on former world title challenger Ricardo Nunez. On paper this is a really good step up for the Kazakh hopeful, though it should be noted that Nunez's peak years were spent at Flyweight and this bout will be all the way up at Featherweight, and Nunez has lost his last 3 and 4 of his last 5.
 
July 13th-

• Rey Vargas (33-0, 22) vs Tomoki Kameda (36-2, 20) - California, USA

The WBC Super Bantamweight title gets unified as regular champion Rey Vargas takes on interim champion Tomoki Kameda in an interesting match up on paper. These two have history, from an amateur bout that Vargas won, and should be a very highly skilled match between two talented men. Sadly the fact neither man is much of a puncher does leave the bout seemingly likely to be a drawn out tactical bout, but it should a very interesting match even if fireworks are going to be limited.
 
July 19th-

• Masayoshi Nakatani (18-0, 12) Vs Teofimo Lopez (13-0, 11) - California, USA

OPBF Lightweight champion Masayoshi Nakatani has been on the verge of a big fight for what feels like years. He has made 11 defenses of the OPBF Lightweight title, but never had the chance to show what he can do outside of the regional scene. Now he takes on the very highly touted Teofimo Lopez in an IBF world title eliminator. Coming in Lopez will be the big favourite and is tipped as one of the next big stars of the US boxing scene, and this could be his first real test. A very interesting match up, though one that could well end up feeling like it's come too late for Nakatani, who has arguably seen his career stagnate in recent years.
 
July 20th-

• Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39) vs Keith Thurman (29-0-0-1, 22) - Nevada, USA

The situation with the WBA and their multiple titles continues to be a joke, though thankfully when titles are unified they tend to come in great fights. One such example comes this weekend with a WBA Welterweight unification bout between Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao and unbeaten American Keith Thurman. Coming in Pacquiao will be looking to score his 62nd win from 71 bouts, an amazing figure, and add to his incredible resume. Thurman on the other hand will be seeking his biggest win, and a win that could finally see him backing up his loud mouth and big claims. A hugely significant bout for both fighters.
 

• Sergey Lipinets (15-1, 11) vs John Molina Jr (30-8, 24) - Nevada, USA

Whilst Pacquiao's bout with Thurman will steal the attention it's worth noting that the under-card will see Kazakh-Russian Sergey Lipinets battle against John Molina Jr. On paper this lacks the name value of the main event, but has a real chance of out shining it. Both Lipinets and Molina have been in thrillers through their careers, and this could be a very, very can friendly battle. A really nice match up, and one we're very excited to see.
 

• Takuya Mizuno (16-1-1, 14) Vs Roli Gasca (25-8-1, 8) - Kariya, Japan

The once beaten Japanese puncher Takuya Mizuno takes on his most recognisable foe to date, as he battles former OPBF title holder Roli Gasca. At his best Gasca was a very talented and solid Super Bantamweight, who could be a banana skin on the regional title level, though we do wonder what Gasca has left in the tank at the age of 30. Mizuno has, at times, looked like a real prospect, but his competition has, for the most part, been limoited and this is to be regarded as a clear step up for him. A very interesting assignment for both men.
 

• Kento Hatanaka (8-0, 8) Vs Thomas Tope Hurk (3-3-1, 1) - Kariya, Japan

Unbeaten, and fast rising, second generation fighter Kento Hatanaka will look to extend his perfect state to professional boxing as he takes on Indonesian journeyman Thomas Tope Hurk. This should be little more a straight forward win for Hatanaka, who we're hoping will be tested towards the end of year and will begin a run towards a Japanese title in 2020. Hurk should offer no real resistence to the the hard hitting and all action Hatanaka.
 

• Koshin Takeshima (3-0, 3) vs Jon Jon Estrada (11-6-1, 10)- Kariya, Japan

The toutedand very impressive Koshin Takeshima takes on his stiffest test so far as he takes on the flawed but tough and hard hitting Jon Jon Estrada. Takeshima has taken his first 3 wins in a combined 8 rounds but will be expecting to go much deeper here against Estrada who has only been stopped twice in his 18 bouts, with one of those being his debut back in 2013. This promises to be a very explosive encounter and a great test for the talented Takeshima..

This past week hasn't been the best in Asian boxing, but we have had plenty of stuff going on, so with that said, who won our weekly awards over these past 7 days?

Fighter of the Week
John Riel Casimero (27-4, 18)
Talented Filipino veteran John Riel Casimero might have only had his recent bout seen by a handful of fight fans, but he was the clear fighter of the week. The 30 year old "Quadro Alas" travelled to the US, fought off TV and stopped Ricardo Espinoza Franco in the final round to claim the WBO "interim" Bantamweight title. Less than 2 years ago we saw him putting in a relatively hopeless performance against Jonas Sultan, at Super Flyweight, and to think he's dug deep to score a 12th round stoppage to claim a "world" title at a third division is incredible. Obviously he won't be favoured against the eventual WBSS winner, but for this week he deserves so many plaudits.
 
Performance of the Week
Joe Nonay (17-2-1, 6)
Travelling to enemy territory can always be daunting but for a fighter, but Filipino fighter Joe Noynay made things look easy as he travelled to Japan and stopped former Japanese Featherweight champion Kosuke Saka in 2 rounds to claim the WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight title. Noynay dropped Saka early and forced the referee to interject in round 2. The Filipino, who isn't known for his power, looked devastating with his left hand, and this is the sort of performance that will help put him on the map. Marvellous.

Fight
No Fight
Sadly due to a lack of footage from the week no fight really stood out as being worthy of a mention for Fight of the Week. 
 
Round
Yuta Saito Vs Hayato Kimura (round 4)
The Japanese Bantamweight unification bout between Yuta Saito and Hayato Kimura promised a lot, though failed to really give us the 50-50 match up we had hoped for. What it did deliver, however, was an amazing 4th round, that saw both fighters trading blows on the inside in a round is worth rewatching again and again. This was heavy handed trading at close range, for 3 hard fought minutes, and is among the best rounds in a Japanese title fight this year.
 
Notable mention - Nihito Arakawa Vs Denys Berinchyk (round 12)

KO
Chainoi Worawut TKO2 Muhammad Ashiq
Thai puncher Chainoi Worawut claimed the WBC Youth Super Bantamweight title this Saturday with a big KO win over Singapore's Muhammad Ashiq. Ashiq was totally out of his depth but the finishing blow, a huge right hand, was brutal and left Ashiq out. This wasn't once of the biggest KO's of the year, but was a still a brutal one, and came from one of the hottest prospects in Thailand. Keep an eye on this young man over the coming years.
 
Prospect 
Toshiya Ishii (1-0, 1)
We love watching young fighters go from debutant to contender, and we suspect Toshiya Ishii will be one such fighter following his classy debut performance this past week.Ishii had been a a decent amateur on the domestic scene and although he was only up against Adam Wijaya of Indonesia there was still a lot to like about his performance here. He dropped Wajiya with body shots, twice, and showed fantastic variety, speed and composure. This is the sort of performance that showed Japan has another great prospect on their hands.
 
Upcoming fight 
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-4-1, 41) vs Juan Francisco Estrada (38-3, 26) II
Arguably the most obvious choice of the year. The fight we're most looking forward to this coming week is the rematch between Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Juan Francisco Estrada. The bout is a do-over of their 2018 Fight of the Year contender and we're expecting something really, really special here. This WBC Super Flyweight title fight should be something every fight fan is excited about!

The final 10 or so days of April are set to be packed with a fantastic variety of bouts, from national title fights, to world title fights. We see one of the most anticipated bouts of 2019, a female prodigy going for a world title in her 4th bout and the return of the WBSS. This is how you end a month!
 
April 20th-

• Kosuke Saka (18-4, 15) Vs Joe Noynay (16-2-1, 5) -Osaka, Japan

The art of the month kicks off with an amazing match up for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight title, which was vacated by Masao Nakamura. In one corner you have big punching Japanese hopeful Kosuke Saka, looking to get back to calling himself a champion following a short reign as the Japanese Fetaherweight kng, in the other corner you have highly skilled Filipino Joe Noynay. This has a really exciting feel to it, and we're expecting a very, very special bout between well matched, but drastically different, fighters.
 

• Pungluang Sor Singyu (52-6, 25) vs Carlo Magali (23-11-3, 12) - Bang Phun, Thailand

Not a title bout, but a contest worthy of note is a clash on WP Boxing which pits former WBO Bantamweight champion Pungluang Sor Singyu against former OPBF Super Featherweigth champion Carlo Magali. It's unclear what logic put these men into a match together, but it's an interestingly one. Coming in the Thai is more than 3 years removed from his last win, whilst Magali has lost his last 2 and taken a lot of punishment in those defeats. An interesting, but odd, match up.
 
April 21st-

• Takayuki Okumoto (21-8-4, 10) Vs Yuta Matsuo (15-3-1, 8) -Osaka, Japan

Japanese Super Flyweight Super Flyweight champion Takayuki Okumoto makes his next defense as he takes on mandatory challenger Yuta Matsuo. This looks less than great on paper, but in reality it should be very interesting, very competitive and a bout that both men will be entering with the belief that they can, and will, win. It's not likely to be a FOTY contender, but it is almost certainly going to be a very hotly contested match up.
 

• Ryota Yada (18-4, 15) Vs Yuki Nagano (15-2, 11) -Osaka, Japan

Hard hitters collide in a Japanese Welterweight title fight, as defending champion Ryota Yada takes on his mandatory challenger Yuki Nagano. Yada has impressed since losing to Jayar Inson, in a WBO Asia Pacific title fight, but this is a tough bout against a very in form challenger who has earned this shot with a win over the hard hitting Yuki Beppu. This could be very, very explosive, and incredibly exciting.
 
April 26th-
California, USA

• Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (47-4-1, 41) vs Juan Francisco Estrada (38-3, 26) II -California, USA

For us the most highly anticipated bout of the month takes place on the 26th of April and is the long awaired rematch between Thai monster Srisaket Sor Rungviai and former unified Flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada. The bout will see Srisaket defending the WBC and Ring Magazine Super Flyweight titles against the excellent Mexican in a rematch between men who clashed in one of the best bouts of 2018. Srisaket narrowly won their clash last year, but was struggling at the end and we're expecting a quicker start from Estrada this time around as we head towards another really exciting match up at Super Flyweight.
 

• Shakhram Giyasov (7-0, 6) Vs Emmanuel Taylor (20-5, 14) - California, USA

Fantastic Uzbek prospect Shakhram Giyasov takes a step up in class, at least on paper, as he takes on Emmanuel Taylor. The talented Giyasov has impressed throughout his short career with a combination of power, skills, an exciting style and a real venomous to his punching. At his best Taylor was a fringe contender, though the 28 year old has been out of the ring for almost 2 years and is 3-3 in the last 6 years. Prior to the inactivity Taylor could have been a very good test, but now we suspect he'll be stopped, like he was when he facved Lucas Matthyse back in 2017.
 
April 27th-

• Nonito Donaire (39-5, 25) vs Zolani Tete (28-3, 21) - Lafayette, USA

Another of the month's real standout bouts takes place on the 27th, just a day after the brilliant Sriskaet Vs Estrada bout, and will see Filipino Nonito Donaire take on Zolani Tete. Coming in Donaire will enter as the WBA Bantamweight "Super" champion whilst Tete is the WBO Bantamweight king, and not only is this a great match up and a unification bout, but also a WBSS Bantamweight semi-final. The winner of this will face either Naoya Inoue or Emmanuel Rodriguez, who face off in May, in the eventual final. A lot at stake, and a brilliant bout.
 

• Kasumi Saeki (3-0, 2) Vs Elizabeth Lopez (6-1-4, 1) - Osaka, Japan

Before the WBSS action we get the chance to see a Japanese female novice take a step towards stardom, and compete in her first world title bout. The very talented, sharp, quick an intelligent, Kasumi Saeki goes up against Mexican Elizabeth Lopez for the vacant WBO female Minimumweight title. The bout isn't going to get huge international attention, but a win for Saeki would back up the hype that Shinsei gym seem to be giving her, and would certainly plaster her as "the new face" of female boxing in Japan. Lopez is the more experienced professional, but this is a much tougher bout than any she's had since her sole loss, back in 2015.
 

• Etsuko Tada (18-3-2, 5) Vs Kanyarat Yoohanngoh (5-2, 3) - Osaka, Japan

Saeki's the young gun of the Shinsei gym, but she's not the only female of note there, with her stablemate Etsuko Tada also being a notable female fighter there. Tada will be up against Thai youngster Kanyarat Yonhanngoh, who Saeki stopped in 6 rounds, in a WBC female Minimumweight title eliminator. Tada is looking to become a grandslam champion and a win here will set her up for a WBC title fight, and a chance to grab the one title which has eluded her so far. A win for Kanyarat would however put her on the boxing map.
 
April 28th-

• Jonas Sultan (15-4, 9) Vs Athenkosi Dumezweni (11-2, 8) -Eastern Cape, South Africa

The final bout of real intigue this month sees former world title challenger Jonas Sultan battle South African puncher Athenkosi Dumezweni for the WBC silver Super Flyweight title. The talented Sultan really didn't show what he was capable of when he took on Jerwin Ancajas, with Ancajas neutralising far too easily, and he also put on a poor showing last time out, despite out pointing Ardin Diale. Hard hitting Dumezweni has stopped his last 3 opponents in a combined 10 rounds, and will be looking to make the most his chance against someone who has fought at world level. As with many bouts from South Africa, this may be a hard one to watch, but it's one, where neither man can really afford a loss.