 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
For a second day in a row we get action from Korakuen Hall as Ichiriki put on a small card under the A-Sign Boxing Banner. This really is a small card, but as we see all the time even small Japanese cards can deliver some real fun and there is the potentially for some intriguing action here. The main event here will see the "stop or be stopped" Kazuaki Miyamoto (6-5, 5) take on the under-rated Tasuku Suwa (6-4-1, 1) in what could be a brilliant, and easy to over-look, 8 rounder. In his 11 bouts to date Miyamoto has heard the final bell once, and that was in September 2017, since then he has had 6 bouts and none have gone the distance with only 2 lasting longer than 2 rounds. Thankfully for Miyamoto's chin Suwa isn't a puncher, but he is much better than his record suggests and he ran the inform Kanehiro Nakagawa razor close in 2018. Don't look at the records and ignore this one, is really could a very good bout. Talking about good bouts we also have a 6 round Middleweight clash between Kazuki Kyohara (4-0-2, 3) and Yuta Ashina (5-2) which could end up being something very tasty. Kyohara fought to a draw in the 2018 All Japan Rookie of the Year with Nath Nwachukwu, and showed he was tough, aggressive and energetic in that bout. He might not be a big name but he's certainly a capable fighter. Ashina on the other hand lost in the final of the 2019 All Japan Rookie of the Year final, but his route to the final was all action, and he's one of the most fan friendly, aggressive fighters out there. We genuinely expect this to be an all out war and one of the hidden gems of the month. InterContinental Miami, Miami, Florida, USA Unbeaten US based Azeri fighter Elvin Gambarov (9-0, 8) is looking to have a quick turn around as he looks to return to the ring just weeks after his most recent bout. Gambarov took a quick win in Colombia against Segundo Herrera on November 20th and will be looking to squeeze in his third bout within a month as he takes on Geronimo Nahuel Sacco (8-1-1, 1). Although talented it's hard to say much about Gambarov as his competition has been very poor so far. Sacco on the other hand is an Argentinian who began his career 8-0 but has come up short in his last 2 bouts, losing one and drawing the other. On paper this looks a good match up but we can't help think this is an easy 10th win for Gambarov who will need bigger and tougher tests soon.
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 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Our focus this Tuesday will be on Japan with Korakuen Hall hosting a title double header. Originally the show was planned to be a triple header, though one of those bouts was sadly cancelled back in November, though thankfully it was the least notable of the originally planned title bouts. The first of the two title bouts will see female veteran Ayaka Miyao (23-8-2, 6) and Etsuko Tada (19-3-3, 6) clash for the vacant WBO female Minimumweight title, in a very interesting match up. These two faced off this past January in a 10 round draw, and will be looking to end their rivalry here as we head towards the end of the year. Of thee two we feel Miyao is the quicker, sharper and fresher, but at 37 and with a style that relies on her movement she could age very quickly. At 39 Tada is showing signs of clear slowdown, but she is the naturally bigger, stronger and more powerful fighter. Given their competitive first bout it's hard not to intrigued by this one, and we suspect the loser may well call time on their long, and successful career. We've previewed this title bout here Miyao and Tada battle again for WBO world title! The other title fight will see Masataka Taniguchi (12-3, 7) and Hizuki Saso (12-6-2, 4) battle for the vacant Japanese Minimumweight title. Of the two men it's fair to say that Taniguchi is the much more established fighter, being a former WBO Asia Pacific champion and world title challenger, though it's also fair to say the pressure is on him here. Taniguchi is the big favourite, and the man with a point to prove, however he has come up short in the past and another loss here could be hard to rebuild from for the Watanabe gym fighter. Saso on the other hand hasn't really impressed in his 22 fight career and will need a career best performance to even be competitive. However with no pressure on his shoulders Saso could surprise us all with a relaxed, comfortable performance in what is likely to be one of his very, very few bouts at title level. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Taniguchi and Saso battle for vacant Japanese title Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley, Queensland, Australia Outside of Japan we will also see Indian born Australian based fighter Tej Pratap Singh (16-4-3-1, 8) look to score his first win of the year, and notch a notable upset, as he takes on the very promising Issac Hardman (7-0, 6). The 34 year old Singh hasn't lost since a close decision loss in 2017 but has been matched somewhat softly in recent bouts, barring a controversial 2018 bout with Sam Soliman. Harman on the other hand looked very impressive earlier this year, stopping Jamie Weetch, and he will be looking to impress again here. Hardman is the "novice" here he looks like a genuine prospect and we suspect he'll be too good, too young and too strong for Singh.  On November 29th we're expecting a low key but memorable day in Asian boxing thanks to a Japanese fan who has bout the rights to stream a show from Aichi.
Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan The show will in Aichi comes from the Aioi Hall and is a 2-part event with streams for both being made available thanks to Seki-chan on YouTube. The first part of the show features 4 bouts, headlined by a 6 rounder between Toshiya Yokogawa (11-12-2, 10) and Tamaki Miwa (6-6-1, 1). On paper it's certainly not an amazing match up, and we won't pretend otherwise, however it should certainly be an interesting match up between two limited but well matched fighters. Interestingly Yokogawa will enter the bout ranked #14 by the JBC at Featherweight and a loss here will see him lose that ranking. Another 6 rounder on this part of the show will see Kazunori Takai (6-6-3, 3) battle against Katsuki Matsuura (5-3-1, 1) in a Bantamweight bout. As with Yokogawa Vs Miwa this should be a very competitive bout. Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan The second part of the even from Aioi Hall should be a much better one with several bouts worth of attention, though it's again a 4 bout part to the show. The first of two notable bouts here will see former Japanese title challenger Ryosuke Maruki (16-7-1, 11) battle against 37 year old Tsunehiko Aitoku (5-9-2). On paper this is a mismatch, and we do expect Maruki to win, though it should be noted that Maruki has lost 3 of his last 4 and he needs a win to get his career back on track. Aitoku on the other hand has lost just once in his last 4 bouts and will need to win to keep his career alive. The second notable bout on this part of the event will see Shin Tomita (10-8-2) battle against OPBF and JBC ranked Minimumweight Naoya Haruguchi (17-11, 7), in an 8 rounder. This should be high octane action between two men who will be wanting to impress, and potentially climb up the Japanese rankings in 2021, moving towards a title fight. The two parts of this event can be seen on the youtube channel we're linked to here ボクシング選手名鑑.  This coming Saturday is a pretty busy day in terms of Asian boxing with two shows in Japan, one in Thailand and one in India. Across those shows we will see a couple of regional title bouts, and a number of very promising youngsters as we move towards the end of November.
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan The most notable show of the day is an Ohashi promoted event at Korakuen Hall, which will feature a world ranked fighter defending a regional title, two interesting domestic fights and noteworthy exhibition. In the main event we'll see WBO Asia Pacific Featherweight champion Musashi Mori (11-0, 6) take on the heavy handed Tsuyoshi Tameda (21-5-2, 19) in an excellent match up. Mori, who is currently world ranked by the WBO, will be 21 when this fight takes place and will know that a win will help him move one step closer to a world title fight. Although a light puncher the talented youngster is maturing and following the guidance of legendary trainer Ismael Salas, and has become a very skilled young fighter. Tameda was once touted as one to watch, but in recent bouts he has been picking up losses, and appears to be falling short of expectation. Despite that Tameda is a rock fisted fighter and his power could give him a real chance, if he can catch Mori clean. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Young regional champion takes on dynamite puncher! In a supporting bout JBC #1 ranked Lightweight Seiryu Toshikawa (12-5, 7) will be taking on Takahiko Kobayashi (9-3, 7) in a good looking 8 rounder. The 24 year old Toshikawa, who will be risking his ranking here, has won 6 of his last 7, and has bounced well since a 2018 loss to Shawn Oda, in a very close fight for the Japanese Youth title. This however is not a gimme for him. In Kobayashi we have an under-rated 24 year old puncher who gave Handy Hiraoka real problems in 2017, leading on all 3 cards before being stopped, and beat touted Korean Jeong Han Cha last time out. Although not a spectacular bout on paper this is a really interesting match up, and could be a very, very compelling one when the men get in the ring. In another supporting bout we'll see the in form Hiromu Murota (6-4-1, 4) take on former Japanese Super Featherweight champion Seiichi Okada (22-7-1, 13). We've seen Murota really turn his record around after a 2-4-1 start, and he has run off 4 straight wins coming in to this bout, but they have all been at a very low level. As for Okada the 38 year old is well past his best, and it's more than 8 years since he lost the Japanese title to Daiki Kaneko. At his best Okada had more than enough skills to over-come Murota, but the question is what does he have left at this point in his long career. Also on this card will be an exhibition between former 3-weight world champion Akira Yaegashi (28-7, 17) and rising Japanese prospect Taku Kuwahara (7-0, 4). Although Yaegashi has retired as an active fighter it is good to see him remain in the sport, and it will be good to see him again here. Despite being retired he has continued to work in the sport, and is now working as a trainer at the Ohashi Gym. As for Taku Kuwahara the 25 year old Flyweight is one of the best prospects in Japan and this will be a great opportunity for him to showcase his skills against a loved figure of Japanese boxing ahead of his next fight in January. EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan On a second card in Japan, over in Osaka, we see several interesting match ups. The main event will see Kyonosuke Kameda (5-2-1, 4), the cousin of Koki, Daiki and Tomoki, battle against the debuting Daiki Asai (0-0). On paper it's easy to assume that Kameda will be favoured here, especially after he reached the 2019 All Japan Rookie of the Year final last year, where he lost to Jinki Maeda, however this bout isn't the gimme it looks. Despite Kameda being from a successful boxing family it needs to be noted that Asai is a former amateur standout and went 61-16 (33), and will be looking to make a statement now he's turned professional. This could be a very intriguing bout, despite having the debutant status of Asai. Another very interesting bout here will see novice professional Ayato Hiromoto (2-0, 1) take on Japanese ranked Super Flyweight Ryosuke Nasu (12-5-3, 2). Originally we were expecting to see Hiromoto battled for world title challenger Masayuki Kuroda but with Kuroda being injured Hiromoto's team looked elsewhere and secured him this bout with Nasu. So far Hiromoto has looked a real talent, with excellent skills and boxing craft, but this is a serious step up. As for Nasu he's looking to secure a third straight wins following a 2019 loss to Kenta Nakagawa. This should be a very interesting match up, and a genuine test to see what Hiromoto really has to offer going forward. A third bout of interest here will see JBC ranked Light Flyweight Sho Omote (8-1, 3) take on Shota Asami (7-7, 4). The once beaten 26 year old is riding a 6 fight unbeaten streak, and had a sensational 2019 which included him winning the All Japan Rookie of the Year in December. The 25 year old Asami might not have a great record, and has lost his last 2 bouts, but he's had a number of very close bouts and he is much better than his record looks. With that in mind we wouldn't be surprised, at all, if Omote was given a very serious test by Asami here. Suamlum Night Bazaar, Ratchadaphisek, Bangkok, Thailand We also get a really good bout in Thailand pitting two talented unbeaten fighters against each other in a truly mouth watering contest. In one corner will be talented teenager Phoobadin Yoohanngoh (9-0, 4), who will be looking to defend his WBA Asia Light Welterweight title, whilst the other corner will play host to unbeaten challenger Atchariya Wirojanasunobol (13-0, 5). Aged just 16 Phoobadin is one of the most promising teenagers in the sport, and is tipped incredibly highly following several excellent performances. He will however need a career best performance here to over come the once touted Atchariya. As for Atchariya this will be his second bout since the start of 2019, following a lengthy legal battle, which derailed a bout in Japan against Andy Hiraoka. Aged 31 Atchariya can't afford an in ring set back, but he's in with a big, strong, skilled, youngster looking to make a big mark and move his career forward. This is a very, very interesting bout, and will be shown live on Thairath for fans interested in watching it live. Bawing Gym, General Santos City, Cotabato del Sur, Philippines In the Philippines we'll see unbeaten prospect Criztian Pitt Laurente (5-0, 3) take on Renan Portes (10-13, 6), in what is expected to be another win for the talented Laurente. At one point Portes was a very capable fighter but he has now lost 8 in a row, and has been stopped in his last 5 suggesting he's essentially given up with trying to win. Given the talent of Laurente it's hard to see anything but a win for the youngster here. INTHEPINK FITNESS CLUB, Bangalore, India There will also be a show in India, albeit a very, very low key card. In one of the bouts on this show the unbeaten Karthik Sathish Kumar (5-0, 3) will be up against the debuting Jayapal Jaganadhan (0-0). The 24 year old Kumar debuting in April 2010 and has become a well travelled fighter already, with bouts in Thailand, Dubai and India. Sadly for him this will be his first bout since January. As for Jaganadhan, the 21 year old is really an unknown, and this looks like a tough debut, at least on paper. Another fighter making their debut on this card will be Shaik Nagma (0-0), who takes on the once beaten Ramandeep Kaur (6-1) in a female bout. Kaur was beaten last time out, by Rinky Inder Kishore, but will be looking to get back to winning ways here.  This coming Friday is set to be an interesting day for Asian boxing. We have a massively significant world title bout in Thailand, and two unbeaten Central Asian hopefuls in action in the US. Despite that we don't have much else. It's certainly quality over quantity here!
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand The title bout in question comes from Nakhon Ratchasima and will be the 13th time two Thai's have clashed in a world title bout, dubbed a "Bloodline Battle". This will be the first in more than a decade, and promises to be an excellent match up. In one corner is unbeaten WBC Minimumweight champion Wanheng Menayothin (54-0, 18), the longest reigning world champion in men's boxing and the man who's unbeaten record is longer than that of Floyd Mayweather Jr. In the opposite corner is hungry, powerful and heavy handed challenger Panya Pradabsri (34-1, 22), who is getting a chance to prove himself in a major all-Thai bout. For the champion the bout will be his 13th defense in just over 6 years, and a win may well see him ride off into the sunset with a 55-0 record. As for the challenger this is his chance to grab the proverbial torch of Thai boxing, along with the WBC title and really make a name for himself. This is as big a bout in Thailand as we've seen in a very long time. Our full, in depth preview of this bout can be read here Wanheng and Panya clash in 13th Bloodline Battle Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida, USA As well as the bout in Thailand we also have two central Asian hopefuls looking to move their careers forward on a Matchroom USA card in Florida. One of those hopefuls with be Kazakh Welterweight Daniyar Yeleussinov (9-0, 5), who takes on former unified world champion Julius Indongo (23-2, 12) in a bout for the IBF Inter-Continental Welterweight title. For the unbeaten Yeleussinov, a 2016 Olympic gold medal winner, the bout is a huge step up in class and this should be a chance for him to get a notable scalp on his record, even if Indongo is a long way removed from the fighter he once was. As for Indongo the Namibian former world champion will know he's being viewed as a stepping stone here, but may well have enough left in the tank to ask real questions of the talented "Kazakh Thunder". The only men to have beaten Indongo so far are Terence Crawford and Regis Prograis, and a win for the Kazakh will see him moved towards a world title fight in 2021 or 2022. The other Central Asian on this card is hard hitting Azeri Heavyweight Mahammadrasul Majidov (2-0, 2), who takes on unbeaten Puerto Rican Sahret Delgado (8-0, 7). On paper this looks like a good step up in class for Majidov, but the 34 year old really needs to make a move next year, before he's essentially aged out of contention of ever getting a chance. Delgado's record looks pretty, but in reality his competition has been dire and he's taking a leap up in class. We're expecting a win for Majidov, but sadly we don't imagine this will be the big boost forward that his career needs. Instead he needs a big bout in 2021 if his career is going to take off in the way many had hoped, and in the way Azeri boxing really needs.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
For a second day running we get action at Korakuen Hall, though this time it's a lot less notable with the action coming in the form of a Dangan All 4 Rounders show. With that in mind these bouts aren't anything big, notable or feature anyone of note. However they do tend to give us fun, evenly matched, action and well fought bouts, rather than the typical and predictable one sided contests we're all too used to. In total this show will have 8 bouts, and they will all be made available, on demand, on Boxing Raise. Coming in to this show we're probably most intrigued by the match up between Yuya Sakakibara (0-2) and Hideaki Kobayashi (0-1-1), with both men desperately searching for their first win. This Super Featherweight clash should see both men fighting with real hunger to get a "1" in the W column. Another potential one to watch here will be the bout between Kaisei Nakayasu (2-2, 2) and Daiki Takeuchi (3-1, 1). The 24 year old Nakayasu won his first two bouts before losing decisions in his most recent two bouts. Takeuchi on the other hand lost on debut and has since reeled off 3 wins. We suspect this one could be hotly contested, and potentially an explosive encounter is Nakayasu gets his way.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Wednesday action returns to Korakuen Hall with a small card from Misako. The card isn't a big one, but it does feature a number of noteworthy names on it, including 4 Japanese ranked fighters, one of which is a former world title challenger! The first of the 4 ranked fighters in action will be JBC ranked Lightweight Shinnosuke Saito (7-3, 2), who battles Hokuto Matsumoto (6-3, 1) in an 8 rounder. The 25 year old Saito won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 29019 and is looking to build on that with his second win of 2020. Matsumoto on the other hand will go in to the bout with an upset minded mentality, just as he did in July when he Ryosei Niguma and when he ran Masahiro Suzuki close a year ago. It's easy to favour Saito here, but make no mistake Matsumoto will see this as a great chance to score a win over a domestically ranked foe. In a bout between Japanese ranked fighters JBC ranked Featherweight Yuki Kumazoe (14-6, 5) will move up to face JBC ranked Lightweight Tomoki Takada (7-5-2, 4), in another 8 rounder. The 28 year old Kumazoe is seeking a third straight win since his 2017 loss to Ryota Ishida and is looking for a 5th win in 6 following a nightmare stretch in 2012-2015, which saw him lose 5 in a row. As for Takada he's looking to build on a big win last December over George Tachibana, and the 27 year old will be looking at this as a great chance to make moves towards a Japanese title fight in the next year or two. The most noteworthy name on this show is former world title challenger Norihito Tanaka (19-8, 10), who looks to bounce back from a loss in March to Knockout CP Freshmart. The 35 year old Tanaka will be looking to show age is just a number as he battles 22 year old Yuni Takada (8-5-2, 3). On paper we would expected Tanaka to win, but given his age and ring years we do wonder what he has left to offer. By that same token Takada is now push over and he fought to a draw in august against upcoming Japanese title challenger Yuni Takada. This could be much, much more competitive than it looks.  This coming Monday is a great day for those wanting to follow Japanese boxing, with free live streams available and shows in both Hyogo and Tokyo. The day might not be the biggest, but there is plenty to be excited about, and plenty of potentially thrilling match ups and action
Bunka Center, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan The first of the cards will be from Hyogo on a Taisei promoted card in Sanda. This event will have 4 bouts on it, and may well have the bout of the week on it. That potential bout of the week will see former multi-time world champion Katsunari Takayama (31-8-0-1, 12) take on former 2-time world title challenger Reiya Konishi (17-2, 7) in a bout that has the ingredients to be something truly special. For Takayama, who's now 37, the bout is a return to the professional ranks after a short lived flirtation with the amateur game, and he has eyes on getting another world title before hanging them up for good. For Konishi the bout is a must win following recent losses to Carlos Canizales and Felix Alvarado, another loss will be the end of his world title dreams. Given the styles of the two men expect this to be all action, bloody, thrilling and a bit of a war. The only real shame here is that this is scheduled for just 6 rounds. Also on this show we'll see an 8 round bout we'll see Japanese ranked Flyweight Arata Matsuoka (9-6, 4) take on Hideyuki Watanabe (8-12-3, 6). On paper it's hard to see this being anything but a win for the 25 year old Matsuoka, who is a former Japanese Youth Flyweight champion. Although no world beater Matsuoka is much better than his record suggests and is 6-1 in his last 7. As for Watanabe he's actually 1-6 in his last 7, though has been competitive in a number of those losses, and could well be a banana skin for Matsuoka here. This is a much, much better bout than it looks on paper. Bunka Center, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan After the first card in Sanda we get another, at the same venue by the same promoter, who has essentially split the show in to two to deal with the on going guidelines on boxing in Japan. This only features 3 bouts but two of those are well worthy of attention. The first of those two notable bouts will see former world title challenger Sho Ishida (28-2, 15) take on Japanese Youth Bantamweight champion Toshiya Ishii (3-0, 2), in what could be a genuinely intriguing and explosive encounter. The twice beaten Ishida is likely best known for his WBA world title bout with Kal Yafai in the UK, though was once touted as an outstanding prospect form the Ioka Gym, and the next star from the gym, following Kazuto Ioka. That promise has never been delivered on but he'll be aware that a loss almost certainly ends any dream of a second world title fight. Ishii on the other hand has been thrown in deep from the off, with his second bout coming against the then 8-0 Fumiya Fuse and his third but being a war with Haruki Ishikawa. A win for Ishii puts him straight into the domestic title picture. A brilliant, risky, and wonderful match up that we are really looking forward to. The other bout on this second part of the event will see another former world title challenger in action as Riku Kano (16-4-1, 8), who has previously fought the aforementioned Katsunari Takayama, takes on Ryoki Hirai (13-6-1, 4) for the WBO Asia Pacific Light Flyweight title. Kano was once regarded as a prodigy but with a 6-3 record in his last 9 he's fallen a long way short of expectations. Thankfully he is only 23, but it really does seem like he has got a lot of work to do to even come close to what was predicted for him. In Hirai we have an under-rated fighter who hasn't had much fanfare or success, but is in his prime and will see this as a great chance to make a mark on the sport around 8 years after his debut! A very interesting bout that will put the winner in the world title mix, and leave the loser with some serious questions to answer. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Kano and Hirai clash for WBO regional title For fans wanting to watch the action from Hyogo it'll be streamed on TV Osaka's YouTube channel, who will be showing both parts of the event! Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo, Japan The other show is the latest in the A-Sign series of shows and will come from the Sinjuku FACE in Tokyo. On paper this is the less interesting of the 3 events from Japan, and sadly is another small show, with just 3 bouts on it. In the main event we'll see emerging Welterweight star Jin Sasaki (8-0, 7) taking on Tatsuya Miyazaki (9-13-1, 9) in a 6 rounder. When we talk about prospects we usually consider their skills as the key factor, but with Sasaki we are looking at the full package, with the 19 year old having skills, power, charisma and the X-Factor. He looks like a genuinely bankable future star for Japanese boxing, and just needs to work on his defense and carry his destructive power up through levels. Sadly the 36 year old Miyazaki is unlikely to ask many questions of Sasaki, but if he lands clean he could end up giving Sasaki's chin a test. In the chief support bout the exciting Ryugo Ushijima (4-1-2, 2) will be up against the light punching Hyuma Fujioka (10-10-1, 1). Although we don't see future world champion potential in Ushuijima he does make for fun fights and his 2019 bout with Shota Ogasawara was a real highlight and his 2020 bout with Ryukyu Oho was a fun one a few months ago. In Fujioka we have a tough but limited fighter, who should ask questions of Ushijima, but come up short in what should be a solid bout. Sadly a bout between Hyoga Taniguchi (4-2-2, 1) and Hiro Ichimichi (4-0-1, 3), which looked excellent on paper, has had to be cancelled after Taniguchi was involved in a traffic accident. As a result the only other bout on this show will see Ken Koibuchi (6-4, 5) take on Tetsuya Kondo (4-2, 3), in what should be a very explosive, but lower level, bout. For fans wanting to watch this show it will be shown on the A-Sign YouTube channel. Dayao Walnut Culture Square, Chuxiong, China We also have action in China, albeit at a much lower level, with 5 of the 6 bouts on the card being 4 rounders. The one bout scheduled for longer than 4 rounds is an 8 rounder between Chunhua Yang (4-1-1, 2) and Jun Qi (2-1-1), who clash at Super Flyweight. Coming in to this Yang was beaten in September, in his only other bout this year, and his 4 wins have come against poor opposition and novices, with Qi will be facing his most experienced opponent to date.  This coming Sunday is a weird day, as there's shows in 3 different countries and yet there is a real lack of quality across those shows. In fact, if we're being honest, there's only one bout that really stand outs as being worthy of attention. A real shame of a day.
Aqua Bunka Hall, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan For us the one bout of note comes from Japan and pits a rising prospect against a former world title challenger. This could be a coming out party for the prospect, or a case of biting off more than he can chew. The prospect looking to shine here is Ryosuke Nishida (2-0, 1), who takes on former WBO Bantamweight title challenger Shohei Omori (21-3, 16) in a really intriguing bout. Nishida turned professional following a solid, though not spectacular, amateur career and is spoke about highly by those in Osaka. He's one of the few exciting prospects at the Mutoh Gym, and we can't help but feel he might be getting this fight a little bit too early in his career. He's clearly talented, and understands how to box, but this is a massive step up. As for Omori he's a former Japanese Bantamweight champion and a very dangerous southpaw with power and speed. Sadly though Omori's once promising career has hurt a number of hurdles in recent bouts, and two losses to Marlon Tapales have left him looking like he'll never reach the top. A win for Nsihida puts him on the map here, but this is not a foregone conclusion and Omori is very much a dangerous fighter at this level. By far and away the most interesting bout of the day. Dayao Walnut Culture Square, Chuxiong, China We also get a card in China. Sadly though this is a mega small card, sadly most of the fighters on this card are debutants and very few are expected to go on to achieve anything any time soon. The one notable exception is 21 year old LeQuan Wang (5-0, 3), who has more bouts to his name than the rest of the card combined. The unbeaten Wang, who debuted in May 2019, has a decent looking record, but 4 of his 5 wins have come against debutants. He'll be looking to beat another debutant here as he takes on Jiabao Yu (0-0). It's hard to know if Wang is decent, though his record being as padded as it is it's fair to say his team are going for the slow build tactic of developing someone. As for Yu, well this is his debut and he seems to lack any amateur experience to read into. On paper this looks like a mismatch, but may end up being more interesting than it first looks. Jai Balaji Sports Academy, Sonipat, India We also have a relatively small card in India. The show here really isn't one worthy of much attention, though there is a somewhat notable fighter on the card. That somewhat notable fighter is Shiva (11-3, 5), who takes on Shivam Shivam (0-0)*. It's fair to suggest that Shiva is expected to pick up a win here, and record a 6th successive win as he continues to move his career forward. Despite Shiva being a somewhat notable fighter it's a shame the 25 year old isn't being matched a little bit tougher than this. *Shivam was scheduled to debut earlier this month though it's unclear if that bout ever took place.  This Saturday promises to be a great day with a brilliant Japanese card being shown live on Boxing Raise, and a live show being streamed from the Philippines!
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan That Japanese card comes from Tokyo and features 4 bouts of note, none are world title bouts, but there are two less title bouts on the show, and a mouth watering domestic show down, as well as a bout featuring a former Japanese national champion. In the main event OPBF Light Welterweight champion Rikki Naito (22-2, 7) will battle against fellow Japanese fighter Yusuke Konno (16-4, 9), with both Naito's OPBF title on the line. Coming in Naito will be the clear favourite, he's the more proven man, the Oriental champion and the quicker more skilled fighter. We shouldn't write off Konno however, and he's a big, strong, powerful fighter, with good stamina and he'll be desperate to force his will on Naito. This is very much a match up of skill Vs will and knowing that Konno will be pressing and pressuring through out we can't help feel that Konno is a very live under-dog here. Our full preview of this bout is available here Naito and Konno clash for OPBF title The chief support bout is a mouth watering match up between youngsters as Yoshimitsu Kimura (12-2, 7) and Shuma Nakazato (10-1-2, 7) clash, in a truly brilliant match up. Kimura is coming in on the back of a split decision loss to OPBF 130lb champion Hironori Mishiro, which was a great clash last year, and he'll have given his standing and confidence a huge boost despite the lost. Incidentally Nakazato's sole loss also came to Mishiro, but since then he has gone 4-0-1 and will know a win here moves him to within touch distance of a title bout. We expect this to be highly technical but also really exciting with Kimura being the aggressor, applying calculated pressure and Nakazato looking to play the role of a puncher. We wouldn't be surprised if this was the bout of the week. The other title bout promises to be just as good as the main event, with Japanese Youth Super Flyweight champion Suzumi Takayama (3-0, 3) defending his title against Hiroto Yashiro (2-0, 2), in what will be Takayama's first defense. Unlike most countries Japan matches their young up and comers against each other often and the Youth title has seen that happen more and more often in recent years. Prior to turning professional both of these youngsters had made their marks on the amateur scene and seeing them face off at this ultra-early point in their professional careers is really exciting. This is a hard one to call and we are expecting a brilliant, tactical, hard hitting battle here. A fantastic match up and credit to both men for accepting the bout. This should be something special. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Novices clash in Japanese Youth title clash! Also on this card will be former Japanese Super Bantamweight champion Ryoichi Tamura (15-5-1, 7), who is always worth watching. The all action Tamura will be expected to pick up a relatively easy win here, as he takes on Ryu Oba (5-4, 3), though in fairness Tamura makes even mismatches fun and exciting with his action style and aggression. Although Oba is the under-dog he'll have some confidence having won his last 2 and will be here to win. This should be fun, even if it does have a very predictable winner. Phillipines The restart in Filipino boxing has been a slow one, though we do get another show in the country today as Sanman puts on a card with several notable names on it. The main event will see former WBO Bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales (33-3, 16) battle against Eden Sonsona (36-11-2, 13) in a bout at a contracted 132lbs, well above Tapales' best weight. This will be Tapales's first bout since losing to Ryosuke Iwasa in an IBF "interim" Super Bantamweight title bout, and to see him going up the scales this much is a worry, though he should still have enough to beat Sonsona. Another notable fighter on this card is 2-time world title challenger Aston Palicte (26-4-1, 22), who will be in action at Bantamweight, where he takes on Reymark Taday (10-12-1, 5), in what looks very much like a confidence builder for Palicte following 2 losses last year, including one to Kazuto Ioka. Other notables involved on the show are Joey Canoy (15-4-1, 8) and the talented Dave Apolinario (13-0, 8), who are both facing domestic foes that they shouldn't struggle with. This event is set to be streamed on the Sanman Facebook page for those wanting to enjoy some Filipino action. Xi An, China As well as the action in Japan there will also be a show in China. This is another low key Chinese card, as we still see the sport re-finding it's feet in the Middle Kingdom. One of the few interesting bouts on this show will see Jin Ping Yang (2-0-1) take on Xiaokang Song (4-0) in a battle of unbeaten men, over 10 rounds. The 23 year old Yang made his debut in October 2018, with a 4 round decision, and stepped up to 6 rounders earlier this year. He's now leaping up to a 10 rounder in what is very, very clearly a step up in class. Song on the other hand is a 21 year old and has been a fighting in 4 rounders. This isn't an easy one to call, but is an interesting one on paper, and a somewhat compelling match up, given that the promoter is trusting the two men to headline the card. In a second bout on this card Shichao Gao (5-1-1, 2) will take on JiZhong He (2-1, 1) over 8 rounds. We have been impressed by Gao in the past, and he seemed to be on the fast track to the top when he beat Koji Igarashi and Anurak Thisa last year, but a loss in June has slowed his rise. As for He it's hard to say anything at all about him given the very low level of competition he has faced so far, and this is a very, very big step up in class for him. |
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