 EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
Attention this coming Saturday in Asia will be mostly on Japan, specifically Osaka, where we get a really interesting world title bout, in one of the sports most interesting, yet overlooked, divisions. The bout in question will see IBF Bantamweight champion Emmanuel Rodriguez (22-2, 13) defending his title in a mandatory defense against unbeaten Japanese challenger Ryosuke Nishida (8-0, 1). On paper this is a huge step up in class for Nishida, who has had just 8 bouts. Despite the lack of experience he has already scored notable wins over Shohei Omori, Daigo Higa, Tatsuro Ohashi and Christian Medina Jimenez, going 12-rounds 4 times already, and has had 73 career rounds. In the ring he’s an excellent pure boxer, fighting outside of a southpaw stance, with a huge frame for a Bantamweight, but he lacks real power which could be an issue here. As for Rodriguez, he’s a slippery boxer, who had been a top amateur winning Silver at the 2010 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and a gold at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, before making his mark on the pros. As a professional he has had 25 fights, for a total of 139 rounds, including wins over the likes of Alberto Guevara, Paul Butler, Jason Moloney, Gary Antonio Russell and Melving Lopez. He is currently enjoying his second reign as the IBF champion, with his first reign being ended in 2019 when he was taken out in 2 rounds by Naoya Inoue. Despite having almost 3 times more fights, and being regarded as the much more experienced man, it is interesting to note that he has also only gone 12 rounds on 4 occasions, the same as Nishida. The champion will go into this as the favourite, though he will, notably, be fighting in Asia for the first time. Sadly the world title bout aside, there is very, very little of note on this show. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Over in Tokyo we also get a notable show, and whilst the main event isn’t as good as the one in Osaka, the overall card is stronger, by some margin, with two good looking Japanese title bouts and a notable debutant. The show will be overshadowed by the Osaka card, and rightfully so, but is likely to be the much better overall event. The main event of the card will be a much anticipated rematch as Japanese Welterweight champion Shoki Sakai (29-13-3, 15) takes on Ryota Toyoshima (18-3-1, 11), in a Champion Carnival bout. These two met back in 2021, with Toyoshima taking a decision win over Sakai, however since then Sakai has gone 3-0-1, won the Japanese title and recorded 2 defenses of the belt as he's gone through the best run of his career. Toyoshima on the other hand has gone 3-1, losing to Jin Sasaki, and struggling past Aso Ishiwaki last year. These styles of these two men are made for each other, with Sakai being a hard nosed pressure fighter, forcing the action and Toyoshima being a boxer-puncher who can be dragged into a war. This really should be a brilliant fight, much like their first one. The other title fight on this show will see Japanese Light Flyweight champion Toshiki Kawamitsu (9-1, 5) defending his title against Kosuke Ando (13-4, 6), in another Champion Carnival bout. Kawamitsu won the title last time out, when he stopped Toshimasa Ouchi, and seemed to show how good he really was with what was his third win since being stopped by Ginjiro Shigeoka, but there is still a lot for him to do before he gets to follow in Nishida’s footsteps and challenger at world level. Ando on the other hand is getting his second shot at a title, having fallen short in a regional title fight against Ryuya Yamanaka, and he’ll know he can’t afford another set back here if he’s wanting to be a fixture on the title scene. Sadly for Ando he was stopped by Kawamitsu back in 2021, and whilst he is 5-1 since then none of the fighters he's beat have been comparable to Kawamitsu. We also get the debut of former amateur fighter Yuichiro Taka (0-0), who is 22 years old and had been making a name for himself as far back as his days in the Under 15’s. Although certainly not an elite amateur, and he didn’t win medals in major international tournaments, he is an experienced fighter who is said to carry solid power, and is regarded as one to watch by those in the know in Japan. He’s being matched against Chinese fighter Yuqi Wang (1-1) in a 6 rounder, which should give us a chance to see what Taka can do in the ring, before moving on to bigger and better things down the line. Opal Paint Stadium, Bang Pakong, Thailand As well as the action in Japan we’re also a very small show in Thailand. The most notable bout announced for this card will see once beaten Pakistani fighter Moin Khan (6-1-1-1, 4) face limited Thai local Pornchai Srithong (11-10, 5). Khan has gone 4-0-1 since his sold loss, back in 2020, including win on Thai soil last year, and will be full of confidence. Despite his poor record Pornchai is something of a streaky fighter, and has also won his last 5 so will have confidence, though this is the equal longest winning run of his career and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see it come to an end now he’s facing someone with some ambition.
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Singmanassak Muaythai School, Pathum Thani, Thailand
With some huge shows lined up for the next few days it can be easy to overlook the other bouts, and that certainly seems to be the case for a show this coming Friday from Pathum Thani. The show is a relatively low profile one, though the main event certainly deserves some attention as Japan’s Umi Ishikawa (11-3, 9) takes on Sothita Sitthichai (10-3, 3) in a bout for the WBC Female “interim” Minimumweight title, in what is the second bout between the two women. The two clashed last August, with Ishikawa taking a 3rd round win to claim the WBC Silver Female Minimumweight title. and score her 4th straight win. The win saw Ishikawa adding the Silver title to her growing collection of belts, including the WBC Asia Female Minimumweight and WBC International Atomweight title. Although no world beater, and a long way from the divisional queen Seniesa Estrada, she has proven herself to be dangerous, especially at this level. Sitthichai on the other hand had won 5 in a row before losing to Ishikawa, and has picked up two wins since their first bout. Sadly however only 2 of her 10 wins have come against fighters with wins and the 17 is certainly not as good as her record suggests. She has a padded record, has been stopped the two times she’s faced someone with some sort of a name, and it’s to expect that to change here. National Sports University, Bangkok Campus, Thanyaburi, Thailand
This coming Thursdays fight fans in Thailand get a small card. The full bout list isn’t known at the time of writing, though the one bout that has been announced for the event looks like it could be an interesting one, as Thailand’s Chan Sala (10-3, 6) takes on ShaoKang Huang (5-2, 3) for the WBC Asian Continental Welterweight title. Coming in to this Sala, who will be defending his title, has won his last 5 however they have come at a very low level with his most notable win coming against Ilham Loeisa. His winning run has come following a very 1-sided loss to Japan’s Yasuomi Soda, who won a 6 rounder with scores of 60-51, in 2023. As for Huang he’s won his last 3 and has bounced back since a loss to fellow Chinese fighter Aketelieke Jieensi in August. Sadly, this bout aside, there is no other bouts that we have any details of. Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex, Barangay Centro, Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines
To kick off a hectic month of action we begin in the Philippines where we get a small, but notable, card from Cebu. The main event of the card looks to be a massive mismatch as former 2-time world champion Vic Saludar (24-6, 14) takes on Thai visitor Sanchai Yotboon (14-7, 9) for the WBO Oriental Minimumweight title. The hard hitting Saludar, still one of the best fighters at 105lbs despite no longer holding a title, is a top tier fighter, who has nasty power, good skills, a good chin and is really much better than his record suggests with only the divisional elite being favoured over him. Sadly though Yotboon isn’t close to that level, and has been stopped numerous times by fighters, such as a loss last year to DainXing Zhu, whilst still yet to score a notable win. In fact all 7 of Yotboon’s losses have been inside the distance and it’s almost certain that this will be another loss inside the distance for the Thai. In a much, much better looking bout we’ll see the unbeaten pairing of Ramil Macado (8-0, 4) and Lorenz Dumam-ag (9-0-1, 6) battle for the vacant WBO Oriental Flyweight title. Macado is a 28 year old southpaw, who made his debut in 2022 and has taken 3 unbeaten records in 8 bouts, with his notable victory being an 8 round decision over Renoel Pael. Dumam-ag, dubbed "Shotgun", is 26 year old Southpaw who recently won the PBF Flyweight title, stopping Anthony Gilbuela in 9 rounds in December. Whilst he is unbeaten he has been dropped a few times during his career and is taking a step up in class here. This should be the best bout on the show, and is a 50/50 on paper, with Macado being the slightly more proven. Another bout on this card will see the highly promising Ian Abne (10-0-1, 4) taking on Darwin Boyones (6-4, 3). Abne has been on the radar for a few years now, though has sadly not really kicked on with his career, despite a notable domestic win over Jomar Caindog last year. He's clearly a talented fighter, but without being matched harder and having a team secure him bigger and better bouts, his potential is being wasted. Boyones is tough, and should force Abne to go 10 rounds, something he’s only done once, but is unlikely to be much of an actual test.  Holy Name University Gymnasium, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines
The most notable of the bouts of the day takes place in the Philippines with a card in Bohol. The most significant bout on this card will see the highly skilled Regie Suganob (14-1, 4) take on the hard hitting Kai Ishizawa (11-3, 10) in what will be Suganob’s first defense of the WBO Global Light Flyweight title. The talented “Filipino Phenom” has bounced back well from his sole loss, a close and very competitive decision loss in an IBF title fight against Sivenathi Nontshinga in South Africa, by beating Ronald Chacon for the global title in November. That win over Chacon isn't a win that should be seen in isolation with Suganob also holding wins over Andika D'Golden Boy and Mark Vicelles, and proving himself as among the best in the region at 108lbs. As for Ishizawa the exciting Japanese fighter is one of the biggest punchers in the division, and one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the lower weights, but is certainly going through a rough patch, with losses to Masataka Taniguchi and Vince Paras in his last 3 bouts, with Taniguchi stopping an over-weight Ishizawa in 2022. This is a real 50-50 and should be a great mix of styles, and the winner should certainly be in the mix for a world title fight in the near future. Also on this card is a rematch between the unbeaten Angilou Dalogdog (9-0, 3) and veteran Roland Jay Biendima (17-15-1, 10), who clash over 10 rounds. These two fought back in December, with Dalogdog stopping Biendima in 4 rounds, and it's expected he will extend his unbeaten record here, however it is worth noting their first bout was hotly contested before the referee stopped Biendima due to a cut, and this isn’t a rematch of an easy early win. Instead this should be a good 10 round test for Dalogdog, with Biendima being known as a tough guy, with only 3 stoppages, including the cut loss to Dalogdog, on his record. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Over in Korakuen Hall we get a very good, domestic Japanese card with a number of really well matched bouts thanks to KG Yamato, who are putting on bouts that, in the UK, would be described as “trade fights”, well matched contests, between fighters who are both looking to move their careers forward, with fighters on the fringes of potential title fights. The main bout pits two JBC ranked fighters against each other as the once beaten Shigetoshi Kotari (6-1-1, 5) takes on Hiromasa Urakawa (9-2, 6). The hard hitting Kotari has rebuilt excellently since going 2-1-1 to start his career, and has stopped his last 4 opponents, including the rugged Kanehiro Nakagawa, but is stepping up from Super Featherweight to Lightweight here where his power may not carry up in the same way. Urakawa on the other hand is a natural Lightweight who ran through a 6 fight winning run of his own recently, though did lose last time out, when he came up short against Hironori Mishiro. Like Kotari he does have some solid wins on his resume, including beating Eiji Togawa in the All Japan Rookie of the Year and beating Shinnosuke Saito last year. The winner of this will certainly be in the mix for a Japanese title fight next year. In another solid match up Riki Hamada (9-2, 6) will take on JBC ranked foe Toshiyuki Takahashi (10-5, 5), in what will be Hamada’s first A Class bout. Notably Hamada has shown a questionable sense of durability, with two stoppage losses against his name, however he has bounced back from those losses and won his last two bouts, and it seems like the losses were followed by time out of the ring, allowing him to mature and his last two bouts have been his biggest wins, including a victory over Daiki Imanari. Takashi on the other hand is unbeaten since losing in a Youth title fight in 2022, bouncing back with 3 wins including a notable victory in August against Ryoichi Tamura, which saw him climb the rankings. Neither of these men are likely to win major titles, but both will feel like they could earn a shot down the line, and will know a loss here is a massive setback. In an interesting 6 rounder we’ll see Ikuro Sadatsune (11-4-4, 4) return to the ring for the first time since July 2021, when he had a technical draw in a Japanese Bantamweight title fight, to face off against Retsu Takahashi (5-3, 2). Prior to his break Sadatsune was a genuinely fun to watch and talented fighter, who had fought a genuine who’s who of the Japanese scene, including the likes of Kai Chiba, Tatsuay Takahashi, Kenshin Oshima, Sho Ishida and Kyosuke Sawada. We do however wonder how he’s going to look after so long out of the ring. Takashi won his first 4 bouts, but has gone 1-3 in his last 4, and can ill afford another loss. Despite his recent set backs, he showed he wasn't washed up last year, when he beat Kantaro Nakanishi, in an upset, and also gave Kazuki Kojima a very close bout. This is an interesting match up, and whilst it certainly isn’t a huge bout, it is one that certainly has a sense of serious intrigue. One other bout of note is another 6 rounder, as 19 year old Rikuto Sezutsu (2-0, 2) moves from 4 rounders to take on the debuting 23 year old Yoshito Suzuki (0-0). The teenage Sezutsu made his debut in June last year, stopping a Korean visitor, and made his international debut in December, when he traveled to Thailand. Both of his wins have come in the second round and it’ll be interesting to see what he can do if he gets taken longer into fights. Suzuki on the other hand went 23-21 (4) in the amateurs, and whilst no world beater in the unpaid ranks, that's a lot of experience, much more so than Sezutsu has, and he’ll feel that’s a lot of ring time he can rely on here.  This coming Sunday we get two Japanese shows, both of which are coming from the same venue, with the Sangyo Shinko Center in Sakai city putting on a pair of shows back to back.
Sangyo Shinko Center, Sakai, Osaka, Japan The first of the two shows is a card promoted by Shinji Nogami's Diamante Promotions and will feature several interesting match ups with young local hopefuls. The main event will see JBC Youth Featherweight champion Towa Tsuji (7-1, 5) drop down in weight to take on Thai visitor Anuruk Madua (11-12, 8). The 24 year old Tsuji has won 4 in a row following an opening round loss in 2022 to Shugo Hisataka, with 3 of those wins coming inside the distance, including a win over Kyosuke Okamoto for the JBC Youth title and a win over Wirasak Rakchat, in his first bout against a non-Japanese foe. The 26 year old Madua has a very mixed record, and has rarely seen the final bell, with only 5 of his 23 bouts going the distance. Win or lose he tends to be in bouts that end early, and his 6 bouts in Japan have all been T/KO losses, and we’d be shocked if they didn’t end the same way. Another interesting match up on this card will see Seigo Hanamori (7-3, 5) face off with Yuta Nakatsuji (5-3, 2). Hanamori was on the verge of a Japanese title fight a few years ago, but has lost his last two inside the distance, and is now more than 3 years removed from a win. He was once regarded as a genuine hopeful with heavy hands and an exciting style, but will need a win soon to get his career back on track. Nakatsuji on the other hand has won his last 3, and appears to be going in the right direction with his career, after going 2-3 in his first 5, despite those results this is a clear step up in class for him, and a win would easily be his biggest victory to date. Also on this card is the debut of 19 year old female hopeful Hinata Takakura (0-0), who was a solid amateur on the Japanese domestic scene. She’ll be kicking off her career in a 6 rounder against Thai visitor Suphattra Aunruean (7-2, 5). On paper this looks like a tough debut for Takakura, though it should be noted the Thai's record is paper thin, and she has lost the two times she has faced fighters with any ambition, including a loss in Japan in 2023 against Nanae Yamaka. Sangyo Shinko Center, Sakai, Osaka, Japan The second show, primarily promoted by Takashi Hashimoto's Esperanza Sports Promotions, is a show that is packed with West Japan Rookie of the Year bouts, with 5 such bouts on the show. This card is headlined by an interesting looking 8 rounder between Ren Kobayashi (7-3-3, 2) and Mizuki Akima (6-5-2, 4). Kobayashi has had mixed results throughout his career, but is unbeaten in his last 4 and recently scored a career best win, by overcoming Shingo Kawamura in December. Although no world beater he is a solid fighter, who has improved a lot since a shutout loss to Fuya Tomita back in 2020. Akima on the other hand has proven to be rugged and heavy handed, but is technically quite limited, and can be out boxed, as he has been in a number of his losses. Notably, for Akima, this is only his second bout outside of Korakuen Hall, and he's going to Kobayashi's birth town for the bout. The card also supposed to feature a bout between Eiji Togawa (8-7, 4) and Mikado Konishi (8-6, 5), however Konishi had to pull out of the bout in the build up to the event.  Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
The most notable action this coming Saturday comes from Suwon, where we see a former world champion in action, though not in a major bout, and in many ways the former world champion in question seems to be something of a forgotten fighter, which is a shame as she was once on the verge of a major unification bout. That aforementioned world champion is unbeaten Korean Hyun Mi Choi (21-0-1, 5), who takes on Jessica Camara (12-4, 3) in a bout for the WBA Gold female Lightweight title. For Choi this will be her 4th bout since her US debut at the end of 2020, when she beat Calista Silgado. Back then she was being lined up as a future opponent for Teri Harper in a unification bout. Sadly after Harper was injured and the bout fell through Choi has been a forgotten fighter, fighting in 3 low profile bouts in Korea. As for Camara the Canadian 36 year old is a former world title challenger, losing to Kali Reis in 2021, who has mixed with good company and holds a notable win over Heather Hardy, but has typically come up short against her most notable opponents, including Reis and Melissa St Vil. Benikea Yangsan Hotel, Yangsan, South Korea Staying in South Korea, though traveling South East from Suwon, there is also set to be a show in Yangsan. This show features a number of 4 rounder along with one bout set for a longer distance. That longer bout is a Korean Heavyweight title bout, which will see unbeaten 29 year old Jung Hyun Kim (3-0, 3) defending the title for the first time, as he takes on 20 year old challenger Jung Soo Kim (5-2, 4). On paper it’s easy to back the champion, who is older, unbeaten, and the defending title holder. However the challenger is possibly just as proven, if not more proven, thanks to his battles on the road, which have seen him go the distance with Mitsuro Brandon Tajima, which he did last July, and winning a genuinely enthralling war with Yamato Fujinaka back in March. Given the styles of the two men, and the stereotypical Korean boxer mindset, do not be surprised if this ends up being something of fan friendly war. CC Gym, Pattaya, Thailand We are also set to get some low level action in Thailand, which features a rather interesting range of fighters from taking on Thai locals, in what looks like a low level but interesting show. At Light Heavyweight Armenian born Thai based Light Heavyweight Artavazd Aroyan (11-2, 8) will take on Thailand’s very own Don Parueang (13-4, 11). Aroyan has gone 5-0 (5) in Thailand, with 3 of those wins coming already this year. His competition hasn’t been great, but he has been dangerous and has bounced back well from a 2023 loss to Sergei Gorokhov. Parueang is a 41 year old fighter who debuted in 2011 and lost 4 of his first 6, but has gone 12-0 since then. Sadly he is best known for a tragic bout against Christian Daghio, who died following the bout. Daghio is pretty much the only notable win on his record, and the others are very, very, very low level bouts. Turkish born fighter Efe Derin Konuk (7-0-1, 3) looks to extend his unbeaten record as he takes on the once touted Thai Campee Phayom (24-8-2, 16). For Konuk this is his third successive bout in Thailand, and his 4th bout in the last 5 in the Land of Smiles. where he has beaten Aekkawee Kaewmanee and former world champion Pungluang Sor Singyu. He seems to hit harder than his record suggests but is certainly not a big banger. Phayom on the other hand started his career 9-0, but has since gone 15-8-2, and suffered losses to a number of notable fighters such as Xiangxiang Sun, Daud Yordan, Pungluang Sor Singyu and Virgel Vitor. Notably 7 of those 8 losses have been by stoppages and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him taken out again here. Also on this card is unbeaten Italian 46 year old Alessio Bisutti (5-0, 4) who takes on Thai native Naphat Ngoenbamrung (8-1, 4). Bisutti made his debut in June 2023 and won the Thai Heavyweight title in September, before adding the Asian Boxing Federation title in November. Although his competition has been poor, he has been doing exactly what he's supposed to, and taking them out early. The 22 year old Ngoenbamrung has been fighting at an incredibly low level, with several of his bouts being rematches with fighters, in fact his sole loss came to Weerapat Kamlangwai who he had previously beaten. He debuted in April 202 and will be fighting for the 10th time in just over a year. On paper this is a step up for both men, though it’s hard to imagine either man going too far in the sport.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Friday fight fans at Korakuen Hall get the chance to see a low key card, that won’t attract wider attention, but will deliver for the hardcore fans in the venue, with bouts that are made to be fun to watch, competitive and exciting, rather than to sell on name value of those involved. In the main event we’ll be getting a genuine treat as the aggressive and hard hitting Kaiki Yuba (11-2-2, 7) takes on the always fun to watch Aso Ishiwaki (12-7-1, 8). Of the two men Yuba is the more polished fighter, with a boxer-puncher style that makes him deadly. He might not be the freakish puncher his father was but he has shown himself to be devastating at domestic level. Notably his power has carried up from 135 to 140 and even 147, stopping 2 of his 3 opponents at Welterweight. He does however not have the greatest of chins and has been stopped in both of his losses. Ishiwaki on the other hand is a pressure fighter who comes forward, makes for fun fights and although he has 7 losses is much better than his record suggests, with 3 of those losses coming by split or majority decision, including a loss to Ryota Toyoshima. Ishiwaki has mixed at a solid level, and whilst he has been stopped twice, he also has solid power of his own. This one really could be a very, very good fight. In a supporting bout the once touted Kyotaro Yoshida (3-3) will face off with Mirai Imagawa (13-6-1, 5). When he turned professional there was big expectations on Yoshida, who had been a very good amateur, but sadly as a professional his lack of power has proven to be an issue, and whilst he is clearly talented, he has lost some very close fights and it's become apparent he'll not reach the heights expected of him. In saying that he is certainly not a bad boxer, just sadly one lacking the power to climb to the top of the domestic scene. Imagawa on the other hand is someone who has rebuilt from a faltering start that saw him start his career 1-2 and being 3-3. Sadly for him his wins, so far, have come at a relatively low domestic level, with his best wins coming against the likes of Kento Yabusaki. Despite that there was some hope for Imagawa in late 2017, when he won the All Japan Rookie of the Year, and he’ll now be looking to get his career back on track after being winless since late 2022. In a Middleweight bout recent Japanese title challenger Mikio Sakai (5-2-1) will look to score his first win since 2022, as he takes on Korean visitor Dong Su Kim (3-2-1, 1). Sakai is a talented fighter, but has twice come up short in Japanese title fights against Riku Kunimoto, and the feeling is he may well need to hope Kunimoto looks for regional titles if he’s ever to become the Japanese champion himself. As for Kim he won the Korean national title in June 2022, but has only fought once since then and has had an awful stop-start career that, amazingly, began in 2009. Now aged 33 Kim has likely wasted his best years, but should make for a good dance partner for the Japanese local.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
The main action this coming Thursday comes from Tokyo, where we get a title double header, and the quarter finals of an intriguing tournament. The main event of the card will see hard hitting Japanese Super Flyweight champion Suzumi Takayama (7-0, 6) make his second defense, as he takes on mandatory challenger Akio Furutani (11-6, 4) in a Champion Carnival bout. Takayama has been a wrecking ball since debuting in 20119, with only the naturally bigger Kai Chiba managing to see the final bell with him. He won the title last June, when stopped Ryusei Kawaura and made his first defense 3 months later, stopping Tsubasa Murachi. He’s on the verges, or just in, the world rankings but it does seem like he’s going to need tougher tests before getting a world title bout. Furutani on the other hand is an under-rated fighter, who has suffered 6 defeats in 17 bouts, but has managed to prove himself. He started his career 4-4, but has since gone 7-2, with his only losses in that 9 fight run being close and competitive ones in regional title fights against Masayoshi Hashizume and Kenta Nakagawa. Furutani is tough, and should ask questions of Takayama, but it would be a real surprise to see the title change hands here. A second title bout will see Yuma Saeki (3-0, 3) and Rento Miyazawa (6-2-1, 2) battle for the JBC Youth Minimumweight title. Saeki turned professional following a solid amateur career which saw him going 22-7 (7), and since turning professional he has notched his first 3 wins in a combined 10 rounds, including a 5th round TKO win over Takatora Suzuki. For a guy at 105lbs he has looked hard hitting, and incredibly promising, but this bout will be a clear step up for him. As for Miyazawa he's had mixed results so far, and enters this on the back of a 3-fight unbeaten run, including a win over Masashi Ikeda and a draw against Sei Miyagawa. Whilst Miyazawa has fought through much of Japan, including Osaka, Sakai, Kariya and Uruma, this will be his first bout in Tokyo, and the first time he steps into the ring at Korakuen Hall. As well as the title bouts, this card will also feature the first round of a tournament, dubbed the Asia's strongest lightweight tournament, that’s expected to see the winner not only receive a notable cash prize, but also be left on the verge of a regional title fight. One of the tournament bouts is Saito Vs Saito, as the monstrously hard hitting Yoji Saito (6-3-2, 6) takes on Shinnosuke Saito (12-5, 3) in a really solid 6 rounder. Yoji Saito is a genuinely monstrous puncher, , who has scored all 6 of his wins in the first 5 rounds, and notably dropped Rentaro Kimura twice when they met in 2021. He is however a pretty crude, slow fighter, with limited defensive skills, and when fighters have been able to take his power he has struggled with coming up with a Plan B, as we saw in his thriller with Aso Ishiwaki. Shinnosuke Saito on the other hand is a much better technical boxer, who has impressive speed and movement, and good combinations. Notably coming into this both men are ranked in the top 15 by the JBC, with Shinnosuke Saito being ranked #2 domestically. The other tournament bout will see former amateur stand out Taiga Imanaga (4-0, 3) take on Chinese fighter Qiang Ma (6-3-2, 4). Imanaga made his professional debut in 2022 and looked great through his first 3 bouts, but was tested last year by Indonesian Hebi Marapu. In the ring Imanaga is a talented southpaw, and we dare say his bout with Marapu will help his development, rather than suggest he’s close to his peak, and a test like that early in his career is possibly the best thing for him. As for Ma, the Chinese fighter, he has made his name at Featherweight, and took part in a similar tournament in 2019, where he lost to Shingo Kusano in a thrilling war. Since that loss he has gone 1-1, and was stopped last time out, by Tae Sun Kim last April. Hard to see anything but a win for Imanaga here. Spaceplus Bangkok RCA, Bangkok, Thailand Over in Thailand we also get some title action, with several bouts taking place in Bangkok for titles. One of the title bouts on this card will be a bout for the WBC Asian Silver Heavyweight title, as 37 year old Azeri Taryel Jafarov (27-7, 25) takes on 23 year old Turkish fighter Gurkan Karadag (7-0, 7). Jafarov debuted in 2017 and has been busy ever since, with this actually being his 4th bout of 2024. For the most part his competition has been terrible, but he has managed to be a well travelled fighter, with fights in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Ghana United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, where he is now based. Karadag on the other hand is a 23 year old who debuted in 2023, and has already racked up 7 wins, in a combined 9 rounds, including a win over the highly experienced Ali Ismayilov, himself an Azeri based Ukrainian born fighter. Given the 32 KO wins in 34 wins we don’t expect this one to go long, and would expect something of a shoot out. A little bit lower down the weight classes, we’ll see Victor Nagbe (7-1, 2) take on the unbeaten Thai Rattawut Thongaram (5-0, 4) in a bout for the WBC Asian Continental Middleweight title. On paper Thongaram looks like he has a promising record, but so far his opponents have a combined record of 11-16-1 and he has only been beyond 3 rounds once in his career. Nagbe on the other hand is an Australian fighter who was born in Liberia, and fought in Thailand in March, and will be back there today. Notably Nagbe has scored wins over Sam Soliman and Adrian Rodriguez and despite being the away fighter, taking on an unbeaten man in their backyard, we suspect he should be seen as the favourite. There is also a female title bout on this show, as Kazakh fighter Angelina Lukas (8-1, 4) takes on Indian Mamta Singh (5-1, 2) in a bout for the lightly regarded WIBF Super Flyweight title. Lukas is a huge hit on social media, with over 2 million followers on Instagram, and is a popular figure on the Kazakh sports news websites, and whilst unknown in the West she certainly generates a buzz. If she can claim the WIBF title here, she is expected to begin chasing bigger and better titles in the future, at least according to her. As for Singh this will be her first bout outside of India. Angono, Rizal, Philippines We also get low level action in the Philippines, where we get a low level domestic card. The most notable name on this show is the experienced Eduardo Mancito (20-15-2, 10), who has shared the ring with the likes of Rey Vargas, Tomas Rojas, Satoshi Shimizu and Charly Suarez. Although Mancit has lost his biggest bouts, he has proven to be something of a domestic stalwart since his debut, more than a decade ago. He’ll be expected to pick up his 21st win, notable all 20 have come at home so far, as he takes on the limited Jason Dogelio (10-9, 3), who has lost his last 3 and is without a win since beating Kim Lindog in December 2021. Another notable bout on this card will see Roslan Eco (10-3, 7) look to end a 3 fight losing streak, as he takes on fellow Filipino Jaybie De Pablo Ignacio (3-1, 1). Eco began his career 10-0 but suffered a 4th round TKO loss in a regional title fight to Goki Kobayashi last May and has been stopped in his two following bouts. He’ll know he can’t afford another loss if he wishes to get his career back on track. Ignacio on the other hand is the naturally bigger fighter, but has fought at an extremely low level, and was stopped in 4 rounds by James Pacamalan last August, though has picked up a single win since then. We don’t expect this to be a great fight, with neither man having much confidence, but it is an important one for Eco’s career.  Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
This coming Sunday we get a great show from Osaka, with a regional title bout headline the show, and an under-card stacked with young and emerging hopefuls. The main event is a genuinely mouth watering bout as Filipino fighter Jayson Vayson (11-1-1-1, 6) seeks his first defense of the WBO Asia Pacific Light Flyweight title, as he takes on the unbeaten Takeru Inoue (4-0, 2), who is taking a huge leap up in class. For Vayson this will be his third bout in Japan, where he lost to Seigo Yuri Akui in February 2023 before returning to stop Ryuya Yamanaka in December to win the title. He’s a criminally under-rated fighter who holds a draw against Rene Mark Cuarto as well as his win over Yamanaka. As for Inoue he debuted in 2022 and will be stepping up massively for this fight, with his best wins to date coming against Orlie Silvestre and Nanthanon Thongchai. A win here for Inoue would put him on the fast track to a world title shot, but it’s a huge ask, especially given his opposition so far. The chief support bout will see Japanese ranked Featherweight Kaito Yamasaki (7-0, 4) look to extend his winning run as he takes on unbeaten Thai fighter Jatuphon Raksapa (4-0). Whilst Yamasaki has shown a lot to like, it is worth noting that he was dropped last time out, Shoki Yamauchi, who he got up to stop in 3 rounds, and really does need to develop, a lot, before a potential title fight. He’s promising, but very much unproven at this point in time. As for the Thai visitor this will be his first bout outside of Thailand, and whilst most of his fights have been gym fights it is worth noting he has beaten 3 fighters with winning records, something of a rarity for a 4-0 Thai. We assume Raksapa has been selected for Yamasaki’s opponent here due to his lack of power, and we do worry that Yamasaki’s team are trying to cover up the potential crack seen against Yamauchi. Another good looking supporting bout will see the once beaten Riku Yamashita (6-1-1, 3) take on Otoya Inuzuka (6-0-1, 2). Stylistically this should be a lot of fun as Yamashita is regarded as an aggressive fighter, who loves getting up close, and is great fun to watch, whilst Inuzuka is more of a technical boxer, who likes to set things up with his jab and let combinations go. Notably, Yamashita has been out of the ring since August 2022, when he lost to Daichi Hirai, whilst Inuzuka will be looking to build on a December win over Shintari Nagai, and the inactivity could be the difference maker here. One other bout worthy of real attention is the debut of former amateur stand out Ryang Ho Han (0-0), who is making his debut against WBO Asia Pacific ranked Super Flyweight Surat Eaim ong (18-4-1, 13) from Thailand. Han went 52-19 in the amateurs, and is regarded as a brilliant prospect, who uses distance well and is really tall at the weight, which he will look to use to his advantage here. Eaim ong is a 17 year old who debuted back in 2021 and has been a busy fighter, but has lost the few times he's faced someone of some name value, such as Jon Jon Jet and Takahiro Tai. If Han is the fighter some in Osaka expect him to be, he should take a very easy win here, but given the Thai’s power, this could serve as a potential chin check. For fans wanting to watch this bout, it will be streamed live here.. Manolo Fortich Municipal Gymnasium, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, Philippines Over in the Philippines we have a small card, though one that features a heavy handed prospect, a former world champion and a clash between two unbeaten men. On paper the best of the bouts on this show will see punchers collide, as Jason Facularin (7-1, 7) takes on James Pagaling (8-2, 5). Facularin has bounced back well since his sole loss, a tragic bout with Kenneth Egano, and despite the passing of Egano following that fight Facularin hasn’t shown the often worried about mental scarring a fight can have after a tragedy, stopping 3 opponents since then. Pagaling on the other hand is very much in a faltering stage of his career, having suffered back to back losses to Kenneth Llover and Sho Ishida, both inside the distance. If Pagaling hasn’t got the heart for the game after those losses he’ll be suffering a third early loss here. The most notable name on this card, by far, is former IBF Minimumweight world champion Rene Mark Cuarto (21-5-2, 12), who looks to end a 2 fight losing streak, as he takes on limited domestic fighter Reymark Taday (11-20-1, 6). Cuarto, who has recently lost 3 of his last 4 and been stopped by both Ginjiro Shigeoka and Shokichi Iwata, is really in need of a win, and his team aren’t taking risks here to get him an easy, confidence builder. Taday has won just 1 of his last 10 and been stopped 6 times in those 10 bouts. If Cuerto loses again here, he really should hang them up, but it would be one of the biggest boxing surprises of the year for him to come up short against Taday. A third bout of note on this card will be a battle of unbeatens as Lourinz Biasong (2-0) takes on Jordan Atlao (2-0, 2). Biasong debuted last October and was most recently in the ring in January, edging past Kyota Watanabe, and so far there are question marks about his power. Atlao on the other hand has moved to 2-0, since debuting in December 2022, in just 3 rounds, but his opponents have been 0-8-1 between them and it's hard to know what he offers given his competition and the stop-start nature of his career so far. Thankfully this bout should answer some questions about both men. Indonesia Arena, Jakarta, Indonesia There is also a small, but notable, show in Jakarta. The card features a man who was once tipped as a big hope for Indonesia, though has fallen short of expectation, and someone who scored a very notable win on their debut, and could well be the next boxing hope for the country. The once touted star is Andika D'Golden Boy (19-2-1, 10), who was once linked to a fight with Hiroto Kyoguchi for the WBC Light Flyweight title. Sadly his career has faltered recently, and he is now without a win since 2021, and has gone 0-2-1 in his last 3, including a loss to Indonesian veteran Silem Serang (20-27-3, 2), with the two rematching in a bout for the WBC Asian Silver Flyweight title. The loss to Serang, last December, was one of the biggest upsets in recent memory for Indonesian boxing, and saw Serang end a run of 4 stoppage losses, whilst also being his third split decision win in as many bouts in Indonesia. It’s fair to say D’Golden Boy will be seeking revenge here, and another loss really will leave his career in tatters. As for Serang a win won’t change his career trajectory by much, but it would be notable for him to become the bogeyman for D’Golden Boy. The new potential hope for the country is Rahul Pinem (1-0, 1), who debuted last year with a win over the once touted Defry Palulu. He’ll be returning to the ring seeking regional honours, as he faces veteran Larry Siwu (31-14, 27) in a bout for the WBC Asian Silver Welterweight title. From what we understand Pinem is a former MMA fighter who has turned his hand to boxing, after appearing on a few One Pride MMA events, and also competing in some kick boxing events. If he wins here he will become the hope of Indonesian boxing, which has lacked a star in recent years. As for Siwu the 41 year old has been a stalwart for the Indonesian scene, and has mixed in good company across the region, facing a genuine who's who of Asian and Pacific fighters, but time is running down on his career. Pinem will be expected to win, but we suspect he will need to go rounds with Siwu here. |
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