October 23rd-Notable names in action in Philippines, 15 year old looks to claim title in Thailand10/20/2022 The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines
The main show this coming Sunday is in the Philippines, where we see two notable Filipino hopefuls in action, along with a veteran. The most notable bout on the card will see Charly Suarez (12-0, 7) take on Carlo Magali (25-13-3, 13) in a bout for the unified GAB and WBA Asia Featherweight titles. The 34 year old Suarez is a real talented, and it's a shame, in many ways, that he didn't begin his professional journey until 2019, which was way too late and then he essentially saw his career stall due to the pandemic. Since turning professional he has looked class, but is running out of time to make a big impact. As for Magali he is a former OPBF champion and is better than his record suggests but has gone 2-4 in his last 6 and is without a fight since 2019, suggesting his hunger for an upset here might not be what it was just a few years ago. Unbeaten puncher Weljon Mindoro (8-0, 8) will be looking to continue his current and score a 9th straight stoppage as he takes on Junjesie Ibgos (13-6, 11). On paper this looks a good test for Mindoro, however Ibgos has been stopped in his last 3, and 4 of his last 5, and is with out a win in over 4 years. The 22 year old Mindoro is one to watch, and someone to keep a close eye on over the coming years, but we would like to see him begin to face international opponents in the next 12-18 months, rather than continue against fellow Filipino fighters. One other fight worth of attention sees veteran fighter Mark John Yap (30-17, 15) fight for the 48th time as a professional, as he takes on Junior Kauko Raka (2-1, 2) from Papua New Guinea. Raka scored a notable win over Allan Vallespin on debut but was beaten by Roldan Aldea last time out. As for Yap he's one of those fighters who has been there, fought there and has the T-Shirt, however he has lost his last 4 and 5 of his last 6, and it's unclear how badly he wants to win fights now a days, with his last win coming in March 2019. Yuto Sogo Gym, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan In Japan we get a small card packed with 4 rounders. Hard to say much about this card, but from the 14 fighters scheduled for the show, there are 6 debutants. Notably the most experienced fighter on the card is 28 year old Masami Moriizumi (5-11-1, 4), who takes on Masashi Tokihiro (1-3-2, 1). Moriizumi has a bizarre record that saw him going 5-0-1 (4) to begin his career, before losing 11 in a row and is now without a win since 2013. Tokihiro on the other hand won his debut, but has gone win-less in his 5 fights since then. Rangsit International Stadium, Rangsit Over in Thailand we have a very notable bout as Saowaluk Nareepangsri (13-19, 6) clashes with Kullathida Kueasanor (3-0, 2) in a bout for the vacant Thai Female Light Flyweight title. Aged 28 the experienced Saowaluk has faced a bit of a who's who including Kayoko Ebata, Masae Akitaya, Ayaka Miyao, Cherneka Johnson and Hee Jung Yuh, however she has picked up a loss every time she's fought anyone of note. Aged 15 Kullathida is a boxing baby, but a win here would make her one of the youngest title holders in world boxing, and give her career a huge shot at such an early stage.
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 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Saturday attention turns to Korkuen Hall for an interesting card under a join A-Sign and Dangan banner. The card features a number of notable names, and whilst none of the matches look like certified bangers, they should provide good action. The main event will see former world title challenger Shingo Wake (28-7-2, 20) take on Mugicha Nakagawa (24-9-2, 14). For Wake the bout serves as his second since a a 2021 loss to Takuma Inoue, and he will be looking to secure another victory here and move towards having one more run at the domestic or regional title scene. Although 35 Wake is still a very capable fighter and the talented, sharp shooting southpaw will feel he can still mix with the top domestic level fighters. As for Nakagawa the once promising fighter is now 0-4-1 in his last 5, he's not scored a win since 2018, and his career seems to be coming towards an under-whelming end. He did get some attention this year, prior to a very ugly fight with Ryo Akaho, and it's likely that this will be one of his final bouts. In a really interesting match up we'll see former Japanese 140lb champion Masahiro Suzuki (6-1, 4) look to bounce back from a recent loss to Shu Utsuki as he takes on Tetsuya Kondo (6-6, 4). On paper this is a mismatch, however the loss to Utsuki was a hard painful one and it's fair to say that Suzuki probably is well off getting something of a gimmie here. That loss came after a very close win over Seiryu Toshikawa and it's hard to know whether he really still have the hunger he showed in his title victory over Daishi Nagata. Coming in to this with 4 straight losses Kondo won't be given much of a shot, but his losses have come to decent domestic fighters, including Takeru Kobata, Kaiki Yuba and Daishi Nagata, and he could genuinely be a decent challenge for Suzuki. Another bout of note will be a rematch, as Hironori Shigeta (8-2-1, 5) and Shoki Sakai (26-13-2, 14) face off for the second time. These two clashed in 2020, in what was Sakai's Japanese debut, in what was a very fan friendly bout, and we're expecting another really fun one here between two fighters who have solid power, good engines and styles that gel well. We suspect Sakai's extra experience and know how will be the difference, as it was in their first bout, but this should still be a really fun one to watch.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Thursday we turn our attention to Korakeun Hall for a mouth watering card from Dangan. The show is headlined by a Japanese title fight, and also features two very solid under-card bouts. The main event of the show will see Japanese Bantamweight champion Seiya Tsutsumi (6-0-2, 5) make his first defense, as he takes on Kenshin Oshima (7-2-1, 3). The hard hitting Tsutsumi won the title earlier this year, when he stopped Kyosuke Sawada, finally getting a big win after controversial draws against Kazuki Nakajima and Daigo Higa. The hope for him is that he can retain his title here and move on to bigger and better things, including potential regional title fights or even world title bouts, further down the line. As for Oshima this is his second shot at the "cursed title", following a technical decision loss to Sawada for the belt back in February. Oshima is a talented fighter, and does have good technical skills, though he can be made to look wild at times and we do wonder whether he has the power needed to get Tsutusmi's respect. Our preview of this bout can be read here Japanese champion Tsutusmi faces Oshima in first defense In a solid supporting bout the hard hitting Jin Minamide (6-2, 5) will face off with Yuki Yonaha (12-3-1, 8), in what is a very competitive looking match up and a Japanese title eliminator, with the winner set to face the winner of the main event next year. Heading into the bout Minamide is ranked #1 by the JBC and is coming in to the bout on the back of TKO wins over Kiyohei Endo and Takeshi Takehara. Despite those wins it is worth noting he has been stopped twice. Yonaha on the other hand is ranked #2 by the JBC and is unbeaten in his last 6, with notable wins against Shota Kawaguchi and Motoki Osanai. He has momentum and form coming into this, but he was stopped the last time he was in with an aggressive puncher, though that was way back in 2016. Another great supporting bout will see fast rising Japanese hopeful Jukiya Iimura (3-0, 1) take on Filipino visitor Esneth Domingo (16-2, 8), in a solid step up for the unbeaten Japanese youngster. Coming in to the bout Iimura looks to be a very skilled fighter, but one who does need to have a still test before moving towards regional title fights. Whilst Domingo isn't an OPBF title level fighter, he isn't far from that level and he should serve as something of a gatekeeper to that level. A win for Iimura is likely to see him move into title bouts within 2 or 3 fights, but this is certainly not a gimmie  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
At Korakuen Hall this coming Tuesday we get a small, yet notable, card thanks to Kawasaki Nitta Gym. The main event of the bout will be the rubber bout between Kimika Miyoshi (16-13-2, 6) and Yoshie Wakasa (7-3, 2), who are fighting for the Japanese Featherweight title. In their first bout Miyoshi lost the belt to Wakasa, in 2020, but reclaimed the belt with a win in their rematch earlier this year. Coming into this third bout between the two women it seems clear that neither are going to be winning world titles, but against each other they have proven to be well matched, and it's always better to see competitive bouts that seeing total mismatches. Notably Miyoshi is 38 and her career will be coming to an end, but she might still have enough in the tank here to retain her title and win the series with the 4 year old Wakasa. Our preview of this bout can be read here Miyoshi Vs Wakasa III - The Rubber Match In a supporting bout we'll see Shunsuke Isa (9-5-1, 1) risk his regional WBO ranking as he takes on Naoki Morooka (6-6, 3). The 24 year old Isa is a former Japanese Youth champion and is certainly no push over, though he was surprisingly taken out inside a minute last time out by Yuni Takada, in what was the third bout between the two, and it'll be interesting to see how he looks following that loss. As for Marooka his record looks poor, but the 29 year old has been matched pretty hard, with 2 losses to Tsubasa Koura, but he has won his last 2 and does have momentum coming in to this bout. In a notable under-card fight we'll see two notable former amateurs face off as Junki Shirasaki (1-1) tries to bounce back from a loss, in June, to Yudai Murakami. As an amateur Shirasaki went 33-25 (3) and was notable on the domestic scene, and will feel he can get back to winning ways here. In the opposite corner to Shirasaki will be the debuting Gaito Sakakino (0-0), who went 21-13 in the unpaid ranks, and is tipped highly to be another stand out from the Kadoebi Gym. The 23 year old has real talent, but is being thrown in tough here on debut. Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The biggest card of the week sees attention turn to Australia, for a major Lightweight title rematch between Devin Haney and George Kambosos. The main event doesn't involve an Asian fighter, but one of the main support bouts does, and it's an incredible notable one. The bout in question will see two world ranked contenders face off as popular Australian Jason Moloney (24-2, 19) takes on highly experienced Thai fighter Nawaphon Kaikanha (56-1-1, 46), in what is a WBC world title eliminator, setting the winner up for a potential WBC Bantamweight title fight next year. The highly skilled Moloney will go in as the favourite, as he looks to secure a second world title shot following a loss to Naoya Inoue back in 2020. Since that loss he has reeled off 3 wins, included notable ones against Joshua Greer Jr and Aston Palicte. As for Nawaphon the Thai is looking to land his own second shot at a world title, having lost in a WBC Flyweight title bout back in 2017 against Juan Hernandez Navarrete. Since that loss Nawaphon has reeled off 20 wins, including wins over former world champions Amnat Ruenroeng, Sonny Boy Jaro and Kompayak Porpramook, though all 3 were very much faded forces by the time he faced them. Art Center, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan As well as action in Australia, we're also set for a trio of shows from Japan. The most notable of those is from Kobe. One of the main bouts here will see Hiroyuki Takahara (9-4, 6) look to bounce back from a recent loss as he takes on Kyohei Tonomoto (12-3-1, 5) in what should be a hotly contested bout. Takahara, from Kobe himself, has really turned his career around in recent years, winning 5 of his last 6, and he'll be desperate to get back to winning ways here. As for Tonomoto he showed that he was a decent fighter when he challenged OPBF champion Satoshi Shimizu in 2020, since then he has reeled off 3 wins, and although he's the away fighter here he will know this is a great chance to continue building some career momentum. The chief support bout will see Kazunori Yorimasa (6-7-4, 2) take on JBC #3 ranked Flyweight contender Shun Kosaka (17-8, 4). Kosaka, who has challenged for the OPBF and Japanese Flyweight titles, is really struggling to keep his career alive and has lost 5 of his last 7. Thankfully for him a win in May, against Sho Omote, has kept his career alive but another loss will see him losing his ranking and any chance of getting another big fight in the near future. As for Yorimasa he will come into this as a major under-dog, however he did score a win last time out, when he beat Kenta Taguchi, and he is 3-1-2 in his last 6, giving him more momentum than we'd expect given his career record. A third bout of note will see Seira Kishida (6-1-2, 2) risking his Japanese Super Featherweight ranking as he battles Morihisa Iju (11-5, 9). Kishida suffered an early career loss, but has gone 5-0-2 since then, including a win over Seika Fukuda last time out. He's no world beater but the 24 year old is heading in the right direction and it wouldn't be any surprise at all to see him competing for a Japanese title in the future. Iju on the other hand is better than his record suggests, but unfortunately he's not fought in almost 3 years and has lost 3 of his last 4, so we do wonder what his hunger and desire is like coming in to this bout. At his best Iju could ask questions of Kishida, but we're not sure we'll see Iju even close to 100%. Shiroyama Sky Dome, Ashikita-gun, Kumamoto, Japan A second Japanese card, this time in Kumamoto, features something of a Japan Vs Taiwan show, with the two feature bouts both featuring locals taking on the visitors. The nominal main event of the show will see professional novice Kazuhiro Imamura (2-1-1, 1) take on Yu Che Li (6-3-2, 4) in a 6 rounder. Imamura was last seen being stopped inside a round by the destructive Yoshiki Takei, towards the end of last year, and is now without a win since October 2019, going 0-1-1 since then. Although he had promise he was derailed by the pandemic and is now 30 years old and needs to make up for lost time after this bout. As for Li, the Taiwanese 29 year old debuted in 2016 but has lost his last 2 bouts, and like Imamura needs a win to get his career going again. Sadly for him this is a big on Japanese soil and he'd likely need a career best performance to take home a win. The other Japan Vs Taiwan bout will see the once beaten Misaki Hirano (6-1, 2) take on Chuan Hsun Hong (3-2, 2). Hirano suffered his sole loss back in October 2020, and since then has reeled off 5 wins and won the All Japan Rookie of the Year, which he did back in February. He certainly has momentum on his side coming into this bout but this will be his first bout against a non-Japanese fighter. As for Hong, he has never faced a man with a loss, and won the WBO Asia Pacific Youth Featherweight title last time out. Notably though he has lost 2 of his last 3, and has only scored 1 win since the start of 2019. Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan On a third show in Japan, this time in Aichi, we'll see the highly experienced Takahiro Murai (16-10-2, 5) take on Tom Hamaguchi (6-4-2) in an 8 rounder. Neither of thee two are JBC ranked, or heading towards a title bout, but they are well matched and they should make for a decent contest. Although both men are relatively limited, and both have bad looking records, it should be noted that both are better than the numbers indicate, with Murai having had a number of very close decisions go against him and with that in mind he should be favoured here. The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines Over in the Philippines fight fans will get the chance to see the once beaten Arvin Magramo (14-1-1, 9) take on veteran Jonathan Refugio (22-8-5, 8), in what looks like a good step up for Magramo. At one point Refugio was considered a very solid regional level fighter, and he has been in with something of a regional who's who including Melvin Jerusalem, Hiroto Kyoguchi, Taku Kuwahara, Knockout CP Freshmart, Merlito Sabillo and Wanheng Menayothin. Sadly though he has only notched a single win since the start of the pandemic and it's hard to imagine him having what's needed to over-come the fresher, hungrier Magramo. Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
The most notable bout to involve an Asian fighter this coming Saturday doesn't actually take place in Asia, but instead Canada as Chinese Heavyweight Junlong Zhang (19-0, 18) takes on German foe Erdogan Kadrija (18-5, 12) in Ontario. The Chinese fighter, dubbed the "Dragon King", was long regarded as something of a mystery man, but surfaced in Canada earlier this year, and took his first decision win. The hard hitting Chinese fighter, who won his first 18 official bouts inside the first 2 rounds, will be looking to prove his power here after losing his stoppage streak. As for Kadrija he has been stopped 4 times, with 3 of those stoppages coming in his last 6 bouts. Notably he is a blown up Super Middleweight, who was stopped by Juergen Braehmer way back in 2019 and really shouldn't pose any questions for Zhang. Consolacion, Cebu, Philippines Whilst the single most notable bout with an Asian will be in Canada, we do get a really notable card in Cebu where a number of prospects will be looking to move their careers on in step up bouts. One of those prospects is John Vincent Pangga (6-0, 4), who looks like he could in for a test as he takes on Vergilio Silvano (21-9-1, 12), however the bout really isn't the competitive match up some might expect. Silvano is best known for facing Katsunari Takayama, in an IBF world title fight, where he came up short. His form since that is hit and miss and he has little momentum coming in to this. More notably however is that and isn't a natural Super Flyweight-come-Bantamweight like Pangga, who should be too big and too strong. A much more competitive looking bout will see the once beaten Berland Robles (5-0, 2) face off with the once beaten Jerven Mama (12-1-1, 7), in what is an excellent match up. Robles is a 22 year old who has stepped up his level of fights in one way or another every time since his debut, and recently showed he could do 10 rounds. He might not be a world beater in the making, but there is no denying that his team are moving him well and putting trust in him to continue to develop. Mama on the other hand was once tipped for big things, but a KO loss last year to Mark Vicelles has killed the momentum he was building, and he'll be desperate to get things back on track here. Another prospect taking a genuine step up is the unbeaten 21 year old "Wild Fury" Bryan James Wild (9-0, 6), who battles the experienced and battled hardened Carlo Demecillo (15-6-1, 8). Wild is quickly capturing the attention with string of solid wins for someone at this point in his career, and whilst he is still very much a developing fighter this is a positive step up for him from his team. Demecillo is no world beater, or even a regional contender, but he has proven to be a tough guy and he doesn't roll over for anyone, so he should have the tools to ask Wild some real questions and force the youngster to prove what he can do, and whether he has the tools to move onto regional level bouts. Other prospects on this card include the once beaten April Jay Abne (10-1, 5), who takes on Ramel Antaran (5-18-2); Ian Abne (6-0-1, 4), who faces Charlie Malupangue (9-5-4, 6) in a rematch of their technical draw from August, and Ramil Macado (3-0, 2) who takes a huge step up to face off with Renoel Pael (23-12-1, 12). This really is a show of Pinoy prospects. Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines On a second Filipino card former world title challenger Michael Dasmarinas (31-3-2, 21) looks to get his career back on track as he faces Ryan Rey Ponteras (23-16-3, 12) for the GAB Super Bantamweight title. Dasmarinas, who is best known for losing in 3 rounds to Naoya Inoue in 2021, has failed to get going since that loss with a technical draw against Ernesto Saulong and a win over domestic journeyman Danny Tampipi. He knows another set back here really would be a nightmare for his career, and for any hope he might have of getting a second world title fight down the line. As for Ponteras, he has long been one of the best Filipino journeymen out there, with a really gritty toughness and the 32 year old might not have a great record, but he is a potential banana skin here who has been robbed of wins in numerous bouts during his career. This might look like a mismatch, but Ponteras really should be regarded as a very, very live underdog. New Delhi, India We also get a show in India, but sadly this feels like a rather underwhelming card. That main bout here will see Satnam Singh (10-2, 4) look to bounce back from a loss to Billel Dib as he takes on Varun Phartyal (1-2), in what is the second bout between the two men. These two fought in October 2021, with Singh taking a 4 round majority win over the then debuting Phartyal, and suspect that over 8 rounds this should be a clearer win for Singh than their first bout was. Spaceplus Bangkok RCA, Bangkok, Thailand
For the second time this week attention turns to Thailand, however the card here lacks notable names and looks more like a chance for the WBC's regional body to collection some fees rather than the sport moving forward, or fans getting competitive action. The main event of the card will see hard hitting Indonesian hopeful Jon Jon Jet (11-1-1, 8) take on Thai veteran Wicha Phulaikhao (63-17-2, 27), aka Pigmy Kokietgym, in a bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Super Bantamweight title. In a sport as dangerous as boxing mismatches like this shouldn't be allowed. On paper it looks fine, with an emerging hopeful taking on a veteran however the 28 year old Jet is very much a fighter in his prime, with heavy hands, and despite some recent set backs is dangerous at this type of lower level. The Thai on the other hand, who's actually a late replacement, is a 41 year old, former Minimumweight who has been stopped in 4 of his last 6 and 12 times in total. We suspect he'll be happy to bail when hurt, but this is still an unnecessary risky fight for someone who has a lot of miles on the clock. Sadly the other notable bout on this card isn't much better as Ilham Loeisa (10-1-1, 8), a 32 year old Indonesian puncher, takes on 18 year old Thai Poramin Saengpak (10-4, 8), who has been stopped 3 times in his 14 fight career. Although Thailand are well known for having fighters begin their career remarkably young we do need to worry about Poramin's long term health, especially if he suffers much punishment here. He suffered his first knockout loss aged 15 and has been stopped twice already this year, with this being his 6th bout of the year. This bout will be for the vacant WBC Council Continental Welterweight title, and will be a likely see the visitor crowned the new champion. Rangsit International Stadium, Rangsit, Thailand
This coming Wednesday attention turns to Thailand for a card in Rangsit featuring 2 pretty notable bouts, though neither is likely to have major implications at the top of the sport. One of the bouts sees former Takuma Inoue foe Tasana Salapat (67-1, 58), aka Petch CP Freshmart, taking on Filipino journeyman Cris Alfante (18-10-1, 10) in bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Bantamweight title. The Thai has a very good looking record, though in fairness it is ridiculously padded and Inoue aside, who beat him, he hasn't faced a genuinely notable fighter. Despite that he is a talented fighter, with a good engine, good power and an impressive will to win. He should have far, far too much for Alfante, however the Filipino has proven his worth as a journeyman in the past. Although Alfante has lost 3 of his last 4, he has shared the ring with the likes of Aran Dipaen, KJ Cataraja and Andrew Moloney during his career, and has shown good durability. This should be a good chance for the Thai to get some rounds, and hopefully in 2023 he will face someone in or around the world rankings. The other notable bout on this card will be an all-Thai affair, as Jakrawut Majungoen (42-2-1, 21), aka Kongfah CP Freshmart, takes on Wittawas Basapean (38-18-1, 14), aka Samartlek Kokietgym. Both of these men are genuine veteran's of the Thai scene and have been around for years, and both have fought notable names, with Kongfah having lost to Daigo Higa and Samartlek having faced a real who's who including Naoya Inoue and Akira Yaegashi. Sadly the bout doesn't have much meaning in the grand scheme of things, given both men are certainly on the back end of their long careers, but in terms of action this one has the potential to deliver something a little bit special. The styles should gel and we should get a fan friendly bout, but one that is more about being fun to watch rather than actually being important in the sport.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Attention turns toi Korakuen Hall this coming Tuesday for a notable card under the Diamond Glove banner. The main event of the show will see us left with a single Japanese Welterweight champion, as regular champion Keita Obara (25-4-1, 22) returns from injury to take on interim champion Takeru Kobata (12-5-1, 5). On paper this looks to be little more than a mismatch in favour of the well known and heavy handed Obara, however with time ticking down on his career and injuries racking up it's hard to know how close to 100% Obara is. At his best he was dominant at this level, but we're not sure if he's even close to 100% and this bout really should be a chance to see how much he has slipped. As for Kobata he's improving, a lot, and has strung together good domestic wins including recent victories over Rikuto Adachi and Yuki Nagano, however this is a huge step up in class for him. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Obara and Kobata battle for unified Japanese crown The chief support bout is a Japanese title eliminator at Lightweight, as the hard hitting Shuma Nakazato (11-2-3, 7) takes on the destructive Ken Koibuchi (8-5-1, 7). The 26 year old Nakazato is regularly proving himself as one to watch, with his bouts being exciting, fun and action packed, as we saw notably in his draw against Yoshimitsu Kimura, but he also proved he had plenty of skills last time out when he out pointed Kasuya Yasuda. As for Koibuchi, his record looks bad on paper, however he has lost just 1 of his last 6, and holds a very notable domestic win over Taison Mukaiyama, which has helped him secure this eliminator. We expect this one to turn into something of an explosive shoot out as both men look to secure a shot at the Japanese title in the new year. Although the Japanese title and Japanese title eliminator bouts should both be good they do look like mismatches. On bout that doesn't look like an uncompetitive contest is the all-prospect show down between the highly skilled Josuke Nagata (3-0) and the explosive Yuki Nakajima (5-1-2, 5). Since making his debut June 2021 Nagata has looked like a real talent. He has incredible potential and brilliant skills, though does look something of a feather fisted fighter and does lack the pop needed, at the moment, to make a mark at world level, however the 24 year old South is still maybe a year or two from fully maturing. As for Nakajima the 27 year old has always looked a brutish puncher, but does struggle when his power can't turn a bout his way, and he may find Nagata's skills to be a real nightmare. We expect this one to be a case of Nakajima looking for a bomb and Nagata looking to use his skills in a bout full of tension. Another touted prospect on this card is 23 year old Mikyo Watarai (1-0, 1), who made his debut in in April when he stopped Takafumi Shibata in 4 rounds. He will be taking on 22 year old Filipino visitor Romer Pinili (5-1-1, 4). Watarai is very, very highly regarded and many of those in Japan are tipping him as a top prospect who could rise to the top very quickly, and it'll be very interesting to see how he develops over the coming years. Pinili on the other hand debuted in 2019, and went unbeaten in his first 6 fights before a razor thin loss last time out Chan Ho Song in Vietnam. It's going to be really interesting to see how he bounced back from that loss, and whether the experience fo fighting away from home will prepare him for this bout. Another professional novice on this card tipped form big things is Jinya Yamaguchi (1-0, 1), who takes on 21 year old Filipino Argelo Samson (4-1, 4). The talented Yamaguchi looked fantastic on debut, stopping Shunpei Kubo in 5 rounds back in June, and there are big plans for him going forward. As for Samson this is the first time he will face a non-Filipino fighter, and it's also a big step up. Samson has been destructive in recent bouts, stopping his last 4, but he was stopped inside a round on debut, and it will eb interesting to see if he can hand the power of Yamaguchi.  Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
The main show this coming Sunday comes from Osaka where we see one of the brightest hopefuls in Japan defending a regional title. The aforementioned hopeful is WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (5-0, 1), who looks to make his second defense as he takes on Filipino fighter Aljum Pelesio (11-1, 6). Nishida, who famously dethroned Daigo Higa, will be expected to win here and move on to bigger and better things in the new year. This is technically a step from his biggest bouts, wins over Higa and Shohei Omori, but the bout will serve a purpose and that's to keep him focused, even in bouts where he is the very, very clear favourite. As for Pelesio this is a massive step up, it's his first bout over 10 rounds and his first bout outside of the Philippines. Pelesio will know he has nothing to lose, and few are giving him a chance, but he will need a career best performance to even be semi competitive with the highly skilled Nishida. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here WBO Asia Pacific champion Nishida takes on Filipino challenger Pelesio In the chief support fight former amateur stand out Kaito Yamasaki (3-0, 1) looks to move to 4-0 as he takes on visiting Thai Adirek Meesrida (2-0, 2). The talented Yamasaki stepped up big time in May, when he beat Koshin Takeshima, and will be expected to pick up an easy win here. As for Meesrida the Thai debuted in July, scored his second win in August and is now looking for a third win in less than 4 months. Sadly for the visitor this is a massive step up in class, and also his first bout outside of Thailand. Meesrida's record suggests that he can punch a bit, and could chin check Yamasaki, but it would be a huge surprise to see him really testing Yamasaki. One other bout of note on this card will be the debut of former amateur stand out Takeru Inoue (0-0), who takes on Thai novice Piya Chaichot (1-0, 1). Inoue, no relation to the Ohashi promoted brothers, was a genuinely brilliant amateur on the Japanese scene and he went 56-14 in the unpaid ranks whilst also winning two domestic titles. There are a lot of expectations on the 24 year old and he is expected to shine here. As for Chaichot, who is just 18, he debuted in August with an opening round win, but this is a huge step up class for him here and it's hard to imagine him having the tools to cope with Inoue. Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines As well as the show in Japan there is also a card in the Philippines, with a fantastic main event, and a promising prospect competing on the under-card. The main event will see two notable Filipino Light Flyweights face off as Vince Paras (17-2-1, 15) meets Robert Paradero (18-2-1, 12), in what will be the second bout between the men who fought to a split decision draw in April. Paras is the more well known fighter, having fought for the IBF Minimumweight title in 2018, losing to Hiroto Kyoguchi. Sadly since that world title bout Paras has gone 4-1-1 and lacks a notable win, with a loss to Jonathan Taconing and the draw with Paradero. Aged just 23 he does have time on his side, but he does need to start notching notable wins, and a win over Paradero would certainly count there. As for Paradero he fought for the WBA "Regular" Minimumweight title, losing to Vic Saludar, and the "Super" title, losing to Knockout CP Freshmart, both in 2021. Those losses, and the draw with Paras, have been his last 3 bouts and he is now without a win in over 3 years. He desperately needs a victory, and whilst he is only 26 year he can ill afford another setback given his recent form. We expect this to be explosive, a little bit wild, and wouldn't be surprised to see this one ending early, despite the fact their first bout went 10 rounds just a few months ago. The under-card will see unbeaten hopeful Kenneth Llover (6-0, 4) look for his 7th win as he takes on domestic journeyman Jonathan Francisco (10-17-1, 4). It's hard to imagine anything but a win for Llover, with the real question not being who will win, but how long Francisco can last with the promising Llover. |
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