L-Theatre, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
The most notable action this Sunday takes place in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture as Taiho Promotions put on a card with two really interesting match up involving prospects stepping up in a notable manner. The first of the two notable bouts will see former Japanese title challenger Dynamic Kenji (11-4, 7) battle against the unbeaten, very highly regarded, Yusuke Mine (4-0, 1) in a very good looking 8 rounder. Kenji hasn't fought since August 2019, when he lost to Takayuki Okumoto in a Japanese Super Flyweight title bout. That losses ended a 6 fight winning streak for Kenji, who has impressed against the likes of Futa Akizuki and Shota Kawaguchi. Sadly that loss, and inactivity, are hanging over him here, but he has shown he is a good fighter. Mine on the other hand was a very highly regarded amateur who turned professional with a lot of hype but has yet to live up to that hype. Mine is talented, accurate, skilled, but this is a big step up for him, and a chance to prove he is as good as his team claim. The other notable bout will see Noboru Osato (13-8-4, 3) take on the once beaten Tulio Dekanarudo (3-1-1, 2). Osato isn't an amazing fighter, something that seems obvious given his record, but he is a talented one and he's on the run of his career with recent wins over Ryo Suwa and Retsu Kosaka, on paper this is a big step down from those bouts, but it's certainly not a gimmie. Dekanarudo was tipped to be one to watch, but was shocked in 2019, when Ken Jordan stopped him in a round, and failed to bounce back when he was last in the ring, suffering a technical draw with Yoshihiro Utsumi in October 2020. If Dekanarudo can show what he did as an amateur he has a real chance here, though he will, understandably, be the under-dog. Sangyo Shinko Center, Sakai, Osaka, Japan A second Japanese show, also in Osaka Prefecture, will be a 4 fight card promoted by Mitsuki Promotion. Sadly this really is a small show in Sakai City, but there is two bouts worth of some attention. The first of those two bouts is an 8 rounder between Tomoya Kishine (7-4-1, 2) and Hironori Miyake (9-11-2, 1). Neither of these two men are going to go far in the sport, if we're being honest, but both men are better than their records suggest. Kishine has scored decent domestic wins over Masato Morisaki and Ryo Suwa in his last 3 bouts, and appears to be a pretty decent fighter, despite his record suggesting otherwise. Miyake on the other hand went the distance with Tomoki Kameda last time out, and actually dropped Kameda during that bout. He's no world beater, but Miyake will be there to fight and this could be end up being a very compelling 8 rounder. The other notable bout on this card will see Yu Konomura (10-10, 2, 4) take on the JBC ranked Kimihiro Nakagawa (7-5-2, 3) in what will be an interesting Featherweight bout. Konomura is a win some, lose some, fighter. His last 6 bouts have all ended inside the distance and whilst did seem durable earlier in his career his recent bouts have have been exciting. Nakagawa on the other hand has one of the most misleading records in Japan, due in part to the fact he's gone 2-4-1 in his last 7. At his best Nakagawa is a rugged fighter, and his wins over Yosuke Kawano and Kanehiro Nakagawa are both very solid wins. This might not look great on paper, but it should be a good one in the ring. Florence Day School, Liluah, India Outside of Japan we also have action in India. Sadly this card is packed with debutants, though that's a good sign for the long term future of Indian boxing, with lots of fighters turning professional in the country. The one bout of some note here is a 6 rounder, as 26 year old Dharamvir Singh (6-3, 5) takes on the win-less Deepak Kumar (0-2). Singh is limited, but he appears to be determined to make a mark on the Indian domestic scene throws heavy leather and could be one to watch longer term. As for Kumar, he's never been stopped and will be legitimately looking for his first win, rather than just making up the numbers against a fighter with a more impressive record. Rebel Entertainment Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Over in Canada we'll see Canadian based Iranian born Cruiserweight hopeful Salar Gholami (4-0, 2) back in the ring. The 6'4" "Saliwan" began his career in late 2018 and looked to be making a bit of a name for himself before the Pandemic slowed his rise, and he's been out of action since January 2020. Sadly we don't expect to see him tested here, but we are glad he's back in the ring after such a long lay off.
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This coming Saturday is almost certainly the busiest day we've had this year with a number of world title bouts across the globe, as well as top prospects and a a highly anticipated return to the ring of a former 3-weight world champion. This is a crazy weekend it is one to get very, very excited about.
Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Arguably the most notable card, at least for us, is in Dubai where we see two Philippines Vs UK world title, as well as the next step towards a major bout for a Filipino icon. One of the world title bouts will see hard hitting WBO Bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero (31-4, 21) make a mandatory defense of his title as he takes on Englishman Paul Butler (33-2, 15), himself a former IBF Bantamweight champion. Coming in to this Casimero is a huge favourite, though he has often blown hot and cold and Butler will go into the bout knowing that a loss here ends any hope he has of becoming a 2-time world champion. It's a must win for Butler, if he's to remain relevant, and a must win for Casimero if he's ever going to get a showdown with either Nonito Donaire or Naoya Inoue. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Casimero defends WBO crown against Butler in mandatory defense The other world title fight on this show will see IBF Flyweight champion Sunny Edwards (16-0, 4) make his first defense, in a mandatory against unbeaten Filipino Jayson Mama (16-0, 9). Mama was supposed to get a world title shot at Moruti Mthlane last year, before the authorities in South Africa refused to sanction the event, he was then supposed to fight Edwards earlier this year, before Edwards pulled out. Coming in to this Edwards is the clear favourite, and the slippery English fighter will feel full of confidence for his first world title defense, however it's certainly not a foregone conclusion. Our preview of this bout, from the original date, can be read here Jayson Mama gets crack at IBF champion Sunny Edwards! Another notable bout on this card will see Filipino icon Donnie Nietes (43-1-5, 23) battle against Norbelto Jimenez (30-9-5, 16), in what is essentially a must win bout for both men. At 39 years old Nietes is ancient for a Super Flyweight, but he has made it clear he wants a super fighter before he retires and wants to face the likes of Roman Gonzalez. For that to happen he needs to get past Jimenez. As for Jimenez, he is a multi-time world title challenger himself, and shouldn't be over-looked here, despite the fact he will be a very, very clear under-dog. Dignity Health Sports Park , Carson, California, USA Another major card will take place in California, where we see another world title bout, and a world title eliminator, in what could end up being a very, very explosive night of action. The world title bout will see WBC Bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (41-6, 27) defending his title against mandatory challenger Reymart Gaballo (24-0, 20) in a rare All-Filipino world title fight. Of the two men Donaire is the much more proven, and established fighter, however at the age of 39 he is well past the typical prime of a fighter, and that's ignoring the type of incredible career he's had, and the punishment he's taken at times, including his hellacious 2019 bout with Naoya Inoue. Gaballo on the other is a young up and comer who has got power and speed, but did look less than stellar last time out, when he took a controversial decision over Emmanuel Rodriguez, and he'll be desperate to show what he can do, and rip the title, and proverbial torch, from Donaire. Given the style of the two men involved, this should be a brutal fire fight. Our in depth preview of this fight can be read here WBC champion Donaire faces Gaballo in all Filipino world title bout! Talking about fire-fights we're expecting another of those in a main supporting bout, as Japan's Hiroaki Teshigawara (22-2-2, 15) fights outside of Japan for the first time, and takes on former WBO Bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales (34-3, 17) in what could be the sleeper of the weekend. Teshigawara is known in Japan, and has carved out a successful career at Korakuen Hall, where he has built himself a cult following, and he'll know that a win here helps set him up for a potential world title fight in 2022. Tapales on the other hand is more well known, in part due to his amazing bout with Pungluang Sor Singyu and his two wins over Shohei Omori. Despite the past Tapales didn't look great in 2019, when he beaten up and stopped by Ryosuke Iwasa, and Teshigawara will be looking to score a repeat of that outcome here. KRK “Uralets”, Ekaterinburg, Russia We get yet another world title fight over in Russia, as we actually get quite an interesting card from Ekaterinburg. The world title bout on this card is a really good looking bout which will see Dmitry Bivol (18-0, 11) defending his WBA Light Heavyweight "super" title against the once beaten Umar Salamov (26-1, 19). On paper this is a mouth watering match up, but sadly it's becoming harder and harder to get excited about Bivol bouts in recent years. It's clear he is an exceptional boxer, but like a handful of other world champions he's unwilling to roll the decide and put on a show, event against opponents that he should be comfortable seeing off. Salamov is an interesting challenger, who has shown some power, and a willingness to throw heavy shots, but he's also the sort of fighter that Bivol should be able to shine against. Salamov is hard hitting but open, crude, and there to be countered, something Bivol should be able to do at will, if he chooses to. Our preview of this fight can be read here Bivol defends WBA crown against Salamov! In a major supporting bout former world title challenger Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (15-0-1, 12) will be looking to bounce back from his frustrating draw with Jo Jo Diaz as he takes on the unbeaten Rilwan Oladosu (16-0, 8). Rakhimov showed he belonged in the mix at world level, and hopefully 2022 will bring him a second world title bout, potentially against Kenichi Ogawa. Oladosu on the other hand is a Nigerian fighter with a nice looking record, but one that doesn't really stand up to much scrutiny and this will be his first bout outside of Nigeria. Oladosu could be a rare Nigerian fighter to get excited about, but we suspect he's there to make Rakhimov look good instead. Echo Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom As well as the world class men in action, we'll also be seeing a world class woman in action, as undisputed female Lightweight champion Katie Taylor (19-0, 6) defends all her titles against Kazakh challenger Firuza Sharipova (14-1, 8). On paper this one looks good, but in reality this should be little more than a public showcase for Taylor, one of the best female fighters on the planet, with Sharipova not fit to lace her boots. We know Taylor has beaten almost everyone of note at Lightweight, but they are really scraping the bottom of the barrel if they really think Sharipova will give her anything resembling a fighter. Our preview of this major female bout is available here Taylor defends unified crown against Sharipova International Conference Hall, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan Away from world title action we're set for a really good bout in Japan as former 3-weight world champion Kosei Tanaka (15-1, 9) looks to bounce back from his 2020 loss to Kazuto Ioka, by taking on Ioka's former stable mate Sho Ishida (29-2, 15), himself a former world title challenger. This bout, being dubbed a "survival bout" in Japan, is a really interesting match up and will put the speed and aggression of Tanaka against the long and gangly frame of Ishida, with both men knowing they can't afford a loss, especially not if they intend to get a big fight any time soon. Tanaka will go into the bout as the favourite, though we do need to wonder what his loss to Ioka, and the loss of his unbeaten record, will have done to him. As for Ishida, a win here could potentially set him up for a second world title fight. Almaty, Kazakhstan Staying in Asia we also get a compelling card in Kazakhstan, where we see some very highly touted prospects in action. The most notable of the bouts on this card will be a Cruiserweight bout between the very highly touted Kamshybek Kunkabayev (3-0, 3) and Steven Ward (13-1, 4), who clash for the vacant WBA "Gold" Cruiserweight title. Kunkabayev, a former amateur stand out, has hardly put a foot wrong in his first 3 bouts, but this is a step up in class against someone who will be in the ring to win, rather than to collect a pay check or just survive. Sadly for Ward he is the naturally smaller man and he was stopped just 2 fights ago, however he will come in to this hungry and should be a genuine test for the promising Kunkabayev. Also on this card will be a number of top Kazakh prospects, such as Talgat Shayken (6-0, 4) Sultan Zaurbek (11-0, 7) and Ray Seitzhanov (8-0, 5) who will all be looking to pick up wins and move their career forward. This coming Friday is a pretty quiet day, but it's the calm before the storm, with Saturday set to be one of the biggest and best boxing days of 2021.
Korakuen Hall, Toyo, Japan In Japan we're set for a small show from Flash Akabane Promotions, who really are putting on a very small car here. The main event of the show will see a clash of 36 year olds, as Hideaki Takagi (5-7-2) takes on the unbeaten Hiro Ichimichi (5-0-1, 4). Of the two men Takagi is, clearly, the more experienced and he's been a professional for more than 7 years. Sadly for him his career has been a patchy one, though he has won his last two bouts and ended a 6 fight losing streak just a year ago. Despite back to back wins Takagi will be the under-dog as Ichimichi has proven himse a fighter fighter, with big power, and he's won his last 4, including a notable win over Hyoga Taniguchi this past July. On paper this really is a poor main event, but it's a good chance to see Ichimichi back in the ring before the end of the year. Kenjon Boxing Gym, Taipei, Taiwan We get a second Asian card in Taiwan, as local fans get the chance to see some novices in action. Sadly this entire card, which is scheduled to have 5 bouts on it, consists solely for 4 rounders, and 9 of the 10 fighters on it are debutants. The one fighter who isn't debuting has failed to score a win in their 3 career bouts so far. RCC Boxing Academy, Ekaterinburg, Russia We also get some Asian action in Russia, as we see a couple of solid fighters try and build some momentum after recent set backs. One of those Asian fighters is Kazakh fighter Stanislav Kalitskiy (11-2, 4), who has lost 2 of his last 3, and was beaten last time out by Ruslan Kamilov. Sadly his opponent for this show hasn't been announced, but given he really needs a win after losses to Kamilov and Dmitrii Khasiev we don't expect him to face anyone testing. Instead expect him to pick up an easy win to inject some momentum into his career before a bigger bout next year. A second Asian fighter of note on this card is Akzhol Sulaimanbek Uulu (16-1, 9), originally from Kyrgyzstan, who takes on Vladislav Krasnoshein (8-2-1, 2). Uulu showed plenty of promise in his first 15 bouts, but a 2020 loss to Mark Urvanov has really left his career looking a bit shaky and he's only fought once since that loss, and the pandemic really has limited his chance to get some momentum going. Krasnoshein is a baby faced 26 year old Russian who was stopped himself last time out, by Dmitrii Khasiev, and will not be wanting to suffer back to back to back losses. Although not an amazing bout on paper this could be a bit of a sleeper classic between two men who desperately need a big performance, and a win. The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington, Victoria, Australia We also get some action in Australia featuring Asian fighters. Sadly however the fighters on this card are two very limited Thais taking on local hopefuls, with the Thais brought in to help give the locals some easy wins. One of the bouts will see debuting Aussie TL Mach (0-0) take on Prakob Nuankaew (0-1) whilst the other will see unbeaten local Matthew Avdoulos (2-0, 1) face off against Thatthakan Samanthong (0-1). These really are bouts that make sense on paper, but they are both, essentially, foregone conclusions. This coming Wednesday isn't a great day for Asian action, but there are 3 different Asian shows scheduled for the day.
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan The most notable of the three cards is taking place at Korakuen Hall, where we'll see a show from Ichiriki. The card features a number of debutants, but there is a decent looking 8 rounder headlining the card. That main event bout will see hard hitting fighters collide as Ken Koibuchi (6-5-1, 5) takes on Kazuaki Miyamoto (7-6, 6). Neither of these men are future domestic champions or anything like that, but they are being well matched here in a true 50-50 style match that should be something of a shoot out. The 25 year old Koibuchi has scored 5 of his 6 wins inside the distance, and has shown a solid chin himself, with just a single loss coming inside the distance. Miyamoto on the other hand is a 28 year old glass cannon, who has only seen the final bell once in 13 fights, and that was more than 4 years ago. This isn't a big bout, but it should be a fun one! KLVSP Boxing Hall, Pune, India As well as the action in Japan there will be two shows in India. One of those is in Pune and will be headlined by an 8 round Welterweight bout, as Rahul Kumar (7-5-1, 5) takes on the unbeaten Kulbir (3-0, 2). The 29 year old Kumar has lost his last 2, and is 2-4 in his last 6, but he has got the experience edge here, despite his poor form. Kulbir on the other hand is a 21 year old who debuted in January and has shown some promise, but is stepping up, notable here. Outside of the main event the rest of the card features novices in bouts scheduled for either 6 or 4 rounds. Yamuna Nagar Boxing Club, Yamunanagar, India A second Indian card will take place Yamunanagar, and this card is entirely made up of novices, competing in 4 rounders. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Action is back at Korakuen Hall this coming Monday for a small card from Ichiriki Promotions. Sadly the card has lost it's main event, which we'll mention in the moment, but it still has some relatively well matched domestic level bouts on it. The planned main event was a bout at 140lbs between Vladimir Baez (26-6-2, 24) and former world title contender Akihiro Kondo (32-10-2, 18), in what had the potential to be an 8 round action bout. Baez's aggression and power against Kondo's toughness and desire could have made for a very nice bout, but Baez was forced to pull out of the bout well in advance of the show. As a result of Baez pulling out the 8 rounder between Tatsuya Yanagi (17-7-2, 7) and Tsuyoshi Ozawa (15-4-1, 2) has become the new main event, and although not an amazing match up, it should be a very interesting one. The 32 year old Yanagi comes in to the bout with JBC and OPBF rankings but was stopped last time out and is 2-2-1 in his last 5 bouts, dating back more than 3 years. Ozawa, now aged 36, took a long break from the ring between 2012 and 2021, but did look solid in his return bout in July and will know that this is a huge opportunity for him to move towards a title fight. At his best Ozawa was a nightmare, and he'll know he could pick up a ranking here. Another ranked fighter on this card is Kosuke Ando (9-3, 4), who will be risking his WBO Asia Pacific Light Flyweight ranking as he takes on Yuta Nakayama (8-4-1, 5). The 29 year old Ando is coming in on the back of a solid win over Shuri Hasebe and will know that he's only a couple of wins away from a potential title fight. As for Nakayama he'll be fighting for the first time since losing in a WBO Asia Pacific Flyweight title bout, against Ryota Yamauchi. Interestingly Nakayama has been stopped in 3 of his last 5, and hasn't heard the final bell in his last 6 bouts. A third fight of note on this show will see JBC ranked 140lb fighter Hokuto Matsumoto (7-4, 1) take on former Japanese title challenger Ryuji Ikeda (14-7-4, 9). Coming in to the bout Matsumoto is ranked #6 by the JBC and will feel he's within touching distance of a Japanese title shot, helped by his recent win over Shinnosuke Saito. Ikeda on the other hand is without a win in his last 4 bouts, and was stopped in two of those, by Koki Inoue and Aso Ishiwaki. Ikeda seems to be on the way out, but a win here could revive his career. EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
The most notable show this coming takes place in Osaka, as Green Tsuda put on a very interesting card featuring a number of promising young prospects. The most notable bout on the card will see 4-time world title challenger Hiroyuki Kudaka (27-19-4, 11) take on the fast rising, and very promising Ryusei Kawaura (9-0, 6), in what is a huge step up in class for Kawaura. The 36 year old Kudaka has a staggering 50 bouts to his name, including bouts against the likes of Takefumi Sakata, Denkaosan Kaovichit, Hugo Fidel Cazares, Oleydong Sithsamerchai, Sonny Boy Jaro and Andres Omar Narvaez and whilst he has come up short at world level he is an experience, exciting and tough warrior who always gives his all. Kawaura on the other hand is a skilled boxer-mover, who has been developed under the eye of former world champion Hiroshi Kawashima, who sees Kawaura as his successor. This will be the pressure and aggression of Kudaka against the boxing, movement and defensive skills of Kawaura. Former Japanese Super Flyweight champion Takayuki Okumoto (24-10-4, 11) will serve as a major test as he takes on takes on talented youngster Jukiya Iimura (2-0, 1), who is taking a huge leap up in class. The 30 year old Okumoto won the Japanese title in 2018, when he beat the aforementioned Kudaka, and made 3 defenses before losing the belt in late 2019. Since losing the title he hasn't looked particularly good, but he'll feel his experience will be the difference maker here. Iimura has impressed since turning professional, and was a very talented amateur, but this is a massive leap up in class for a 23 year old in just his third professional bout. Saying that however, if Iimura wins he could find himself in the domestic title picture next year. The third bout of interest on this card will see unbeaten fighters collide as Takafumi Shibata (1-0) takes on Reiji Kodama (3-0, 1). Shibata was a former amateur standout, who is tipped for big things in the coming years, however there are question marks about his power and his size, especially at 140lbs which seems likely to be the weigh he's competing at going forward. Kodama on the other hand turned professional without much fan fare and scored a very solid win over the debuting Shota Fukumori in August, with Fukumori having been a good amateur. This is a great chance for Kodama to get his second win over a decent or a chance for Shibata to show what he can do against someone who has shown himself to be a very capable fighter. Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, India As well as the action in Japan there will also be two cards in India. One of those takes place in Hyderbad and is the more notable of the two, though is a show that is rescheduled from November 28th That main event will see unbeaten Indian hopeful Karthik Sathish Kumar (7-0, 3) look to win the WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver Lightweight title as he takes on Indonesian veteran Hero Tito (29-15-2, 11), who will be having his 47th bout. Kumar will be favoured, after all he's at home, he's unbeaten and he's the younger man, though this is a massive leap up in class for him, and his competition so far has been novices and very limited fighters. Tito on the other hand is no world beater, but he can notch the odd upset, as we saw in April when he beat countryman Hebi Marapu. If Tito is hungry he could well pick up his 30th professional win here, and score 3 wins in a row for the first time since 2013! KLVSP Boxing Hall, Pune, India The second Indian card comes from Pune, and is a show that is set to feature 8 bouts in total, with 12 of the fighters on the show being debutants. Sadly little really is known about any of the fighters on this card, though all the bouts on it are 4 rounders. This coming Saturday isn't a huge day for Asian fight fans, but there is a nice mix of action, including title fights, in both Japan and the Philippines, as well as prospects in action in what should be a better day of action than it looks on paper.
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan For us the most interesting action comes from Tokyo, where will be getting the latest Dynamic Glove show. The card features an Oriental title fight, a rematch of an interest Japanese Middlewieght bout and a the next step up for a promising prospect. The title bout will see OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific Welterweight champion Ryota Toyoshima (14-2-1, 9) make his second defense of the OPBF belt as he takes on "reimported" boxer Shoki Sakai (26-12-2, 14), who first made his name fighting in the West. The talented Toyoshima has been on a tear in recent bouts, and scored notable wins over Riku Nagahama and Yuki Beppu already this year, a win over the teak tough Sakai would put him in the running for the Japanese domestic fighter of the year. Sakai on the other hand was last seen losing a close, and hotly contested, bout to Keita Obara for the Japanese title, and he'll know that a loss here might be his final shot to win a notable title, especially his style which does seem him taking a lot of punishment. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Toyoshima defends OPBF title against tough guy Sakai! In an interesting Japanese Middleweight bout, yes we do actually get some of those, we'll see All Japan Rookie of the Year winner Katsuhiro Nakata (7-0, 4) look to repeat his September win over once touted amateur Ran Tomomatsu (1-2). In their first bout Nakata won 58-56 on all 3 cards, but Tomomatsu was certainly not shown up there and will be determined to get revenge here, and get his career back on track after back to back losses. A third bout of note on this card will see promising novice Yudai Murakami (1-0), who was a very solid Japanese amateur, look to score his second win in the professional ranks, as he takes on Yudai Yakabu (3-2, 3). Murakami looked solid in his debut, back in January, but this is a credible step up and the hard hitting Yakabu will be in the ring to stop, or be stopped. Interestingly Yakabu has never seen round 4 of a fight, and has only gone beyond a single round twice, so we do not expect this one to go long. The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines As well as the Japanese card there's also an interesting one in the Philippines featuring former world title challengers and promising unbeaten fighters. The best bout on the card sees the once touted Mark Anthony Geraldo (38-9-3, 19), who really is a skilled fighter but has been inconsistent at times, take on exciting youngster Carl Jammes Martin (17-0, 15) for the GAB Super Bantamweight title. Geraldo won the title in 2019 and has defended it once since winning it, but has been inactive and this will be his first bout in over 2 years. Although very skilled we do wonder problems inactivity will cause for him here. As for Martin he is one of the rising stars of Filipino boxing, with an exciting, hard hitting style. Martin has been stepping up his level of competition in recent bouts, and will feel confident of making this step up as well as he looks to prove he's ready for bigger and better bouts. This should be a very interesting test for the unbeaten youngster. In a battle of unbeaten fighters former amateur standout Charly Suarez (8-0, 6) will be up against Delmar Pellio (9-0, 4). Suarez was someone who had the skills to go a long, long way in the sport. Now aged 33 it seems he will never come close to reaching his potential, and instead it seems almost like he's going to be a fighter who retires as tale of what could have been, had he turned professional younger and had the Pandemic not hit. Aged 21 Pellio is promising youngster, but sadly he comes into this bout having been out of the ring for almost 2 years and he is stepping up massively. It's hard to see past a Suarez win here, but he needs to kick on in 2022 if he's ever going to come close to landing a major international bout. A third bout of note on this card will see two former world title challengers facing off, as recent Naoya Inoue victim Michael Dasmarinas (30-3-1, 20) takes on Ernesto Saulong (22-7-2, 9), who challenged the then IBF Super Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Iwasa back in 2018. On paper this looks a pretty interesting bout, but Saulong has struggled for wins recently and is 1-5-1 in his last 7. Despite that he is tough and he will be in the ring looking to upset Dasmarinas, who hasn't fought since losing to the Monster back in June. The loser of this is unlikely to find themselves anywhere close to a major international fight, but the winner could end up landing a fight of note next year. CAA Centre, Brampton, Ontario, Canada Away from Asia we'll see Canadian based Indian fighter Sukhdeep Singh Bhatti (8-0, 3) take on limited veteran Juan Carlos Raygosa (17-18-3, 6). Singh is a solid boxer, but the 29 year old is going to have to look to make up for lost time next year, as he only fought once in 2020 and this will be his first bout of 2021. Thankfully he will get some rounds here because Raygosa, for all his faults, is a tough and rugged guy capable of taking good fighters rounds. This is not the "gimmie" it looks, but it's hard to see past a Bhatti win. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Over in Tokyo on Friday we get a small card, but one certainly worthy of some attention, even if the match ups on it don't immediately make people sit up and take note. On paper the main event is certainly not one which will grab the attention of Western fans, with Jin Minamide (4-2, 3) taking on Kiyohei Endo (3-4, 3), in a bout that, on paper, should be buried deep down a card. Paper however doesn't do these two men justice. Both were very solid amateur fighters and both are very capable boxers, with Minamide being a brute in need of a win, after back to back TKO losses, whilst Endo is a real talent, who has been matched incredibly hard. Minamide is certainly the more proven fighters as a professional, but the 26 year old has to have questions about his confidence, and also questions about where his mind is after changing gyms earlier this year. Endo has been out of the ring for well over a year, but he's a very technical fighter and of the two he is the more polished, but also the one with the more questionable chin. High skills and high drama expected here. In a solid support bout we'll see Sho Omote (9-2, 3) face off with JBC ranked Light Flyweight Ryuto Oho (12-5-2, 4). Coming in to this Omote is 7-1 in his last 8 bouts, including a good win over Kosuke Ando, and he has been testing the water as a Flyweight at times, including his 2020 loss to Shota Asami. He's in form but will be up against his most notable opponent to date. Oho on the other hand is a fighter with mixed results, though he has fought at a very good level, facing the likes of Masamichi Yabuki and Seigo Yuri Akui. Sadly for Oho he is 3-3-1 in his last 7, but given the level he's been competing at, it is hard to read too much into those numbers. Regardless, this should be a well contested and evenly fought bout, and is likely to make for a compelling 8 rounder. 801 Event Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA As well as the action in Japan we'll also be getting a small bit of Asian interest in Salt Lake City as 37 year old US based Uzbekistani fighter Ravshan Hudaynazarov (19-4, 14) takes on limited American fighter Jeremy Ramos (11-11, 4) in an 8 rounder at 154lbs. The once touted Hudaynazarov won his first 15 bouts before losing 4 in a row between 2018 and 2020, but he has since bounced back with 2 wins earlier this year, and despite being well past his physical best he is very much a fighter who seems to be happy fighting at a lower level and taking home wins. Ramos on the other hand has lost his 5, including losses to Yuri Foreman and Shane Mosley Jr, and has double digit losses, but he has been fighting at a decent level through much of his career, and he will be there looking to score an upset. This is certainly not the gimmie that looks on paper. |
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