 Hotel Nongshim, Busan, South Korea event
To kick off a new year, attention turns to Busan for a notable, though small, Korean card, with two Korean title fights on it, overseen by KBM. The main event will see the unbeaten Dae Hoon Kim (5-0, 3) take on the experienced Chul Woo Yoon (8-12-3, 3) in a bout for the vacant KBM title at 140lbs. The 29 year old Kim made his debut in 2022 and despite being unbeaten he's not really shone, yet. His most notable results are a win, in Japan, on debut against Mioto Noguchi, and a narrow win over Joo Hwan Jo, both of whom took him the distance and both came very close to beating him. As for Yoon he's much more experienced, with 23 bouts to his name since making his debut in 2015, but is the younger man, at 28. This will be his second shot at this title, having lost in 2 rounds to Bayarkhuu Ganbaatar last time out, and he hasn't really scored any noteworthy wins, whilst having 12 losses piling up, 5 of those inside the distance. It seems like the event has been built for Kim to claim a title and move on, and he should win, but this seems more like it should be a typical developmental fight for a prospect rather than the main event or a title bout. The other title bout is much more interesting and will see unbeaten men collide, as KBM Middleweight champion Ha So Baek (2-0, 2) makes his first defense and takes on Gang San Lee (4-0-1, 1). Baek also known as Jargal Otgonjargal, is a Korean based Mongolian fighter, who was a former amateur stand out who has been moved very quickly since making his debut, in March this year. Less than 6 months after his debut he claimed the Korean title, stopping Ki Yul Baek, and will now be looking to make his first defense less than 10 months after his debut. He’s been moved fast for a few reasons, including the fact he’s 33, and the fact he was a strong amateur with vast experience on the international stage. Notably he’s only had 4 professional rounds, though did also have rounds in IBA’s version of professional boxing. As for Lee, the The Korean born fighter has had a slow burn career since making his debut in 2019. He fought 3 times in the first 11 months, then spent more than 2 years out of the ring, picked up a pair of wins in 2023, including winning a national title at 154lbs, but didn't fight at all in 2024. With more than a year of inactivity, and facing this type of step up in class, Lee really hasn’t got the ideal preparation, but will be hoping he has what’s needed to survive the early Baek onslaught and secure a victory.
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 Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan
As has become tradition in recent years, the final big show of the year takes place on New Year’s Eve in Japan, and like many recent years the show is headlined by Japanese star Kazuto Ioka, in a show that really is one of the best end of year shows in quite some time. The main event will see unbeaten IBF Super Flyweight champion Fernando Daniel Martinez (17-0, 9) look to repeat his win earlier this year, as he faces the aforementioned Kazuto Ioka (31-3-1, 16), in a rematch of what was a very good technical fight back in July. In their first bout, an IBF and WBA unification bout, Martinez took a unanimous decision, in a bout that was hotly contested, competitive, and yet some hoe had one judge score it a shutout, giving us one of the many poor scores we've seen this year. Since then neither man has fought, and whilst there were some hints Ioka was going to retire, or attempt to win a world title at Bantamweight, it always seemed like the most likely outcome was a rematch between the two. To make that happen Martinez vacated the WBA title, rather than play silly games with an organisation that has enjoyed silly games this year, and set his sights on returning to Japan to close out the year in a divisional super fight. Aged 33 Martinez is likely coming to the end of his prime, but the Arentinian seems to be becoming a smarter fighter, taking less risks, firing off fewer shots, but being much more selective, less wasteful and more intelligent in what he does. As he's aging he is adapting and likely knows that if he wants to land the big one, a fight with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez he needs to keep winning, and to beat Bam he also needs to be a smarter fighter. As for Ioka retirement really does loom, win or lose, as at 35 years old and showing clear signs of not being the fighter he once was, it seems he’s looking for one final hurrah, before potentially waving goodbye to the sport, having been a professional since he was 20. In the ring Ioka is one of the smartest fighters, and has long been one of the sport's premier body punchers, but he’s never seemed well suited to 115lbs, though he is 3-0 in rematch and will look to use his boxing brain to overcome a man he has already spent 12 rounds. We suspect a loss for Ioka will see him hang them up and end his legendary career. In the chief support bout we’ll see the hotly tipped Hayato Tsutsumi (5-0, 2) take a huge step up in class as he takes on Nicaraguan Rene Alvarado (31-14, 22), in a world title eliminator at Super Featherweight. Tsutsumi has long been considered one of the golden children of Japanese boxing, having been a stellar amateur who’s move to the pros was very highly anticipated. Since turning professional he has raced through the ranks, beating former regional champion Pete Apolinar in his second pro bout, winning an OPBF title in his third bout, and in just his 5th bout stopping former Bantamweight star Anselmo Moreno, becoming only the third man to stop Moreno. Notably however his frame has outgrown the Featherweight division and he failed to make weight for the bout with Moreno, had a suspension from the JBC, and was essentially forced to move up in weight. Alvarado’s record is scrappy, to say the least, but he is a former WBA “regular” champion from a period where the WBA seemed to create rules to favour superstars, and his reign as the WBA Super Featherweight champion, back in 2019-2021, is from a lineage that can be traced back to Jorge Linares' reign in 2008. Alvarado, much like his brother Felix Alvarado, is a tough, hungry fighter who comes forward, presses the action and takes risks. Unlike his brother he’s not as heavy handed, not ad iron chinned, and not quite as good, though is better than the 14 losses on his record suggests. Despite losing 14 times, many of those losses have been at world level, and only 1 has been inside the distance, a stoppage on cuts in 2015 to Andrew Cancio which was later avenged in 2019. Given Tsutsumi is stepping up in weight this is a really tough first bout at a new weight and a win will set him up for a world title shot in 2025. A stoppage, for Tsutsumi, would be a huge statement here. Another unbeaten on this card is former kick-boxer turn professional boxer Tsukuru Midorikawa (1-0) who returns to the ring 2 months after his debut, as he takes on the experienced Mao Tameda (4-17-2). Aged 38 Midorikawa doesn't have time to waste if he intends to get into the domestic title mix, and his quick turn around after his debut, a 6 round win over Dacong Wang at the end of October, seems to show that he’s aware of that. As a kick-boxer he was very good and highly experienced, but given his advanced age we do worry that he turned pro too late. Amazingly Tameda is the older man here, aged 39, and despite having 23 pro bouts has never scored a stoppage. At his best Tameda is a rugged but limited fighter, who debuted in 2014 and despite having 17 losses has only been stopped 6 times. Tameda is likely to take Midorikawa rounds, but very unlikely to really test him. In a potentially very exciting match up we’ll see Joe Shiraishi (11-1-1, 6) take on Tsuyoshi Sato (11-2-1, 6), in what looks like a nice mix of styles. Shiraishi is a very solid technical fighter, who gave Kenta Nakagawa a solid bout last time out, back in July 2023, for the WBO Asia Pacific Super Flyweight title. That loss saw Shiraishi's unbeaten run come to an end, though prior to that loss he had looked genuinely promising, winning the All Japan Rookie of the Year crown, in 2017 at Flyweight, and had a short reign as the Japanese Youth Flyweight champion, and wins over Kento Yabusaki, Yoshiki Minato and Prince Andrew Laurio to his name. Sato on the other hand is an aggressive bundle of energy, with an offensive mindset that makes him very fun to watch. Notably he has fought only 2 rounds since a July 2020 loss to Masamichi Yabuki, stopping Thanakon Chanphiman, but it does feel like the break has served him well and let him physically mature from his days as a baby faced Light Flyweight. Interestingly he also won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2017, at Light Flyweight making this a bout between two men who won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in the same year. In what feels like something of a mismatch Yoshimitsu Kimura (15-3-1, 10) will look to score his second since losing to Masanori Rikiishi in early 2023, as he takes on Chinese visitor Hanyun Wu (4-2-0-1, 1). Kimura is a solid regional level fighter at 130lbs, who won Rookie of the Year in 2016 and an OPBF title in 2021, at the third attempt. He has wins over Allan Vallespino, Jules Victoriano, Kosuke Saka and Kanehiro Nakagawa, and has proven he belongs in and around the regional title scene. He has however been out of the ring since August 2023, and will be looking to shake some ring rust before bigger fights in the new year. As for Wu, the bout sees him return to Japan just 5 months after being stopped, in 4 rounds, by Yojhi Saito in a Lightweight tournament, where Saito came the losing finalist. Outside of a loss to Saito there is very, very little of note on his record and it’s hard to imagine him being any sort of real test for Kimura. Another bout of note on the undercard will see Areji Kato (10-5, 2) take on his most notable foe to date, as he takes on former Japanese champion Masahiro Suzuki (10-2-1, 7). Kato is a limited fighter, who won his first 6 bouts, between 2011 and 2013, but has gone 4-5 since, and actually had a 6 year break from the ring between 2016, and 2022. Sadly since his return he has gone 1-3, being stopped twice. As for Suzuki, he’s a former Japanese champion at 140lbs who has suffered 2 losses to Shu Utsuki, where Utsuki's heavy hands have been too much for him. Suzuki is a talented fighter, but with a loss last time out, losing in 5 rounds to Suzuki, and going 1-1-1 in his last 3, it's fair to understand why he wants an easy confidence building win and he really shouldn’t have any issues at all with Kato. This coming Saturday attention turns to China, where we have 3 different shows. Although none are huge, all 3 are worthy of some attention.
Wuyuan River Stadium, Haikou, China The best of the 3 Chinese shows is from Haikou, where we have 3 title fights, including an excellent fight between a former world title challenger and an unbeaten Filipino visitor. The former world title challenger on this card is China’s Bin Lu (4-1, 2), who famously chased greatness by attempting to win a world title in his second professional bout, before being stopped by the excellent Carlos Canizales, who takes on Vencent Lacar (8-0, 4) in a bout for the WBC Far East and WBO Oriental Flyweight titles, both of which are currently vacant. Following his loss to Canizales, in 2018, Bin spent some time away from the ring but returned in 2022 and has reeled off 3 wins, whilst getting himself back into shape. In his ring return he was at Bantamweight, but has been working his way down the weights, with this bout set to take place at Flyweight. Bin is a very good fighter. He was a stellar amateur and had his team not sought to etch his name in the history books against Canizales there is a great chance he’d have won a world title by now. He has skills, excellent amateur experience, good speed, ring IQ and power, but was simply out gunned, out fought and broken down by Canizales, who is a truly excellent fighter. As for Lacar the unbeaten Filipino has been slowly crafting a solid record of his own, winning the PBF title in September, following a career best win over the touted Shunpei Odagiri in Japan in June. Lacar is no push over, and will be confident of picking up a second win on the road this year. This should be high quality action from the opening bell, and a great chance for the winner to move towards a world title fight, though they are probably going to want another few fights and a bit more seasoning before a bout at the top level. A second notable title fight will see the unbeaten Yongqiang Yang (16-0, 12) face off with Kazakhstan fighter Ablaikhan Khussainov (13-1, 10) fighting for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Lightweight title. Aged 32 Yang has had a quiet but solid building of his record, without getting much fanfare. He debuted in 2016 and notched solid wins against Takuya Watanabe and Harmonito Dela Torre in 2018, before adding wins against Ernie Sanchez and JR Magboo. His last 3 wins over been less notable, but he and his team will be looking at this as a chance to take a huge step towards a major bout. He's tough, strong, has decent power, and whilst he is flawed defensively, he seems to have a solid and a real desire to win. Sadly at the age of 32 we do wonder whether father time will start to catch up with Yang soon. As for Khussainov, the 33 year old is fighting for the second time in 18 months, following his loss in Russia to Artur Subkhankulov. At one point he was part of a contingent of Canadian based Kazakh fighters, but that agreement has ended and his last 5 bouts, dating back 5 years, have been outside of Canada. At his best he looked like someone with the potential to make a mark on the world rankings. In recent years however inactivity, a lack of real desire and a loss to Artur Subkhankulov, have really ended any idea of his making a mark at a higher level. Despite both men being the wrong side of 30 we see them as being well matched, and this should be a great fight, even if neither man really has the tools, or time, to make a mark at world level A third title bout on this card will see Chinese puncher ZhiGang Zhang (8-2-1, 6) take on unbeaten Filipino Alfred Deano (13-0-1, 10), with the men facing off for the WBC Far East Super Featherweight title. The 30 year old Zhang has had 11 bouts and 47 rounds, with only 2 contests going the distance. He started his career with two early losses, being stopped in round 3 in both, but has now gone 9 fighters unbeaten. Sadly his most notable wins have come in Thailand, where he has beaten Wicha Phulaikhao, Conrado Tanamor and Campee Phayom. Notably his draw, which occurred last time out, against Rhonvex Capuloy, was a 6th round technical draw, also for the WBC Far East Super Featherweight title. As for Deano, he fought to a draw on his debut, and has run up a good looking record, though has mostly been fighting at Bantamweight and lacks any wins of real note. To date his biggest win has been a KO over Bryan Macamay, more than a decade ago, where he failed to make weight for the bout. On paper this looks competitive, but in reality it’s hard to imagine the naturally smaller Deano extending his unbeaten record here. MGM hotel, Shanghai, China We get more title action in Shanghai, albeit at a much lower level than the Lu Vs Lacar and Yang Vs Khussainov bouts. The title bout on this card will see Chinese based British fighter Ellie Bouttell (3-0-1) take on once beaten Indian fighter Renu Phogat (6-1,2) for the lightly regarded WBC Far East female Bantamweight title, with the two fighting to become the inaugural champion. Boutell, who has fought her entire career in China, is part of the M23 Boxing Club, which has led the likes of Can Xu and Wulan Tuolehazi to major international fights. She is somewhat unproven, but is slowly making a name for herself in China, with this being her 5th bout in a little under a year. As for Phogat who's also fighting for the 5th time in 12 months, this bout will be her second outside of India, as she looks to rebuild following a loss to Seren Cetin in Türkiye, in October. Interestingly Phogat will be fighting at a career lowest for the bout, at Bantamweight, having previously fought as high as Welterweight early in her career. A second notable bout on this card will see unbeaten teenage puncher Saipaier Rouzi (3-0-0-1, 3) take on Yihao Wang (13-4, 8). All 3 of Rouzi’s wins have come in the first round, however they have come against rank novices, and it's hard to get any sort of a read on him from those bouts. Aged just 19 however we’re interested to see how he fares here in a notable step up. Yihao Wang, who has been stopped in 3 of his 4 losses, is unbeaten in more than 5 years, and after a faltering start, going 5-4 (1) in his first 9 has found his groove, winning his last 8, with 7 of those wins coming early. Notably that winning run has been, mostly against limited foes, with Keon Woo Kim being the best of them, and the most recent win coming more than a year ago. Still this is a good step up for Rouzi and a win here could, hopefully, open the doors for him to move towards regional level title fights. Qidong Sport center, Nantong, China The least notable of the Chinese acton comes from Nantong, in a show that really feels like it could be one that’s easy to ignore in favour of the other two, much more interesting looking, shows. One of the bigger bouts on this card will see local fighter Min Nuo (8-4, 4) face off with visiting Thai Anuson Thonglueang (21-5-1, 16) is a pretty solid looking 8 rounder. Nuo is a 25 year old with some international experience,. having fought in both South Korea and Thailand, along with his native China. His most noteworthy bouts so far are early losses to Abdurasul Ismoilov and LeQuan Wang, which seem to suggest he is some way short of top regional level. Aged just 20 Thonglueang is looking to have his 5th bout of the year, and score his first win away from home, having been stopped in Kazakhstan and Australia earlier this year. Prior to 2024 he had also lost in all his other bouts on foreign soil, being stopped in Vietnam and out-pointed in Japan, with this now being his fifth fight on the road, and perhaps his best chance to pick up a win away from home. The other bout of note is a 10 rounder as local fighter Abulimiti Tuersunniyazi (10-4-2, 7) takes on Filipino visitor Ador Torres (12-5-1, 8), who we believe is a late replacement for Elmo Traya (14-5, 9). The 33 year old Tuersunniyazi has been a professional since 2015 and whilst he has faced some notable domestic fighters, such as Youli Dong and Cheng Su, he has never really beaten anyone of any note, at all. His 10 wins have been against low level imports or inexperienced domestic fighters, and it seems clear his career isn’t going far. As for Torres, the Filipino is an upset minded fighter, who has spent the last few years fighting mostly in Thailand, where he won and defended a low level Welterweight title. He is 8-1 in his last 9, with the one loss coming in September to the fast rising Kosei Nogami, in Japan, with that bout proving that Torres was tough as he lasted the 8 rounds with Nogami. Interestingly, the winner here will have scored their career best win. Nova Boxing Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea As well as the action in China we also get a low level show in Incheon, South Korea, as the Nova Boxing Gym put on a show packed with 4 rounders. The one bout scheduled for more than 4 rounds is a 6 rounder, as Hyung Shin Chae (4-3, 1) takes on Woo Sung Kim (3-2, 2), in what should be a fan friendly, low level, fighter between two men with defensive issues. Chase, the more experienced man, has been stopped in his last 2, including a Korean title, both this year. Notably in just 7 bouts he has faced 6 unbeaten men, including a debutant, with only one of his 7 opponents having had a loss. As for Kim, his opponents have been less promising, though he did score his biggest win to date in October, when he stopped the experienced Chul Woo Yoon in 5 rounds. For fans of low level wars, this show should be fun, but it will be low level action, with flawed, crude, novices. Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines
The first post-Christmas show in the Philippines takes place this coming Friday from Isulan and whilst it’s not the best card, it does have some noteworthy bouts on it. On paper the best of the 3 noteworthy bouts will see former world title challenger Jayson Mama (20-2, 10) look to bounce back from his disappointing, and controversial, loss in Puerto Rico in October against Juan Carlos Camacho, as he takes on domestic foe Michael Bravo (14-5, 7). Mama is best known internationally for his losses to Sunny Edwards and Camacho, and despite those losses he remains a genuine contender at 112lbs, and will likely be in the mix for a regional if not world title next year. To end the year it seems he and his team have decided to get him a work out against a capable domestic level talent. Bravo, although far from world class, has proven his ability on the domestic scene, running Reymart Gaballo close in 2023, and going 11 rounds with Esneth Domingo. He will be expected to take Mama rounds, and although he has lost 4 of his last 5, and 2 of those by stoppage, he does tend to fight to win, and won't just be in there to roll over and give Mama an easy win to end the year. The once beaten RV Deniega (10-1, 6) looks to continue his rebuild following a 2023 loss to Saul Sanchez, as he takes on Jelo Bacalso (6-6-2, 4). The talented Deniega, who beat the under-rate dAdrian Lerasan last time out, is only 25 and has proven himself a very capable fighter on the Filipino domestic scene, with wins against the likes of Jeny Boy Boca, Justine Darap, Lerasan, and the well past his best version of Sonny Boy Jaro. Whilst the loss to Sanchez showed he wasn’t world class, and it’s hard to imagine him reaching those heights, he is certainly a solid fighter capable of being a fixture on the regional scene. As for Bacalso he's a live under-dog, who started his career 2-4-2, after 8 bouts, but is 4-2 in his last 6 Sadly however his losses, have come every time he's faced someone with some real ability, including a loss in September to Gabriel Santisima, who stopped him in 2 rounds. A bit of a soft one for Deniega, but he has been out of the ring since March and we’re glad to see him back in action. The other of the three notable bouts on this show will see the very good Joey Canoy (22-5-2-1, 14) look to score his 3rd win in less than 6 months as he takes on Ariston Aton (9-12-1, 5), in what feels very much like a stay busy for Canoy ahead of something bigger in the new year. The 31 year old dubbed "The Baby Face" is unbeaten in his last 7, has stopped his last 5, including Kenichi Horikawa and Jonathan Refugio, and really should be in the mix for a regional title fight in the new year. Despite not being well known internationally he has scored notable wins over the likes of Toto Landero and Melvin Jerusalem,. As for Aton, the 24 year old has proven to be durable, with only 3 stoppage losses, but is now 5 years removed from a win and is now on a winless run of 12 bouts. Aton should take Canoy some rounds, but not be much of a test for someone with the ability to mix at world level. Baluan Sholak Sports Palace, Almaty, Kazakhstan As well as the action in the Philippines there is also a show in Kazakhstan. Sadly the show is a pretty weak one, with the most notable bout on it being yet another case of a top former amateur wasting their career, rather than being moved towards the types of tests their ability has long deserved. Potentially in fact aging themselves out of top professional bouts. The fighter in question is unbeaten Kazakh Heavyweight Ivan Dychko (14-0, 13), who is now 34 and has been a professional for more than 7 years, taking on Vitaly Kudukhov (7-2, 3). Dychko had turned with a lot of expectation. He had been a fantastic amateur, winning bronze medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, and being a 2-time World Amateur Championships silver medal winner, whilst also picking up a bronze in the competition. He was big, fast, heavy handed, highly skilled, good on his feet, and seemed to have all the tools to be fast tracked. Instead however his career has progressed at the pace of molasses, with various out of the ring issues, fights falling through and a lack of a major promoter backing him. Sadly for Dychko and his fans, Kudukhov is a relative nothing opponent for the big Kazakh, especially given that Kudukhov has lost 2 of his last 3. The only potential advantage Dychko will get from this is some ring time with someone who has never been stopped, but has also not faced a notable fighter since a 2021 fight with a 49 year old Guillermo Jones, which Kudukhov won over 8 rounds. Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand
The day after Christmas is called “boxing day” in some parts of the world, and this year we certainly have a boxing day fight to be excited about in Bangkok, as we’re set to see a new world champion being crowned. The match up in question will see former WBC Minimumweight champion Panya Pradabsri (43-2, 27) look to become a 2-weight world champion as he takes on the criminally under-rated Carlos Canizales (27-2-1, 19) for the vacant WBC Light Flyweight title, with Canizales looking to end the year on a higher. The 33 year old Pradabsri is best known for his short but notable reign as the WBC Minimumweight champion. That reign began when he dethroned the then 54-0 Wanheng Menayothin, saw him record 4 defenses, including one over Wanheng and two over Norihito Tanaka, before losing the belt in Japan to Yudai Shigeoka. He has long been one of the best fighters at 105lbs, but also someone who seemed big at the weight and as if he was boiling down hard to mark 105lbs, as opposed to letting his body fight at a more natural weight of Light Flyweight or even Flyweight. As for Canizales, he is perhaps the best active fighter to have never won outright recognition as a "world" champion, having only held the WBA "regular" title when Hiroto Kyoguchi was the "Super" champion. He is legitimate world class, with the only marks on his record being a draw against Ryoichi Taguchi, and losses to Esteban Bermudez, in a 2021 Upset of the Year contender, and Kenshiro Teraji, in a razor thin bout in January of this year. Canizales is tough, heavy handed, highly skilled, has a great engine, applies constant pressure, and is a complete nightmare to fight. Unlike many fighters from Venezuela, who pad their record but come undone against fighters on their travels, Canizales has proven his skills on the road, not just with the bouts against Taguchi and Kenshiro, but also wins against Reiya Konishi, Lu Bin, Sho Kimura, Ganigan Lopez and Daniel Matellon. Given the styles of the two men, who are both, strong, come to fight and like to enforce their wills, we are expecting a very, very special bout here, to give us a late Christmas treat. Spaceplus Bangkok RCA, Bangkok, Thailand We have a second show in Bangkok, albeit a much smaller one, at the Spaceplus Bangkok RCA. One of the best match ups on the card will see unbeaten Filipino Arvin Jhon Paciones (9-0, 5) take on under-rated Chinese fighter Xiang Li (9-2-2, 4) in a scheduled 12 rounder. The 19 year old Paciones has had a pretty notable 18 months come into this, stopping Jonatan Refugio, taking a good 12 round win over Kitidech Hirunsuk and beating former world champion Rene Mark Cuarto. He is a real prospect, with skill, power, speed and a willingness to take tests, both at home and on the road. The 26 year old Li is no push over, with his losses coming to Miel Fajardo and Jonathan Almacen, with that one coming in the Philippines, and notable results against Raymond Poon KaiChing, who he beat in Hong Kong, and a Ryu Horikawa, who he fought to a 10 round draw This is a genuinely good match up, and the winner should be in the mix for a recognised regional title sooner rather than later. Having just mentioned Raymond Poon KaiChing (10-3, 6) it’s worth noting he is on this card, as he takes on former world title challenger Komgrich Nantapech (37-13, 27). Nantapech was once a very solid fighter, who gave Donnie Nietes a competitive bout in 2017, and also gave a good account of himself, albeit in a wide loss, against Juan Carlos Reveco. Since however he has gone a very mixed 15-8. Whilst some of those losses are at a good level some aren’t and he has been stopped 5 times in his last 11, going 6-5 over those bouts, suggesting a fighter who has either taken too much punishment, or is happy to go down softly nowadays. As for KaiChing the 28 year old from Hong Kong is 3-2 in his last 5 and whilst he hasn’t scored a notable win, he will likely come into this seeing it as a huge chance to get a career best win. Unbeaten American Jermaine Hardison (4-0, 3) looks to score his latest win, and claim a minor regional title, as he takes on Thai local Thuwanan Tumninlakan (4-2-1, 4). Hardison has required 14 rounds for his first 4 wins, and whilst the opposition hasn't been tough the 21 year old is getting on with things and, for the most part, seeing off his opponents the way he and his team would have been hoping. The 19 year old Tumninlakan however has been matched very softly, and failed to win other of his last 2 bouts, fighting to a draw with Supakorn Boonmak and a loss to Nattawut Kaewkhanchum. In fact he is 1-2-1 in his last 4, and it would be a real surprise to see him beat Hardison Another unbeaten hopeful on this card is Matvei Lagerev (6-0, 5), a Thai based Russian, who will be expecting to pick up another win as he takes on Phatiphan Krungklang (20-9-1-1, 12). In just 15 rounds Lagerev has discord 6 wins, including one over forms world title challenger Pigmy Kokietgym, albeit a faded and undersized Pigmy. On paper Krungklang is a step up for the Russian, but in reality it's not a notably step up, especially when you realise Krungklang has been stopped in 8 of his 9 losses and his wins have come at a very poor level.  Sangyo Shinko Center, Akashi, Hyogo, Japan
This Sunday Hyogo plays host to an easy to overlook card that has 3 noteworthy bouts on it. The main event will see the promising Kaishu Harada (5-0, 2) get a real test, as he takes on the hungry Renan Portes (13-17, 6), in a bout that looks like a mismatch but is expected to be a genuine test for Harada. The 24 year old Harada made his debut in 2023 and has been moved excellently by his team, scoring good wins over Claudevan Sese and Pete Apolinar in his first 5 bouts to help him break into the JBC and OPBF rankings. Harada was last seen in the ring in October, when he beat Harada, and whilst this is a quick turn around it is a case of making up for lost time, with that bout being his only other one in 2024. As for Portes, the Filipino looks very limited on paper, and he is 3-12 in his last 15. Notably however he has often been fighting much, much, bigger fighters picking up losses at Lightweight and Super Featherweight. When fighting at Super Bantamweight and Featherweight he has looked a much better fighter, picking up a win against Jason Canoy last year, and being robbed against Keita Kurihara back in July, in a bout where even Kurihara thought the judges got it wrong. Harada should be favoured, but Portes isn’t as bad as his record, and recent form, suggests and will be there looking to make a statement after the Kurihara bout. In the chief support bout we’ll see JBC and OPBF ranked Super Bantamweight Mugicha Nakagawa (28-11-3, 18) take on Thai visitor Chatpayak Srisuwa (5-1, 5). Nakagawa will be trying to end the year on a high after losses to Kazuki Nakajima and Kyonsuke Kameda. After those two losses, in February and July, he is 1-2-1 in his last 4 and almost 15 months removed from his last win. Now aged 35 he can ill afford another setback if he’s to land another title shot, having lost in bouts for both Japanese and OPBF titles. As for Srisuwa the 29 year old Thai has never beaten a fighter with a win, and his sole bout outside of Thailand saw him being stopped in 5 rounds, in Japan, by Shinsei Otani, back in May. This pretty much viewed as an easy bout for Nakagawa, which is hard to complain about given his recent losses. Potentially the best bout on this card will see the once beaten Japanese based Korean Young Doo Choi (6-1, 5) take on unbeaten Filipino David Santisima (6-0, 5), in a bout that looks great on paper. Choi’s only loss in 7 bouts was a competitive one, in 2023 against Seira Kishida in Kishida's home of Kobe, and since then he has bounced back with a quick win over Kohei Hamamoto. He has an exciting and aggressive style and win, or lose, he should make for fun bouts when matched correctly. As for Santisima, he is a 22 year old who is making his international debut here. To date he has needed just 15 rounds to score his 6 wins, including a solid one against Ryan Rey Ponteras. This is a step up for him, against a fellow hungry fighter, but he will know a win in Japan, against Choi, should help secure him more notable bouts going forward. We’re expecting this one to be a very exciting and violent bout, for as long as it lasts. Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Osaka, Japan event We also get a noteworthy card in Osaka, which like the Hyogo show won’t get much attention from fans outside of Japan, despite featuring three notable prospects, with each trying to add one more win before the year is out. The more notable of the two prospects is former amateur stand out Ryang Ho Han (2-0, 1), who is quickly getting a reputation as one of the best prospects in Japan. The unbeaten 27 year old will be up against Toma Kondo (8-9-3, 1) as he looks for his third win in just over 8 months. Stood at around 5’8” Han is huge for a Super Flyweight, he’s a heavy handed southpaw, with solid amateur fundamentals and has already shown that he has both power, skills and stamina, having gone 8 rounds with highly experienced Thai Jakrawut Majungoen back in August, in just his second pro bout. He appears to have it all. In Kondo we have a fighter whose record is poor, but he is a lot better than the numbers suggest. He has only been stopped twice whilst facing a lot of top domestic prospects since his 2016 debut, with losses against the likes of Kantaro Juri Tsubasa Murachi and Hayate Hanada, and draws against very capable fighters like Yuki Nakajima, Ryutaro Nakajima and Ryo Miyazaki. This looks like a mismatch on paper, but Han should have to work for a win. If he blows Kondo out, expect to see Han fighting for a title, of some kind, early next year. Talking about title fights, the chief support will see Takeru Inoue (4-1, 2) look to rebuild after a recent loss in a regional title fight, to Jayson Vayson, as he takes on Hyogo Kimura (9-5-1, 3). Against Vayson it seemed Inoue’s lack of experience was an issue, and despite doing 8 rounds twice, he was still lacking in some areas against the talented Vayson. We expected this fight, and one or two more, to be used to develop the experience needed for Inoeu to prepare for another title bout. The 26 year old is talented, but a work in progress who needs some seasoning and some quality ring time. His issue, so far, is that his ring time hasn’t been the best, and his toughest opponents, Vayson aside, haven’t really been able to push him. Kimura The 24 year old hasn't got the best looking record, but has been mixing in and around the top of the domestic scene, with recent losses to Ryota Karimata, Goki Kobayashi, Katsuki Mori and Kenshi Noda, all very solid domestic level, or better, fighters. Kimura should offer Inoue the tough rounds he needs and be the type of test Inoue needs as he continues his professional development. A third bout of note here will see former Japanese Youth title contender Kyosuke Okamoto (8-1-1, 5), who lost to Towa Tsuji in a Japanese Youth Featherweight title fight last December, look to score is third straight win, as he takes on Satoru Hoshiba (7-9, 2). The promising Okamoto is still only 20 years old, won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2022 and scored a solid domestic win over Yuya Hirosa back in September, a win he is hoping to build on here. He is currently JBC and WBO Asia Pacific ranked, and at just 20 has a lot of promise to develop on, and is already showing signs of being a future fixture among the top domestic fighters. As for Hoshiba he’s a limited, but fan friendly and aggressive fighter who looks to make wars. He’s expected to struggle to get close to Okamoto, but if he can get inside this could be a real test for the much fancied Okamoto.  Twin Messe, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
With Christmas just around the corner it seems the boxing gods are giving us early Christmas presents this year, and this coming Saturday they come thick and fast with 2 noteworthy shows in Japan. Notaly it’s a show in Shizuoka that stands out, for a number of reasons. Rather oddly the main event here, as least nominally, is an 8 rounders as former amateur stand out turn red hot prospect Aoi Yokoyama (1-0, 1) kicks off his 3150 x LUSHBOMU contract with a bout against OPBF ranked Filipino Denmark Quibido (13-3-2, 7). Yokoyama went 44-12 in the amateurs, won the 2022 All Japan Championships, and in his professional debut he stopped Hao Wang, in a scheduled 6 rounder. Now jumping up to an 8 rounder to take on an OPBF ranked fighter shows the confidence Watanabe and 3150 x LUSHBOMU have in him, and a win over Quibido would really see him in the mix for a regional title fight in early 2024. As for the Filipino he has never been stopped and is gaining valuable experience on the road, with 3 of his last 5 fights on the road, including losses to Sikho Nqothole and Landile Ngxeke and a technical draw in October with Hayate Hanada. Although he has only 1 win in his last 4 bouts, that was a win over the very solid Danrick Sumabong, and he recently went 12 rounds with former world title challenger Giemel Magramo. Quibido is no push over, and this ia case of sink or swim for Yokoyama. Although Yokoyama is technically the main event, the most notable bout on the card is actually an all-Mexican bout as Willibaldo Garcia Perez (22-5-1-1, 13) takes on Rene Calixto Bibiano (23-0, 9) in a bout for the vacant IBF Super Flyweight title, which was given up by Fernando Daniel Martinez so that he could rematch Kazuto Ioka at the end of the year. Perez is somewhat known in and around the world stage, having lost a close fight to Alexandro Santiago in 2020, and pushed Paul Butler all the way in 2021. He is currently riding a 10-0 (7) run since his loss to Butler, and whilst his competition hasn’t been great during that run it’s not been awful and does include a very solid win over Victor Mendez. Bibiano on the other hand is an unknown at world level, but a very close friend of Tomoki Kameda who has helped establish him in Japan, with this being his third bout there in 22 months, where he has scored a notable win over fancied prospect Hayate Hanada. There is little in terms of known quality on his record, though he did beat Sikho Nqothole last time out, in what should serve as a good warm up for this match up. We’re expecting this to be a brilliant mix of skills and machismo and it really could be a very special bout for the fans tuning in on Abema and those in attendance. Yokoyama isn’t the only touted unbeaten prospect on this show as Ryusei Moriwaki (2-0, 2) also steps up in class as he seeks a third pro win, taking on Salvador Juarez (19-9-2, 4). To date both Moriwaki's bouts have been scheduled 6 rounders, though he has ended both early and only has 5 combined rounds as a professional. Despite his professional inexperience Moriwaki went 26-9 in the amateurs, won the Under 15 and Under Junior Championships twice, each, as well as the National Athletic Meet, so was an accomplished young amateur before making his debut in March. This bout will be expected to get him some good seasoning, as he competes in his first 8 rounder and takes on a 30 fight Mexican veteran who has only been stopped once, by former world title challenger Argi Cortes. This is a monstrous step up for Moriwaki, with Juarez being a a very capable fighter. During his 30 bout career he has pushed the likes of Rodrigo Guerrero, Aaron Alameda and Victor Reyes Bernabe close in losses, and taken wins against Leosdan Nunez, Geraldo Valdez and Keyvin Lara, with those 3 wins all coming on the road. This is a very serious test for the 20 year old Moriwaki but if he passes it in impressive fashion, the rocket will be strapped firmly to his back. Japan’s Matcha Nakagawa (16-2-2, 6) will be seeking to build on July’s win over former OPBF champion Pete Apolinar as he takes on once-beaten Filipino Rocky Ogden (7-1, 5). Nakagawa, who is now 30, made his debut way back in 2013, with a draw against future world title challenger Ryohei Takahashi and would go on to win the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2015. Since then he has failed to really kick on, losing in a rematch with Takahashi, later losing a bout with Kai Chiba, in 2019. He is 3-0-1 since that loss to Chiba, but the win over Apolinar is his most notable win since his Rookie of the Year triumph. As for Ogden, the Australian is seeking a second straight win following a big upset loss to Chengcheng Yang back in April, a loss he avenged in July. This is Ogden’s first bout away from home, and whilst it is certainly a winnable one, he will be the under-dog. Another Filipino Vs Japanese bout will see Filipino fighter Angelo Beltran (10-2, 8) take on Kyonosuke Kameda (14-3-2, 8), in what will be Beltran’s Japanese debut. The 24 year old “Axe Boy” debuted in 2018 and whilst his career has almost all been fought at home, he has shown plenty of power and his last 4 wins have seen him beating the likes of Jeny Boy Boca and Chrstian Jude Capuno. Sadly however a 7th round KO loss last year to Dana Coolwell is hard to over-look. We like Coolwell, but that is Beltran’s only bout so far outside of his homeland, and a big indicator that he may struggle with the power of Kameda. The 26 year old Kameda is the cousin of the fighting Kameda brothers, and despite losing in his debut, back in 2018, he has gone on to have a very good career since, reaching the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2019, claiming the Japanese Youth Featherweight title with a win over Tsubasa Narai which has aged really well and is unbeaten in his last 8, with notable wins against Jon Jon Estrada, Karoon Jarupianlerd, Mugicha Nakagawa and Suriyan Sor Rungvisai. This is a step for Beltran, it’s his second fight away from home, and it’s hard, really hard, to see him having much to test Kameda, who is looking likely to move into the regional title picture next year. On paper a clash between Thailand’s Nattapong Jankaew (13-4, 9) and Japanese promoted Mexican Kenbun Torres (15-5, 10) really doesn’t look like anything special, but this could end up being one of the best bouts on the show. Jankaew was once regarded as a really promising Thai, with some very nice technical skills, unfortunately he's not had the durability to go with the skills, and has lost 4 of his last 7, 3 by stoppage, to Adrian Lerasan, Hiroto Yashiro, Sathaporn Saart and Marlon Tapales. Those wins have essentially undone a good start to his professional career, which had seen him win his first 10 including wins against Wittawas Basapean, Karoon Jarupianlerd and Wicha Phulaikhao. He now needs a notable win to get his career back on track. As for Torres his career looked all but over just a few fights ago, but now, aged 37, he’s in the form of his career scoring 3 straight wins, including an opening round TKO of Reymart Gaballo and a Split Decision over the previously unbeaten, and much fancied, KJ Cataraja. Those two wins have put the 37 year old into the world rankings, at Super Flyweight, of all 4 title bodies, however with this bout being fought at a contracted 53.2KG (around 117.3lbs) he may well find himself up against a naturally bigger man. Also on this card is the fast handed Mitsuro Brandon Tajima (10-1, 8), who looks to bounce back from an upset loss to Alexandru Jur as he takes on once beaten Venezuelan Rosmen Brito (11-1, 9), in what looks like a very even bout, at least on paper. The 30 year old Tajima, is short for a Heavyweight, standing at less than 6’, but is explosive, fast handed and exciting to watch. Sadly he was around 280lbs last year, and whilst his weight has come down there are question marks about how seriously he is taking the sport, and how much he has gotten by, so far, on natural talent. Given the loss to Jur, back in March, he can ill afford another one, and the hope is that loss will have served as a wake up call for someone with clear areas to work on. As for Brito the 34 year old was stopped in a round last time out, by Lenar Perez, in his only fight outside of Venezuela. On paper his record looks good, but only 2 of his victories have come against fighters with wins, and it’s hard to read anything into those wins. This is clearly a bit of a smoke and mirrors bout for Tajima, who needs a win, and needs to show some serious improvements from his recent loss. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Over in Tokyo Korakuen Hall plays host to this year’s All Japan Rookie of the Year finals, which, as always, gives us some really intriguing matchups, and could potentially unearth some talented young talent and future world champions. One of the many interesting match ups here will be at Welterweight, a division that Japan doesn’t shine at globally but does tend to have some compelling domestic bouts. The fight in question here will see the once beaten Takumi Fukunaga (5-1) take on the unbeaten Ryuto Sumida (6-0, 3). The 24 year old Fukunaka lost early in his career, against Yoshiki Kaneko, but avenged that loss in November in the West Japan Rookie of the Year final and comes in on the back of 4 straight wins. He's a talented outside boxer, with good footwork and a good jab, but will be facing the hungry Sumida. Aged 21 and standing at 6'0 Sumida will tower over his foe, and looks to be really showing what he can do, stopping 3 of his last 4. On paper his competition has been less impressive than Fukunaga’s, but he’ll know this is a huge chance to make a statement, and do so at a very young age. At 140lbs Xiaoling Koji (2-0, 1), a 33 year old former kick boxer with a very aggressive style, will be up against 23 year old Shota Tashita (4-0, 2), who’s much more technically sound and has good counter punching. Although not a standout kickboxer, by any stretch, Koji is much more experienced than his 2-0 record suggests, and when he’s in the ring his aggression shows that he’s not worried about taking a shot to land one, which makes him a very fan friendly fighter. His aggression, however, could prove to be his undoing here, against the quick handed Tashita, who has shown some lovely counter punching in the early stages of his professional career. At Super Featherweight we have unbeaten youngsters facing off, with 19 year olds Shota Kajino (3-0-1, 2) and Otaro Segawa (5-0-1, 2) clashing. Not only are both 19, but both actually drew on debut, and have reeled off a nice, though short, winning run since. Kajino has fought all 4 of his bouts this year, all at Korakuen Hall, and scored stoppages in his last 2. Interestingly all 3 of his wins have come against unbeaten fighters. As for Segawa, a very physical fighter, he debuted in 2022, aged 17, and has won his 5 subsequent bouts, with 3 wins coming this year, the most recent of which was a split decision over Koki Nitta. This will only be his second bout outside of Osaka, and the win over Nitta was his most notable win to date, by far. With both being so young we’re interested to see how composed both can be in such a major bout. At Super Flyweight the Shuta Takahashi (6-2-1, 4) takes on the unbeaten Aoi Murata (6-0, 4), in a bout that could be the most explosive bout on the show. The 23 year old Takahashi was stopped early in his career, and was 3-2-1 (3) at the end of 2023, but has developed well, picking up 3 wins this year, all again unbeaten fighters. In fact Takahashi's last 5 opponents have been unbeaten with a combined 19-0-2 record. To date he has only faced a single with a loss, not a losing record by a single loss, and all 9 of his bouts have been at Korakuen Hall. Murata, representing West Japan, is proving to be a well travelled fighter, with bouts in Aichi, Kanazawa, Shizuoka, Nakatsu and Osaka. After going the distance in his first 2 bouts he has scored 4 straight stoppage, including one over Junta Shiraki last time out, who had an identical record to Takahashi's current one. Aged 20 Murata is one of the few fighters out of Aichi who looks more than capable of becoming a force on the national scene, if he can get the developmental fights, a win here will help him secure solid domestic fights down the line. Of the two Takahashi is the more aggressive but Murata sticks to basics really well, and has got very good pop in his shots.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Friday action returns to Korakuen Hall for a pretty interesting card under the Dangan banner. The card isn’t one of the strongest Dangan cards, but is interesting featuring a recent national champion, a notable prospect, an intriguing international bout and the retirement ceremony of a popular fighter. The retirement ceremony is for former JBC and OPBF Super Bantamweight champion Shingo Wake (31-9-2, 22), who called time on his career earlier this year, following a loss to Kazuki Nakajima. The popular sharpshooter managed to have a successful career, scoring notable wins against the likes of Yukinori Oguni, Jhunriel Ramonal, Jae Sung Lee, Yusaku Kuga and Jose Velasquez, but in recent years his body has been falling apart, and in many ways he was never quite the same fighter after his 2016 loss to Yonatan Guzman Pena, in an IBF title fight that saw Wake being dropped numerous times before finally being stopped in the 11th round. Given his popularity with fans at Korakuen Hall it’s great to see him being given a send off like this, and we would like to wish him all the best in his post boxing career. As for the actual fights, the main event will see recent Japanese Bantamweight champion Fumiya Fuse (14-4, 3) look to bounce back from losing his title to Riku Masuda in July, as he takes on Filipino visitor Carlo Demecillo (18-9-2, 10). At his best Fuse is a really talented boxer, but sadly a lack of power has held him back, Despite that he has achieved a lot, winning the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2017, capturing the Japanese Youth title in 2021 when he beat Takahiro Tai, and the actual Japanese title back in April, when he stopped Taichi Sugimoto. Sadly he has been found short against Masuda, twice, Toshiya Ishii and Sam Goodman, though he did score a knockdown against Goodman. As for Demecillo, the Filipino he has has very mixed success overall, but is notable in Japan where this will be his fifth bout. So far he is winless in the Land of the Rising Sun, having come up short against Hisashi Amagasa, Satoshi Shimizu, Kaito Yamasaki and Sho Ishida . Despite those setbacks he is known for always putting in a fair effort, and we suspect he will give Fuse a good 8 round test, rather than just some easy rounds here. Former Demecillo foe Bryl Bayogos (7-2-1, 2) will interestingly feature on this card, though he’s up against it as he faces touted unbeaten hopeful Reo Nishioka (4-0, 1). Bayogos lost a technical decision to Demecillo, back in August, in what was his second straight loss, having been stopped by TJ Doheny on the under-card of Naoya Inoue's bout with Luis Nery in May. Prior to those losses Bayogos was unbeaten but also rather untested, with his only win of any note was a decision against veteran Ryan Rey Ponteras. As for Nishioka, he is regarded as one of the best prospects in Japan having already climbed into the Japanese rankings after just 4 bouts he was pushed hard last time out, by Kento Uchigamae, but the win there showed there was a lot to like about Nishioka who will be looking to end the year with his 3rd win of the year. Also on this card is a pretty interesting match up between Daisuke Sugita (8-5, 4) and Lite Dawuxi (7-1, 5). Sugita was a former highly experienced amateur, who also served as a police office, when he made his debut there was some hope he’d be a major player on the domestic scene. Whilst he has failed to live up to those expectations he has proven to be a fun, exciting fighter with heavy hands and a questionable chin. He's never shied away from a top domestic fighters, with losses to Reiya Abe, Ryo Akaho and Ryuto Owan, and has also travelled with 6 of his bouts taking place away from home, including a recent loss in Thailand to Wira Mikham. As for Dawuxi this will be his third straight fight in Japan, where he beat Eikichi Ueno in May before being beaten by the highly touted Yuichiro Taka. Dawuxi is certainly not in Japan to just make up the numbers, and will be looking to score a second notable win at Korakuen Hall, and given the style and mentality of Sugita this really could be a very fun fight. Sadly though we can’t help but think Sugita’s career is pretty much over, given he’s now 36, however at 23 Dawuxi could well be one to watch over the coming years. Bula Gym, General Santos City, Cotabato del Sur, Philippines
This coming Wednesday we see the return of a true legend as Japanese warrior Katsunari Takayama (34-9-0-1, 12) returns to the Minimumweight division, for the first time since August 2016, when he beat Riku Kano, and faces unbeaten 23 year old Australian fighter Kha Lu (7-0, 3) in the Philippines for the IBO Minimumweight title. Aged 41 Takayama is a certified legend for fans of the lower weight classes, and he has faced a genuine who’s who of over the last 20 years. His career, which has seen him win Japanese, WBC, WBA "interim", IBF and WBO titles at Minimumweight, has seen him craft his own route through the sport, giving up his JBC license to chase the IBF title around the world, battling to allow Japanese fighters to go from pros to amateurs, and has his eyes on becoming a teacher when he finally hangs up the gloves. It seems he still has challenges left in the sport, and claiming the IBO title appears to be one of those challenges. At his best Takayama was a fantastic, teak tough warrior, with an incredible work rate, great speed, and the willingness to go to war with almost anyone. Dubbed the “Lightning Kid”, his name isn’t as apt at 41 as it was when he debuted, way back in 2000, but there is no doubting his heart, desire and determination. Sadly he has slipped a lot from his best, but he will be hoping to use his experience here. As for Lu the 23 year old Australian has never faced anyone of any note so far. His competition through 7 fights has seen him face a single fighter with a winning record, Oatkowit Kamlangcharoey, with all 7 bouts coming against limited Thai foes. With 25 rounds to his name his lack of experience isn’t just in quality, but also in ring time, with Takayama having over 350 rounds. He has also never been beyond 6 rounds, and we need to wonder whether he has the tools to go deep. He is however almost 20 years younger than Takayama, and he will look to make the most of that youth. Although the IBO title is certainly a minor belt, this is still a very intriguing bout, and if Takayama manages to pick up the win he will become the first ever Japanese champion to win an IBO belt, adding yet another notch to his unique list of career achievements. Also on this card are a trio of Filipino hopefuls, all looking to bounce back from recent losses. One of that trio is Vince Paras (21-3-1, 15), who looks to bounce back from a loss to Hiroto Kyoguchi as he takes on Anthony Gilbuela (8-6-2, 2) in what should be a straightforward win. We should also see straight forward wins for Reymart Gaballo (28-2, 23), who will take on James Pagaling (8-3, 5), and Dave Apolinario (20-1, 14), who faces veteran Jeny Boy Boca (14-16, 12).  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Monday we get the next card under the Fighting Bee banner, and it’s a really small, almost under-whelming, card, with only two bouts of note on it, one being a regional female title bout, and the other being the next step for a domestically ranked fighter. The main event will see the once beaten Hoju Maeda (5-1-2, 1) take on Ai Sugimoto (4-5-1, 2) - in a bout for the vacant OPBF Female Light Flyweight weight title. Maeda, who’s 21 and debuted when she was just 17, is a rapid fire fighter, with quick combinations and fast feet, but she did come up short in 2 previous title bouts, fighting to a draw with Marina Sayama and losing to Nanae Yamaka, both in bouts for the Japanese Flyweight title. Notably she is dropping down in weight for this bout, and could find herself better suited to 108lbs. As for Sugimoto, the 40 year old, who has fought as high as Super Bantamweight, will be fighting at the lowest weight of her career. Notably she won her first 2 bouts, but since then is 2-5-1 and has never beaten a fighter with a winning record, though did score a notable draw with popular model-boxer Tomomi Takano in 2022, in what would be Takano’s final bout. In the main supporting bout JBC ranked Lightweight Naoya Nishihata (8-1, 5) seeks his 9th straight win, as he takes on Bakuto Nakahara (6-5, 3). Nishinata is ranked around the top 10 by the JBC, but sadly that seems more about how weak the division is outside of the top handful, with the 25 year old really failing to build on his Rookie of the Year triumph last December. This will be his fight of the year, and his first 8 rounder, but his previous two haven't come against the most testing of foes, in the form of Takahiro Hamazaki and Vageta Ishikawa. Going into 2025 Nishihata really needs to step up and start facing much more challenging fighters than he is so far. As for Nakahara, who's having his 12th fight despite only being 20 years old, this is a really interesting contest for him. Despite winning his first 2 bouts, back in 2021, he suffered 3 losses and then struggled to get any momentum going, before picking up back to back wins, in upsets, earlier this year. A win here, in his Korakuen Hall debut against a ranked fighter, would be huge for him. Nishihata is the clear the favourite, but in some ways this looks like being his toughest bout of the year, against someone who is young, hungry and will know this is a massive opportunity. |
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