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Times Square, New York, New York, USA
This coming weekend is a huge one for boxing, with notable huge fights across a long weekend, if you will, running from Friday to Sunday with major bouts in New York. On Friday the talking point for us however isn’t a huge fight, but instead a very notable debut, as former amateur standout Reito Tsutsumi (0-0) kicks off his career, on one of the biggest shows of the year, taking on Levale Whittington (1-2-1, 1) in a 6 rounder. Tsutsumi, the brother of the world ranked Hayato Tsutusmi, is widely regarded as a special talent, capable of being raced to title fights, and has already linked up with Turki Alalshikh which should help open future doors for him. As an amateur he was truly spectacular, and among the very best Japan has ever produced, with his amateur credentials expected to help him be fast tracked to a world title within 10 fights. Sadly, unlike his brother and a handful of others in Japan, his debut is a high profile affair, but an underwhelming one, as he takes on as he takes on 25 year old American fighter Whittington, who has failed to win any of his last 3 bouts, is naturally smaller than Tsutsumi, and although he's never been stopped he is really facing a major step up in class here, against a very special fighter. We see this as a clear showcase debut for Tsutsumi, before bigger tests later in the year, and we wouldn’t be surprised by him facing a world ranked opponent within a year of this fight.
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Chongqing, China
To kick off the month of May, which is a genuinely incredible month, with a lot of great action, attention turns to China for a show in Chongqing. Sadly at the time of writing few details regarding the event have been revealed however the main event is a solid looking bout, as Tonghui Li (14-2, 8) takes on Indian visitor Sabari Jaishankar (13-3, 6). Given he’s the home fighter, fighting in his native China, Li is the man who will have the crowd behind him, he’s also the much more established fighter, despite both men having 16 bouts. Li, who is 35, has been a professional since 2015 and holds credible wins over Romeo Jakosalem, Larry Siwu, Arnel Tinampay and Dacong Wang. Notably however he has fought for just 129 seconds since the start of 2021, taking out a very limited Thai opponent back in January, and it’s really hard to know what he has left to offer. At his best he’d been a clear favourite, but with inactivity and father time against him, it’s hard to be sure what Li has left in the tank. As for Jaishankar, he's 28, debuted in 2020, and has fought mostly on the limited Indian scene, though has picked up wins on his travels in Australia, Tanzania and Thailand. Notably however both of his losses have come on the road against decent fighters in the form of Fatih Keles, in Turkey, and Jack Rafferty, in England. He’s younger, hungrier, but also smaller than Li, and will know that this is, probably, the third hardest bout of his career so far, and that a win here would be the best of his career so far, though rather oddly he does howl a win over MMA fighter Sergio Petis, in what was Petis’ professional boxing debut earlier this year.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Wednesday we get an all female card from Korakuen Hall. Sadly the card is most 4 round bouts between novices, with the lone exception being a bout we were supposed to see on a different all female show earlier in the year. The main event is the much delayed bout between Megumi Watanabe (3-0-6, 1), who may well sport the most unique unbeaten record of any fighter ever with 6 draws in her first 9 fights, and Mont Blanc Miki (6-8-1, 2) who clash for the vacant Japanese Atomweight title and were originally supposed to fight back in January. Aged 35 Watanabe has been a professional since 2021 and went on a genuinely crazy run of 5 successive draws between October 2022 and February 2024. Despite the fact she is unbeaten she has struggled to get over the winning line, winning just 1 of her last 7 bouts and there has to be questions about what she has to offer the sport given her age. Miki on the other hand is getting her 6th shot at the Japanese title, though having come up short against the likes of Eri Matsuda and Marina Loreto, whilst bouncing between Atomweight and Minimumweight. Miki has the edge in experience and the class she has fought against, but with Watanabe’s desire this is a really hard one to call, and that’s despite the very different looking records. Back in January the bout seemed interesting, on what was a good show. As we head into this card, it looks like the only bout worth making note of on what is a very weak show overall. Though we must admit, we absolutely love the poster, which is genuinely unique in a sport where original ideas and different concepts are rarely tried, and hopefully we'll see more posters trying something new like this in the future.  EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
This coming Tuesday we get the next show from Green Tsuda, and whilst it’s not a big card, it does feature 3 notable bouts on it, one of which features a man who has been on several Naoya Inoue under-cards facing a former opponent of the “Monster”, one is a really interesting domestic clash and the other features an unbeaten All Japan Rookie of the Year winner. The main event sees former Japanese Super Bantamweight Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3, 12), who fought on two Naoya Inoue undercards in the last 12 months, take on Aran Dipaen (20-3, 17), who challenged Inoue back in 2021, when Inoue was struggling to get fighters to travel to Japan during their harsh covid restrictions. Shimomachi made 4 defenses of the Japanese title before vacating it earlier this year, with the intention of moving on to bigger and better fights. Notably this will be his first non-Japanese opponent since late 2020 when he fought Jeo Santisima. As for Dipaen he is unbeaten since his 2021 loss to Inoue, in a bout for the WBA “Super” and IBF Bantamweight titles, going 8-0 (6) since then, with his best wins coming at Super Flyweight against Justine Darap and Cris Alfante. Reality is the Thai should be too small, though we will admit Shimomachi has not been at his best in recent bouts, and we dare say he needs more serious tests after this bout. In a supporting bout we expect fireworks as Kanta Fukui (12-6-1, 8) takes on Shinsei Otani (10-2, 7), with both men feeling confident in their power, both knowing a win moves them to within touching distance of a Japanese title fight at 130lbs, and both knowing that a win here would be among their best as professionals. Of the two Fukui is the one with more to lose, with the 31 year old risking JBC and OPBF rankings against unranked 24 year old Otani. Despite having 6 losses in 19 fights Fukui shouldn't be overlooked, especially given the fact he pushed Tsubasa Narai all the way in a Japanese title fight last year, and has won 4 of his last 5 including wins over Hikaru Matsuoka and Ryo Sagawa. As for Otani, he suffered back to back losses in 2023/2024, losing to Kai Watanabe and Min Ho Jun, but has reeled off 3 wins since then, and even in those losses he was unlucky. He’s a genuine talent and is a very good prospect, who was too patient at times but has shown more killer instinct recently and will definitely see this as a potential bout that moves him into the title mix. The other bout we’re really interested in will see 2024 All Japan Rookie of the Year winner Shota Tashita (5-0, 3) look to build on his success as he takes on Thai visitor Thitikorn Ratanakun (5-6, 5). The 24 year old Tashita, who currently has a top 15 JBC ranking at 140lbs due to his Rookie of the Year success, is a really promising southpaw, with a lovely right hook, a lot of promise and 4 wins against previously unbeaten fighters in his first 5 bouts, a notably feat even against novice professionals. Aged 20 Ratanakun is very much a youngster, but someone who has already taken plenty of punishment in a career that has seen him fighting all over the weights. He lost 4 of his first 5, including bouts against Navapon Khaikanha and Sathaporn Saart, before going on a 4 fight winning run, all against very weak opponents in Thailand. Sadly his winning run came to an end last year, when he was stopped inside a round by Kenshin Yura in Tokyo, and he was also beaten in December, in Shizuoka, by Ryusei Miyagawa. Tashita isn’t on the level of a Yura or Miyagawa, but should still comfortably have too much for the visitor here. April 27th-Tapales in action in the Philippines, Sho Kimura and Akira Yaegashi meet in the ring!4/23/2025  General Santos City, Cotabato del Sur, Philippines
This big card of the day is in the Philippines, where we see a former unified champion, along with a notable contender and a rising prospect all in action, in a very solid card. The main event will see former 2-weight world champion Marlon Tapales (39-4, 20) take on the once beaten Jon Jon Jet (15-1-1, 12) in a really solid looking bout, though one that Tapales’ should win given his much more accomplished career and the level he’s fought at. Tapales, who has held the WBO Bantamweight title, and the IBF and WBA Super Bantamweight titles will be seeking his third win since his 2024 loss to Naoya Inoue, and will also be looking to make his second defense of the WBC International Silver Super Bantamweight title. As for Jet, this is, easily, the biggest fight of his career and the Indonesian puncher has won his last 5, building up some momentum, though his level was shown in his 2019 loss to Luke Boyd, and it would take a huge upset to see him win here. In a really good supporting bout the criminally under-rated Joey Canoy (23-5-2, 14) will be up against Minh Phat Sam (10-5, 8) from Vietnam, with the two fighting for the WBC International Minimumweight title. Canoy is one of the many Filipino fighters who’s record doesn’t really reflect their ability. He’s one of the fighters who can compete at world level, and he holds a very good win over Melvin Jerusalem, and has mixed with very good company, despite not yet getting a shot at one of the 4 major world titles, though he has challenged for the IBO title twice. As for Sam, the Vietnamese puncher is dangerous, but his wins have come at a low level and he has lost to every notable fighter he's fought, including DainXing Zhu, ArAr Andales and Esneth Domingo. Sam will be hungry for a win, but it’s hard to imagine him having the experience or tools to overcome Canoy, who will be hoping to land a world title shot sooner rather than later. Also on the card, hard hitting southpaw Alvin Lagumbay (14-9-1, 12) will take on the unbeaten Criztian Pitt Laurente (13-0, 8), in what is a very good step up for the unbeaten 25 year old. Laurente is a genuine talent, and was a very good amateur before turning professional, and despite only being 25 it does feel like his career has been something of a grind, with only 13 fights in 6 years. Despite that he is promising and if he can be kept active and motivated he could go a long way. As for Lugambay, he’s a monstrous puncher, albeit a flawed puncher, who is best known for his 2018 win over Keita Obara. Sadly since then he has gone 4-7-1, has lost his last 3 and been stopped 3 times in his last 5. Kumagaya Dome, Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan In Saitama we get a very notable card, featuring two former world champions sharing the ring together. Sadly however they are not taking part in a live contest, but instead an exhibition bout as a local star takes on one of the most popular former champions Japan has, in a retirement ceremony. The retirement in question will see former WBO Flyweight champion Sho Kimura share the ring with former 3 weight world champion Akira Yaegashi, with two men taking part in a short public spar in what is dubbed Kimura’s “Last fight”. The two will compete for 3 round in what should be a a clear bit of fan service and fun for those in attendance, those watching the PPV and the two men involved, who would have had an instant classic had they both faced off when they were active fighters The main event, in terms of actual fights which will go on the records of the men involved, will see 27 fight veteran Hisashi Kato (12-13-2, 8) take on the once beaten Yasuomi Soda (7-1-1, 4). The 39 year old Kato is a true veteran of the Japanese scene. He debuted back in 2006 and during his career has fought a genuine who's who of the Japanese scene at 147 and 154lbs, with bouts against the likes of Nobuyuki Shindo, Shusaku Fujinaka, Yusuke Konno, Masaya Tamayama and Yuichi Ideta. Sadly he has lost almost all of his meaningful bouts, with a win over Rikuto Adachi being one of his few genuine upset wins. He’s never been a world beater, but he has been a great servant to the Japanese scene. As for Soda, he is looking to bounce back from a loss to Ryota Toyoshima back in November, a loss that came in a Japanese title eliminator and a loss that he will be desperate to avenge, though will know he needs to get past Kato to earn a rematch with Toyoshima, with is now the current Japanese champion at 154lbs. Soda should win, and should break down Kato here, look to make a statement and help move himself towards his first title fight. In another solid domestic bout the JBC ranked Mirai Imagawa (13-7-1, 5) will face the experienced Isao Aoyama (14-13-1, 4) in a Super Flyweight bout. The 29 year old Imagawa has gone 0-2-1 in his last 3, and been stopped in both those losses, pushing him from the verges of a title fight to well down the rankings, and he will need to string together a few results to land a shot at the Japanese title. On paper he should be strongly favoured here, however Aoyama is no push over, despite his record, and the 35 year old has proven to be tough, upset minded and will be wanting to do everything he can to end his career on a win, following a 2024 loss to Suzumi Takayama in a Japanese title, fight. Aoyama has fought pretty much anyone who is anyone on the Japanese scene at 115lbs including Keisuke Nakayama, Akinori Hoshino, Tsubasa Murachi, Tetsuro Ohashi and Takuya Kogawa. Aoyama will be determined here, Imagawa is out of form and we dare say Aoyama will see this as a real chance to end his career with a notable win. With that in mind, we expect this one to be a really thrilling, all action, fire fight. Messe Mie, Tsu, Mie, Japan A second Japanese show takes place in Mie, with this being a much, much smaller event. The card is mostly 4 rounders, with the one exception being a sure fire war, as Ren Yamabe (8-4, 7) takes on Yoshiki Shimomura (7-2-1, 7), in a bout that promises fireworks. Yamabe is no world beater, but he is a lot better than his 8-4 record suggests, and is every bit as dangerous as his 7 KO’s in 8 wins suggests. He has lost his most notable bouts, losing to Shinsei Otani, Jinu Lee and Jinki Maeda, but has typically taken fights close and wins over Eiji Togawa and Hikaru Matsuoka show his power is legit. He gave Maeda all he could handle back in December, and despite losing that bout will have given him a lot of confidence to build on. As for Shimomura he was 7-0-1 (7) not too long ago, but has lost his last 2, and knows that he can ill afford another loss here. Expect to see both looking to land power shots early in a fight that will have tension from the off, and could be over in the blink of an eye.  Fashion Center Event Hall, Seoul, South Korea
Rather notably this coming Saturday the main show for us is in South Korea, something we’ve said a few times in recent weeks, for what is a mouth watering card, with 3 title bouts on it, including a really interesting regional title unification bout and the first professional title bout for one of Japan’s top prospects. The main event of the show will see the hard hitting Deok No Yun (9-2, 7) put his WBO AP Super Middleweight title on the line against OPBF champion Yuki Nonaka (38-12-3, 11) in a bout that really is an incredibly interesting match up between fighters with very different styles. Yun is an explosive, aggressive boxer-puncher with brutal power, some real defensive lapses and a style built around destruction, even if he does run the risk of eating a bomb as we saw in his first bout with Tyson Koki last year. He seemed to learn from that loss, and dominated Tyson in a rematch, but there will always be question marks about his defense. As for Nonaka, the 47 year old Southpaw is a pure technician in the ring, with an excellent jab and ring craft, but aged 47 and with 53 bouts, and over 400 rounds, it’s hard to know what he has left. In his prime he was very good at this level, but he’s on the slide and will likely be in trouble due to his age and lack of power. In terms of power, one man on this card who doesn’t lack in that area is unbeaten Super Flyweight hopeful Ryang Ho Han (3-0, 2), who looks to claim the IBF International title as he takes on once beaten Filipino foe Ramil Roda (7-1-2, 4), Han is one of the best prospects in Japan, with the 27 year old widely tipped as a future world champion at 115lbs. He’s a tall, rangy southpaw, with a good amateur background, who has adapted to the pros really well, and already holds a good win over Thai veteran Kongfah CP Freshmart. This will be his first 10 rounder but those in the know are expecting him to impress here before moving on to more recognised titles, such as the OPBF, WBO AP and Japanese, before moving into world class bouts in the a few years time. As for Roda the Filipino went 2-1-1 in his first 4, with both setbacks coming against Dariel Diamante, before reeling off 6 wins on the Filipino domestic scene. To date he has never faced someone with real ambition, and that will likely prove to be a major issue against someone with then hunger and tools of Han. In a domestic title bout fans will see Korean Featherweight champion Ha Nok Shim (11-2, 5) make his first defense, as he takes on Tae Won Jung (6-1, 1). Shim won the belt in November, when he took a wide decision over Khusniddin Maraimov, to record his third straight win following a loss, 10 months earlier, against Mongolian puncher Enkhamar Kharkhuu. His record doesn’t suggest he’s much of a power puncher, but he has 2 of his last 3, and dropped Maraimov twice, and it’s notable he has often fought at Super Featherweight, though seems to be more of a puncher at 126lbs, which looks likely to be his weight going forward. As for Jung he has been up and down the weights, with early bouts at 120lbs, his loss in 2018 against Moo Hyun Kim coming at Lightweight, and fighting as low as Super Bantamweight last year. He really hasn't found his weight yet, and sadly also doesn't seem to have found his power, with his only stoppage win coming way back in 2017. Rodriguez Montalban Gymnasium, Rodriguez, Rizal, Philippines As well as the action in Korea, we also have a show in the Philippines, albeit a rather easy to overlook one. The most notable bout here will see the heavy handed All Rivera (22-5, 18) take on the experienced Boyce Sultan (10-16-1, 5), in what is reportedly a 6 rounder at 168lbs. At this best Rivera was a solid regional level fighter, albeit way down at 140lbs where he won the OPBF title back in 2016 with a dominant win over Shinya Iwabuchi. Sadly however his best years are well past him, and he's not had a fight in almost 4 years, and failed to build on a major upset win over Omar Juarez, a win that should have opened some pretty notable doors for him. As for Sultan he 31 year old "Astro boy" has scored just 1 win since 2016, going 1-10 since then. At his best he was a Featherweight, though his last bout was above the Middleweight limit, and he is very much winding down his career and taking some punishment on his way out the door. In an 8 rounder the once beaten Mark Sabang (4-1-1, 2) will look for his 4th straight win, as he takes on Argelo Samson (6-3-1, 4), who will be hoping to build on a September win over Fernan Agencia for the PBF Youth Bantamweight title. Aged 22 Sambang is the younger man and has the momentum, however Samson is no push over, has fought at a higher level and the 24 year old will not be there to just make up the numbers, in what should be a very good domestic level bout. This coming Thursday is a relatively quiet day in Asian boxing, but there are two shows taking place, one of which is very small, and the other is bigger, but still not a major event.
World Siam Stadium, Bangkapi, Bangkok, Thailand The bigger of the two shows is in Bangkok, and will see some minor regional title action. Of the bouts confirmed for Thai show at the title of writing, the most interesting is a bout for the WBF Asia Pacific and Thai Flyweight titles, as Thai based Japanese fighter Toshihiko Era (25-4, 20) takes on Imani Matendo (6-1-1, 3). Era is now 50 years old, made his debut in 1994, had a 20 year break between 1996 and 2016, suffered severe medical issues earlier in his career and is now the oldest male fighter to ever get a JBC A class license. His career is genuinely crazy, and there will almost certainly be movies based, loosely, on his career one day. As for Matendo, he’s a 21 year old from Tanzania who's sole loss came in an IBO Youth World title fight last year, losing in the UK to Alfie Clegg,. Sadly though it's hard to know how good he is, as his wins have come at such a low level. Khadur Sahib, Punjab, India The other show is in India where the card really is a very, very small one. The main event is a Super Middleweight bout, as 31 year old Harpreet Singh (10-2, 6) takes on 21 year old Nitesh Vasisht (3-0, 2) in an 8 rounder. Singh is the much more experienced fighter having made his debut in 2021 and fighting several bouts on the road, including bouts in Thailand, Russia and Tanzania. Sadly whilst his record looks decent on paper, there is nothing behind the numbers, and he has a very paper thin record. As for Vasisht he struggled on debut, narrowly getting past Anteshraj Saini at Welterweight, and has scored two quick wins over debutants at 154lbs. Given the fact he's moving up in weight to face someone with some more experience, it’s really hard to know how he will fare here.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan event
This coming Tuesday we get a triple header at Korakuen Hall, in what is set to be a really good card, even though it did have a late change, with a regional title bout and two Champion Carnival bouts for vacant Japanese titles. The main event will see former WBO AP Super Featherweight champion Kai Watanabe (13-2-1, 7) look to regain the title, which is now vacant, and bounce back from a recent defeat as he takes on the limited but dangerous Ryusei Ishii (12-7-1, 9). Watanabe went 9-0-1 to begin his career and showed some real promise before winning a Japanese youth title in late 2023, in his second shot. He defended that belt once before putting on a sensational performance to win the WBO AP title in late 2024 with a blow out win over Toshihiro Suzuki. The win over Suzuki seemed like one that showed Watanabe was a star in the making, he lost his very next fight, in a rather tense but dull affair against OPBF champion Tsubasa Narai in January. At his best he’s sensational, but sadly Watanabe is very hit and miss, and can focus too much on boxing which doesn’t seem to play to his strengths. As for Ishii he’s a very dangerous southpaw, who has turned his career around in the last 4 years or so. He was 8-7-1 (5) at one point, but has won his last 4 , including big domestic wins over Takuya Uehara, avenging one of his losses, Go Hosaka and Soreike Taichi. You overlook Ishii at your peril, and whilst Watanabe should win, he will need to be aware of Ishii’s power and confidence. In the chief support bout we get a genuinely mouth watering Japanese Super Bantamweight title bout, as Toshiya Ishii (8-1-2, 5) takes on Katsuya Fukui (8-0, 6) for the title which we saw being vacated by Toshiki Shimomachi. For Ishii this will be a second shot at the Japanese title and despite his 8-1-2 record he has already proven he very much belongs at this level, his one loss was a controversial one to Sho Ishida and his draw have come against highly ranked domestic fighters, including Shimomachi in a 2023 title fight.his one loss was a controversial one to Sho Ishida and his draw have come against highly ranked domestic fighters, including Shimomachi in a 2023 title fight. As for Fukui, this is a clear step up in class, but one he’s been working too in the correct fashion with good wins against a mix of styles and fighters, including Hiroki Hanabusa, Sang Heon Oh and Ben Mananquil. Given the styles of the men, we expect this to be high level, explosive and incredibly tense, with both likely feeling they have the power to stop the other. The third bout, another bout for a vacant Japanese title, will see Kyotaro Yoshida (6-3, 3) take on Jinya Yamaguchi (5-0-1, 2), for the Japanese Super Flyweight title. Originally the plan had been for Yamaguchi to face Suzumi Takayama (9-0, 8) in a very good looking Champion Carnival bout, but Takayama had to vacate the title due to illness, and we’ve ended up with this one instead. Yamaguchi, a second generation fighter, has claimed the Youth title already in his career and had earned a shot at the Japanese senior title, but hadn't really shone like some had hoped and he is very much still a work in progress after 6 fights.With 9 fights to his name, and 3 losses, it’s easy to write Yoshida off, but he was a very capable amateur, who has been matched hard since turning professional and has finally began to show his potential as a professional, sitting on his shots more, and scoring TKO’s in his last 3. This is likely to be something of a chess match, but a very interesting one, between two men who likely feel they are somewhat fortunate to be fighting for the vacant, and not taking on Takayama. On the under-card we’ll see Dave Apolinario (21-1, 14) continue to rebuild after his loss in a bout for the IBF Flyweight title last year, as he takes on Chinese visitor Longyi Hu (8-2-2, 4). The talented Apolinario is someone who is really skilled, but needs some seasoning, some higher quality wins, and some good rounds against solid regional fighters, and Hu fits that mould well. He has never been stopped, both of his draws, and his two losses, have been razor thin bouts, and he's a very live fighter with ambitions of his own, as he showed in 2023 when he stopped Shugo Namura. Hu is 2-2-2 in his last 6, but could easily have won all 6 and will look to make the most of the biggest fight of his career. One other bout to be aware of is the debut of Hijiri Oka (0-0), who takes on Thai visitor Witsanu Phimpa (7-6, 5). Oka is tipped for big things after going 40-10 in the amateurs and should be way too good for his foe here, as he looked to make a quick impact, and then move on to bigger and better things over the coming years.  This coming Sunday we get two Japanese shows, neither is particularly big, but both have some notable action.
Art Center, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan In Hyogo we get a Senrima Kobe show which features 3 bouts of note, including one with two recent title challengers facing off, and another with a rising unbeaten prospect. The between between recent title challengers will see Tetsuya Mimura (12-5, 3), who fought for the Japanese Flyweight title late last year, take on Natsu Ohashi (8-4-1, 6), who himself challenged for the Japanese Light Flyweight title. Mimura will be looking to bounce back from an August loss to Jukiya Iimura, where he lasted the distance but was beaten via a very wide decision. That loss ended a 3 fight winning run for Mimura who remains a contender, but will need to build his way back up for another title shot. As for Ohashi he was stopped by Toshiki Kawamitsu in December, suffering his 4th stoppage loss, and whilst he is the hard hitter here, he is also the man going up in weight for this bout and has shown a lack of durability at 108lbs. Given the very different styles and strengths of these two, this is very much a 50-50, and could be a really hard one to call. As well as the two men in the main event, we have another JBC ranked fighter on this card, in the form of 33 year old Lightweight Hiroyuki Takahara (11-5-0-1, 8), who looks for his third successive win as he takes on the limited, but solid punching, Fumiaki Sueyoshi (6-9-1, 5). Sueyoshi has rebuilt well after losses to Ryuya Nihei and Kyphei Tonomoto, down at Featherweight, and appears to have settled well at Lightweight, though has been fighting against limited domestic foes since his move to 135lbs. Sadly he is up against another fighter who won’t be expected to ask questions of him here, with Sueyoshi having gone 2-9-1 in his last 12 bouts after a 4-0 start to his professional career. The other bout of note on this show will see the unbeaten Ryuto Sumida (7-0, 3) take on Mitsuyoshi Oshima (6-6-1, 3), with the 21 year old Sumida looking to build on his success at the 2024 All Japan Rookie of the Year, which he won with a wide decision over Takumi Fukunaga. Sumida is a talent, but also a novice and his rise to the top will be a slow one, especially given he's still only 21, has only had 25 professional rounds, and only debuted in 2023. Despite that, the Welterweight hopeful has a lot to like and relies on the basics of boxing, basics that can certainly take you a long way, especially at 147lbs in Japan. As for Oshima he's an aggressive type who comes to fight, apply pressure and make a fight of things, but aged 35 his career is on the back end and he is 1-4 in his last 5, dating back to late 2022, and he will be the very clear under-dog. EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan The other show is a Taisei promoted show in Osaka, that features a highly anticipated debut, and the retirement ceremony of a popular former world title challenger. The main event will see Daigoro Marumoto (0-0), the son of former fighter-turn promoter Taisei Marumoto, take on Thai visitor Komet Jampatat (2-1-1, 1). The 22 year old Marumoto is regarded as a wonderfully exciting talent, with nasty power, and real ambition to not just go far in the sport, but to do so in an exciting, explosive fashion, building behind his power and his father’s legacy, with Taisei being a former OPBF champion. As for Jampatat, sadly he’s very much been selected to be taken out, and to be taken out quickly. The Thai 20 year old made his debut in 2022, scored wins in his first 2 bouts, but was stopped last September, and then held to a draw in December. He's yet to face a fighter who wasn't making his debut, and that won't change here, and unfortunately for him, this is very much a step up from his first 4 bouts. Whilst Marumoto’s debut is the bout of the show, the card will also feature the retirement ceremony of Riku Kano (22-5-2, 11), a former 2-time world title challenger who came up short in July against Anthony Olascuaga, and decided to retire soon afterwards. Aged just 27 Kano is a very young fighter to be hanging them up, but given his career, and the length of it, it does seem the right time for him to retire and we wish him the best going forward. We hope the fans can give him the farewell he deserves. In supporting bouts we’ll see 2022 All Japan Rookie of the Year winner Ryusho Matsue (6-1, 1) take on Vietnamese visitor Huu Thuong Pham (4-2-2, 1) and a female bout between Japanese ranked Atomweights Noa Sakamoto (6-2, 2) and Ena Sakai (3-1), in what should be two solid 6 rounders to add to Marumoto’s debut and Kano’s retirement.  Cultur Center, Namyangju, South Korea
This coming Saturday the biggest Asian show will be in South Korea, not something we’ve been able to type much, in what is a really interesting card, featuring 4 genuinely notable bouts. One of the 4 bouts will see Korean based Uzbekistani prospect Siro Choi (9-0, 6) take on former triple crown champion Shuichiro Yoshino (17-1, 13), in what is a big step up for Choi and a must win for Yoshino. Choi, also known as Sirochbek Ismoilov, is a 24 year old who debuted in 2023 and has already taken 3 unbeaten records, won a South Korean title, and started to face imported opponents. Notably he has stopped his last 6 and appears to be on a tear, and ready to move into regional title bouts. At his best Yoshino was a very solid fighter, though one trapped between the regional level, where he unified Japanese, OPBF and WBO AP titles, and world level, as shown when he was stopped by Shakur Stevenson back in 2023. Since his loss to Stevenson we’ve only seen Stevenson in the ring once, stopping the over matched Jules Victoriano in June last year, and it;s really hard to know what he has left to offer aged 33 and with just 2 rounds in the last 2 years. In a regional title bout unbeaten Korean Seung Yeol Kim (6-0-0-1, 4) will take on Japanese veteran Kenta Nakagawa (25-5-1, 13) in a bout for the WBO Oriental Super Flyweight title. The 26 year old Kim has claimed a South Korean title, winning that belt last time out, but this bout will be a major step up in class for him, having so far feasted on novices, with an exception being his recent win over the very limited Artid Bamrungauea. As for Nakagawa the Japanese fighter is a genuine veteran, but aged 39 he knows he can’t afford another loss. At his best Nakagawa was a dangerous regional level southpaw, with good speed, solid power, and a good boxing brain. During his long career he has scored notable wins over Joe Tanooka, Hayato Kimura, Takayuki Okumoto, Hiroyuki Kudaka, Hayate Kaji, Akio Furutani and Joe Shiraishi, whilst being a 3-time Japanese and one time WBO AP champion. If Nakagawa is half the fighter he was he should be too good, but aged 39 and coming in on the back of a hard 29 fight career it’s hard to know what he has left in the tank. In an all Korean bout we’ll see Korea Heavyweight champion Jung Hyun Kim (4-0, 4) take on Tae Kwang Kim (5-0, 5), in a bout that promises fireworks. The champion is 30 years old and debuted in 2013 and won the title in his third bout, with this being his second defense. To date he has fought just 15 rounds as a professional, with his longest bout going 8 rounds, and there are a lot of questions for him to answer before potentially mixing with regional level fighters, but that appears to be the next step for him. Aged 32 the challenger is slightly older but also more experienced, with 5 bouts in total, however he has fought just 8 professional rounds, with none of his bouts going beyond round 2. Notably he is a natural Cruiserweight, but a very dangerous fighter at this level. We are expecting explosive and exciting action here, with both likely to feel they have the power to hurt the other. Another title bout on this show will see the unbeaten Nuri Ye (7-0-1, 5) take on Jamshid Rikhsiev (14-6-1-1, 10) in a bout for the OPBF Silver Middleweight title. The 22 year old Ye, also known as Egamberdi Nuriddinov, is a Korean based Uzbekistani fighter. Ye fought to a draw on his debut, but has since reeled off 7 wins, albeit at a very low level with the best of them being a 6 round decision over Mielifeier Dalielibieke. Notably he has looked incredibly dangerous recently, stopping his last 4 bouts in a combined 7 rounds. As for Rikhsiev, who is a 32 year old Uzbekistani, he has fought much of his career in Uzbekistan since making his 2011 debut. Sadly his bouts at home have come at a very low level, and whilst he has travelled, having 6 fights on the road, he is 0-5-0-1 away from home. We can’t help but feel this bout has been set up to make Ye look good, claim a stoppage and move towards bouts for the full version of the OPBF title later in the near year. Central Gym, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan As well as the show in Korea we also have a show in Kobe, where we get title action, along with two other bouts ot note The main event will see Tomonori Nagao (9-2-2, 5) and Shunpei Odagiri (5-1, 3) both look for the most meaningful win of their careers as they face off for the vacant WBO AP Flyweight title. For Nagao, the under-dog, this will be his first bout scheduled for more than 8 rounds, a distance he has been scheduled for 5 times and gone once, a draw with Temple Kamihara. Despite having 9 wins it's hard to find a win that really stands out, with the best probably being a 2022 win over Kanta Kawamura, a win that was followed by 9 months of inactivity then a blow out loss to Shugo Namura in 2023. As for Odagiri he was marked for big things immediately, and won his first 4 before losing to Vencent Lacar last year. Since then he has bounced back with a low key win over a Thai and now looks to build on that with his first title fight. Like his foe he has never been beyond 8 rounds but has shown a lot to like, and it’s fair to say his team will feel he has the tools needed to pick up a win here, without too many questions being asked. In a very interesting supporting bout former WBO AP Super Flyweight champion Tetsuro Ohashi (13-4-1, 4) will take on Haruki Igarashi (7-3-1, 4), in what is likely to be something of a tune up for Ohashi before another title fight later in the year. The 26 year old Ohashi has had a solid career so far, and despite his one title reign only lasting 4 months, he has had a very solid domestic type career, with an All Japan Rookie of the Year win, a bout for the Japanese youth title, a regional title reign and a 2021 loss to Ryosuke Nishida. Without being a star, he’s had a good career and is still only 26. As for Igarashi , who is also 26, he reached the Rookie of the Year final in 2022, but is 1-1 since then and hasn't fought since late 2023. It’s hard to imagine he has the tools needed to beat Ohashi, but he has never been stopped and should serve as something of a tune up for Ohashi here. Also on this card is the unbeaten Yamato Moriguchi (8-0-1, 3), who looks to build on his 2023 All Japan Rookie of the Year triumph, as he takes on Filipino visitor Kier Clenton Espere (8-7-1, 2). Sadly for Moriguchi his 2023 All Japan win was followed by a 10 month lay off, losing all the momentum he had been building, and this is now only his second fight in around 16, months with his last one lasting just 34 seconds and incidentally all 3 of his stoppages have come in the opening round. On paper this is a step up in class, but Espere is still no world beater, or anything even close, with 3 losses in his last 5, including 2 by stoppage. He will come into this as a man looking to bounce back from an 8th round KO loss in December, and it's hard to know what his ambition will be like for his first bout outside of the Philippines. Suzhou, China Staying in Asia, we also have a card in China, headlined by a 6 rounder between the unbeaten pairing of Fuwei Wang (2-0-1, 2) and Saipaier Rouzi (3-0-1-1, 3), who are both unbeaten, both seem to have solid power at this level, and both are looking to extend their unbeaten runs. Aged 20 Wang started his career back in October, fighting to a draw with Pengfei Cao, but has scored 3rd round TKO's in both of his subsequent bouts and will be looking to continue to build on those results. Rouzi on the other hand is 19 and has scored 3 opening round wins, showing real power early on, though was held to an 8 round draw last time out, when he was unable to put away the experienced Yihao Wang. He’ll likely be thinking that bout with Yihao Wang will prepare him to take on better, tougher and more resilient foes, and shows he can do 8 if needed. With their bouts so far Rouzi should be favoured, but this is a great 50/50 style match up, at least on paper. Park Community Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom Over in the UK former multi-time world champion Josh Warrington (31-4-1, 8) is looking to score his first win in over 3 years, after 3 straight losses, as he takes on Indian fighter Asad Asif Khan (19-6-1-1, 5). Warrington, at his best, was genuinely world class, and wins over Kiko Martinez, Lee Selby, Carl Framtpon, Kid Galahad, all coming in just over 2 years, was really solid. Sadly however those wins came between 2017 and 2019. Sadly after once being 30-0 Warrington has gone 1-4-1 in his last 6, dating back 4 years, and aged 34 he is very much a man coming to the end. As for Khan, the 31 year old from Calcutta, is very well travelled, and although he lacks a major win he is upset minded, as he showed when he beat Aiman Abu bakar in 2019, pushed Defry Palulu all the way in 2022, before beating Palulu in 2024, and put up a credible effort against Michael Conlon earlier this year. Warrington will be the favourite, but Khan should do enough to keep the Englishman honest here. Commerce Casino, Commerce, California, USA Over in California we’ll see unbeaten Kazakh hopeful Sadriddin Akhmedov (15-0, 13) look for his first win of 2025 as he takes on Elias Espadas (23-6, 16), in what will be the third bout in the US for the unbeaten "Soldier of Q". Akhmedov is one of the very best prospects from central Asia, and after running up a solid record in Canada has now headed south of the border, where he scored two wins last year. On paper this is a slight step up from those bouts, but is expected to be another early win for the unbeaten prospect, who will be looking to move to a world title fight in the next year or two. Aged 34 Espadas, dubbed the "Latin Kid", has been stopped in 2 of his last 3, including a 2022 bout with Xander Zayas, and has just a single win since 2022. He has only been stopped twice, but unfortunately they were both against the best fighters he has faced, and on a similar level to Akhmedov, who will be looking to show that he deserves to be mentioned alongside the top emerging contenders at 160lbs. |
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