Aizawl, India
This coming Friday we'll, potentially, be getting an Indian show that was first scheduled for mid-April before being postponed. And sadly it could well be postponed again given how things currently are in India, and where boxing really should be put on the back burner until the country can get on top of the current situation. If the card goes ahead the main event will see former Indian amateur standout Nutlai Lalbiakkima (1-0, 1) take on fellow professional novice Sandeep Singh (1-0-1) in a bout for the WBA Intercontinental Minimumweight title. As an amateur Lalbiakkima was a solid, if often over-looked, fighter who scored numerous notable wins including a big one at the 2018 President's Cup against Hasanboy Dusmatov. He's expected to be moved quickly through the professional ranks and it seems that a win here will secure him a minor title and potential WBA world ranking. Singh on the other hand is a 17 year old who debuted as a professional in 2019 and despite being unbeaten is expected to be easy prey for Lalbiakkima. In a supporting bout the once beaten Vimal Punera (4-1, 4) looks to score a 5th straight stoppage win as he takes on Hans Raj (2-3-1, 1). Punera lost his debut in 2018, in Australia, but since then has scored 4 quick wins, including an opening round TKO win over Raj in 2019. As for Raj he has struggled for victories, but won last time out and will be looking to avenge his prior to Punera. Interestingly the very lightly regarded IBA Asian Flyweight title is supposed to be on the line here. We need to make it very clear however, this card is not one we expect to be taking place in May given the current situation in India. KRK “Uralets”, Ekaterinburg, Russia As well as the Indian show there is also set to be some Asian interesting on a card in Russia, which is being promoted by RCC Boxing Promotions. One of the Asian fighters on this card is Kazakh 29 year old Berikbay Nurymbetov (7-2-1, 2), who takes on unbeaten Russian Ivan Nikonov (4-0, 1) in a 6 rounder. Coming in to this Nurymbetov is unbeaten in 3, though those 3 fights have cine at a very low level after back to back losses to bright prospects, Talgat Shayken and Ray Seitzhanov. The 24 year old Nikonov has shown some real promise since making his debut in 2019, but has had a bit of a stop-start career and only fit a single bout into 2020, losing some of the moment he was building. Even with the inactivity in mind he should have far too much for the Kazakh man. In a second bout of note for us we'll see rough and tough Filipino Alphoe Dagayloan (14-4-6, 5) take on Tajik born Russian Zafar Parpiev (9-2, 2), in a Super Flyweight bout. The ugly record of Dagayloan hides the fact that he's an absolute nightmare to fight against, with a marauding style and under-rated power. In recent years he has scored more than his share of upsets and also given the likes of Ryota Yamauchi, Carlo Caesar Penalosa and Bienvenido Ligas a tough nights work. Parpiev on the other hand can't be over-looked and will be coming in to this one the back of a big win over Turat Osmonov in December. He also holds a notable win over Jake Bornea. Whilst not a bout that will get much attention this should be a really good fight. Sadly we suspect Parpiev's natural size advantage will be key, but he'll have to work hard for a victory.
0 Comments
It's not often we're going to get the chance to talk about world title action this month, but thankfully this Saturday is one of those rare chances, as we get a really interesting day. Not only do we have a solid looking Filipino card, but also a show in California featuring a world title bout and a very highly regarded Uzbek hopeful.
Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California, USA The most notable of the shows will be taking place in California on a Golden Boy Promotions show. The world title fight will see IBF Super Featherweight champion Joseph Diaz (31-1, 15) defending his title against mandatory challenger Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (15-0, 12), from Tajikistan. For Diaz this will be the first defense of the title he won last year, when he fought through a nasty cut to pound out a win against Tevin Farmer, in what was a stellar performance by Diaz. In the opposite corner will be the technically limited, but strong and heavy handed Rakhimov, who has been owed at the title since 2019, when he stopped Azinga Fuzile in South Africa. Although Rakhimov is flawed he does have a fun, exciting style and can make for very fan friendly bouts, much like Diaz. With that in mind we could end up with a genuine instant classic here as two aggressive guys clash in a very meaningful mean event on DAZN. Our full, in depth, preview of this one can be read here Rakhimov takes on Diaz in IBF title fight We're also expecting two very talented and promising Uzbek's to be in action on this show. One of those Uzbek fighters is Super Middleweight contender Bektemir Melikuziev (6-0, 5), who was originally supposed to fight at the end of January before Sergey Kovalev failed a drug test. Sadly his opponent for this show hasn't yet been announced. The other is Lightweight hopeful Elnur Abduraimov (6-0, 6) who will be taking on Colombian veteran Deivi Julio (21-9-0-1, 13), who is now 39 years old. The Colombian veteran was once regarded as a world ranked contender, but he has now lost 7 of his last 9 bouts and it's clear he is not the fighter he once was. The Bubble, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Staying in the US Top Rank will be putting on their own show in Las Vegas. The main event here will be a WBO Light Heavyweight title fight, which will pit heavy handed American Joe Smith Jr (26-3, 21) against Russian veteran Maxim Vlasov (45-3, 26). This should be a really interesting match up and will pit Smith's power agains the skills, movement size and experience of Vlasov. Interestingly the loser of this is unlikely to get another chance, given both are the wrong side of 30, so it could be well be regarded as a must win, for both me. An indepth preview of this one thanks to George Delis can be read here Vlasov and Smith clash for WBO title! 2nd Floor, Mega Mart Burgos Poblacion Norte, Paniqui, Tarlac, Philippines As well as the US action there is also a pretty interesting show in the Philippines. It's not a stacked card, but it is certainly an interesting one with plenty of promising talent. In an excellent looking match up for the GAB Flyweight title we'll see the once beaten Bienvenido Ligas (12-1-1, 9) take on the criminally under-rated Alphoe Dagayloan (14-3-6-1, 5), in a much better match up than the records suggest. Ligas has bounced back well following a technical draw and a loss in 2018 to Joseph Ambo, and has won his last 6, with 5 of those wins coming by stoppage. Dagayloan on the other hand has continually proven to be better than his record suggests and is 10-1-2 in his last 13, with his loss being a very close one in Japan to Ryota Yamauchi. A preview of this one by Troy Parslow can be read here Proving Ground: Ben Ligas steps up to Alphoe Dagayloan In another interesting match up we'll see the unbeaten Charly Suarez (4-0, 4), who was a very highly regarded amateur before he turned professional, take on the hard hitting Jon Jon Estrada (11-7-1, 10). At the age of 32 Suarez really is in "now or never" territory, and if he doesn't get a move on this year there's a good chance he fails to ever come close to a world title fight. As for Estrada he's a flawed fighter, but a very serious puncher and a relatively tough guy who has only been stopped twice in his 7 losses, including in his 2013 debut. This should be a test for Suarez, but a test he passes without too many issues. Another once beaten fighter on this show is Ranelio Quizo (7-1, 1) who takes on Prince Andrew Laurio (10-3-1, 7) in a very good looking match up. The 22 year old Quizo was beaten last February by the under-rated John Mark Tihuk, and will be looking to bounce back from that defeat after more than a year out of the ring. As for Laurio, who is also 22, his career is in some trouble after 3 successive KO losses, and he needs a win here. Interesting Laurio will be fighting for the first time since July 2019 and although his form has been poor he certainly has the power here, with Quizo being a non-puncher. This might not look like an amazing bout, but it's an interesting one, with a glass cannon taking on a non-puncher. A third fight involving a once beaten fighter will see Lorenz Ladrada (7-1-1, 2) take on Remon Basas (5-4, 4). On paper it is very, very easy to see this as a complete and utter mismatch, however it's not as simple as it looks. In his 9 fight career Ladrada has struggled with the 6 round distance, and had several very close decisions over inexperienced and limited opponents. He could easily have more than just the single loss to his name. Basas on the other hand is a solid puncher, with a decent chin, who has faced better opponents. This is much more competitive than it looks on paper. Also on this card is unbeaten novice Ali Canega (2-0, 2) who risks his unbeaten record against Glenn Bismanos (6-1-3, 4), yet another fighter with a single defeat to his name. For Canega this will be his first bout against an opponent with a win and his first 6 rounder. It is also expected to be the first time he goes beyond 2 rounds. As for Bismanos he is unbeaten in his last 8, after a loss to John Lawrence Ordonio back in 2016, and has fought at a much higher level than Canega. This could be another very good bout, and it's good to see two fighters with good records risking them against each other, something we rarely see in the Philippines. February 1st-Title bouts in Japan, world title fight in Mexico and the Uzbek rising continues!1/27/2020 This coming Saturday is an exciting and busy day with multiple shows featuring Asian fighters, in bouts of varying significance. Tokyo, Japan For us the main card of the day will be in Japan as Teiken put on a Dynamic Glove at Korakuen Hall. This G+ televised card will feature two title bouts and a number of interesting hopefuls. The main event of the show will see Japanese Welterweight champion Yuki Nagano (17-2, 13) defending his title against mandatory challenger Keita Obara (22-4-1, 20) in the first of the 2020 Champion Carnival bouts. This should be a really explosive bout and both men can hurt, and be hurt. Coming in Nagano will be seeking his second defense of the title and has scored 7 stoppages in his last 8 bouts. For Obara the bout is a chance to claim a second Japanese title, and a chance to give his career a shot in the arm after some recent set backs. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Champion Nagano faces Obara in Japanese title defense The second title fight on this card will be a Japanese Youth Super Featherweight bout between Ryusei Ishii (8-5-1, 5) and Yamato Hata (9-1, 9), who face off for the vacant title. Of the two Ishii is the more experienced man, and has faced the better competition, but Hata is a rising puncher, and will enter this bout with momentum on his side, with 6 straight TKO wins. Ishii on the other hand has struggled with just 1 win in his last 4. Our preview of this bout can be read here Hard hitting Hata takes on Ishii for Japanese Youth title In an interesting match up between Japanese ranked fighter's we'll see JBC ranked Welterweight Junpei Tsujimoto (6-1-3, 4) move up to 154lbs to face ranked Middleweight Nath Nwachukwu (5-0-2, 2), who drops down 6 lbs. This is interesting to see both men changing weight for the bout, which will be scheduled for 6 rounds. Interestingly both of these men won the Rookie of the Year in 2018, and each have picked up 2 wins since then. Maybe not a big bout but an interesting one. At 14olbs we see another Japanese ranked fighter, with the hard hitting Kenta Endo (5-0-1, 4), who also won the 2018 Rookie of the Year, taking on Shun Akaiwa (4-1-1, 2). Aged 35 Endo's potentially to is limited by his age, but he's a fun, exciting and hard hitting fighter. Someone who can make very TV friendly bouts. Akaiwa on the other hand is not someone we can recall watching but he's yet to be stopped and should make for an interesting opponent for Endo. Further down the card we see two notable Japanese prospects taking on Indonesian novices. One of those prospects is Kenshi Noda (1-0, 1), who is expected to pick up a quick win against Thomas Tope Hurek (2-4-1, 1) in a Light Flyweight bout, whilst the other is Super Flyweight Hiroto Yahsiro (1-0, 1), who takes takes on Abdul Rauf (1-2). Expect these to be little more than showcase wins for the local prospects. Nuevo León, Mexico Whilst the biggest show is the one in Japan the biggest single bout is actually in Mexico where IBF Minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran (14-2, 11) defends his belt against talented Mexican challenger Daniel Valladares (22-1, 13). Taduran won his title in a brilliant little war with Samuel Salva last September and at 23 is still just getting stronger. It is however always a big ask to pick up a win on the road in Mexico. Valladares on the other hand had an under-rated 2019 where he scored 4 wins including stoppages over Filipino fighters Melito Sabillo and Christian Araneta. This could be a very, very exciting match up! Our preview of this bout is available here Taduran defends IBF title against Valladares in Mexico! Metro Manila, Philippines Back in Asia we get an interesting double header in Metro Manbila, where we see two Filipino title fights. One of those will see Roldan Aldea (14-8-1, 8) defending his title as he takes on veteran Monico Laurente (30-16, 7) in a Lightweight clash. Although not a star Aldea has proven to be a rugged and durable fighter who is better than his record suggests, and his upset KO win last year over Mikhail Alexeev shows he can bang, when he lands clean. At 34 years old Laurente is certainly coming to the end of his career, and he will be the under-dog here, but will be a live under-dog. We expect this to be an interesting match up, even if it's the less intriguing of the two title bouts on the show. The other title bout on this card will be a Flyweight bout as the under-rated Alphoe Dagayloan (14-3-5, 5) takes on Carlo Caesar Penalosa (14-2, 7). Although not well known outside of Asia Dagayloan has built a reputation for himself as a horror to face off with, he's aggressive, tough, strong and not an easy man to look good against. Penalosa on the other hand is a third generation fighter from the Penalosa family and is looking to bounce back from a loss last time out to Maximino Flores. This could be the hidden gem of the weekend. Mumbai, India There is also a card in India, where we get some low key action on a card in Mumbai. One of the more notable bouts here will see Rahul Kumar (6-3-1, 4) take on novice Rakesh Bawa (0-1), in a bout scheduled for 8 rounds. It's hard to see Bawa winning, but the reality is that Kumar is no world beater himself and has lost 3 of his last 6 coming into this. An even bugger mismatch will see the once beaten Sagar Narwat (9-1-1, 3) take on Harish Harish (0-0) in a 4 round bout. Narwat was beaten back in October, by Troy O'Meley, but this should be an easy comeback win for the 25 year old from Faridabad Khonobod, Uzbekistan In Uzbekistan we'll see a number of promising novices in action, in what will be a card where fighters will get a chance to show case their skills. At the moment none of the promising fighters on the card have had their opponents name, but we're expecting to see Dostonbek Turdiev (7-0, 3), Abdulazizbek Najmiddinov (4-0, 4), Jasurbek Latipov (0-0) and Obidjon Tokhirov (0-0) all in action. From those involved it's Latipov, who was a brilliant amateur, that stands out as the most interesting of those on the card and the one with the biggest upside. Kaliningrad, Russia There are more Uzbeks in action in Russia where a trio of Uzbeks will be looking to make their mark. Thge most notable bout here will see Rustam Tulaganov (2-0, 1) take on the much more experienced Norbert Dabrowski (23-8-2, 10). The talented Tulaganov is expected to have a huge 2020 after having had a stop-start career so far, and a win here would be a massive statement for him. The 31 year old Dabrowski, from Poland, is talented, experienced and a big step up for Tulaganov, however the Uzbek will be regarded as the favourite here. Another of the Uzbek's on this show is Odiljon Aslonov (1-0, 1) who will be up against South African foe Snamiso Ntuli (4-3, 2) in a 6 round bout whilst the third is the debuting Ulugbek Mubinov (0-0), who takes on the 30 year old Srdan Govedarica (7-8, 6). These bouts are less interesting than Tulaganov's but we're expecting dominant and impressive wins for the Uzbek pair. Tokyo, Japan Japanese fans will be focused on the Korakuen Hall this coming Friday for a small, yet interesting, card. The main event here will feature a former Japanese champion whilst supporting bouts will include 2 JBC ranked fighters in 8 round action. The main event of this card will see former Japanese Light Welterweight champion Valentine Hosokawa (24-7-3, 11) take on Kosuke Arioka (9-4-1, 8), in what will be Hosokawa's first bout since losing the Japanese title to Koki Inoue. The 38 year old Hosokawa is still in the JBC, OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific rankings and will know that a win here could open up another title fight in 2020. As for Arioka he'll be looking to bounce back from an August KO loss to Masahiro Suzuki, and a win here would be massive for his career. In the main supporting bout Japanese ranked fighter Desierto Nagaike (11-5-2, 2) will take on JBC ranked Minimumweight Hizuki Saso (11-6-1, 4), in what will be the second bout between these two men. These two fought back in October 2018, with Saso taking a split decision over Nagaike, but since then he Saso has gone 1-1 and was stopped in 2 rounds by Rikito Shiba. Sadly for Nagaike he has lost his only bout since the first clash with Saso and is 1-3-1 in his last 5. The other JBC ranked fighter on this show is Yuki Kumazoe (13-6, 4), who faces off with Thai visitor Weerapon Kingsantea (5-6, 2). The local is ranked #20 by the JBC, so he's out of the title mix, and is 3-6 in his last 9. Despite the poor form he is capable of scoring upsets and is better than his recent form suggests. On the other hand the Thai has been stopped in 3 previous visits to Japan, including a 2013 clash with Hozumi Hasegawa, and will not be fancied here. Haikou, China As well as the action in Tokyo we'll also get a card in Haikou, China, with a couple of bouts of international note, as locals take on Filipino foes. The most interesting of the bouts on this card will see unbeaten Chinese Super Flyweight ZongLi He (6-0, 1) take the criminally under-rated Alphoe Dagayloan (14-3-5, 5) from the Philippines. He has the unbeaten record and a run of of notable victories over foreigners, but this is a big step up and Dagayloan is no easy out for anyone. We wouldn't be surprised at all if He has bit off more than he can chew here. A second bout will see Chinese puncher Abulimiti Tuersunniyazi (8-3-1, 6) seek his 5th straight win as he takes on Filipino Rodel Wenceslao (14-18-2, 6). Whilst Tuersunniyazi is no world beater he is in the best form of his career, and is unbeaten since May 2018. The 26 year old Wencelsao is a very hit and miss fighter, when he's on point he can spring upsets, but has lost 2 of his last 3 and we wonder what ambition he has for this bout. If Wencelsao is hungry he could end up picking up another surprise win here, though it's a big "if." Dubai, United Arab Emirates MTK go to Dubai a pretty notable card featuring a host of Asian fighters, from all over the continent. The biggest Asian name on this show is Indian Super Middleweight Vijender Singh (11-0, 8), who looks to score his second win of the year. The 34 year old Singh will be up against veteran Charles Adamu (33-14, 26). Singh had long been tipped for big things, and there is a chance he will get a world title fight before his career is over, but he's unlikely to reach the heights expected of him. The 42 year old Adamu on the other hand is a genuine tough guy from Ghana, who has been stopped twice in his 47 bouts, and both of those stoppages have come to men who have held world titles. Expect this to be a long night at the office for Singh. Singh isn't the only fighter from the sub-continent to be in action, with Pakistani Flyweight Muhammad Waseem (9-1, 7) also in action. The once beaten Waseem will be taking on former world champion Ganigan Lopez (36-10, 19), who has looked very much like a shot fighter since being stopped by Kenshiro in May 2018. We're expecting an early win here for the very talented Waseem. Another notable Asian fighter on this card will be OPBF Flyweight champion Jayr Raquinel (11-1-1, 8), who fights in a non-title 8 round bout against Indonesian journeyman Jack Amisa (21-46-2, 14). Given the level that Raquinel has been fighting at recently this seems like a really disappointing match up, and takes away from an opportunity to really build on his recent KO win against Takuya Kogawa. A really odd bout of match making, the previously rumoured match between Raquinel and Waseem would have been far more meaningful for both men Dubai based Afghan Hasibullah Ahmadi (7-0, 1) will look to extend his unbeaten record as he takes on Thai foe Detnarong Omkrathok (3-10, 1) in a 6 rounder. This will be Ahmadi's 5th bout of the year and the 19 year old has been active since making his debut last December. Notably Detnarong will be fighting for the first time since being stopped in August by former world title contender Denver Cuello. Tokyo, Japan This coming Saturday is massive with a trio of world title bouts, to warm up for the big day we get a really interesting card in Japan on Friday, with 2 really good Japan Vs Philippines bouts and a pair of bouts involving touted debutants. The main event of the show will see OPBF Flyweight champion Jayr Raquinel (10-1-1, 7) look to make his second defense, as he takes on Japanese veteran Takuya Kogawa (30-5-1, 13), who is essentially fighting for his career at this point. The talented Raquinel won the title in March 2018, stopping Keisuke Nakayama, and impressed when he stopped Shun Kosaka in his first defense. Sadly a loss in China to Wulan Tuolehazi last September slowed his ascent and he's been out of the ring ever since. At the age of 34 Kogawa really is a veteran, and the popular Tokyo brawler has began to show signs of his career catching up with him in recent years. Since losing the Japanese title in June 2016 to Masayuki Kuroda we've not been impressed by Kogawa, who has struggled in his 3 subsequent bouts, though has been hit by stretches of inactivity. If Kogawa is half the fighter he once was this could be amazing, alternatively this could be the bout that pushes him into retirement. A full preview of this bout is available here Rising hopeful Raquinel and veteran Kogawa clash for OPBF title Another brilliant bout between a Filipino and a Japanese local will see Pinoy hopeful Alphoe Dagayloan (13-2-5, 5) take on touted Japanese hopeful Ryota Yamauchi (4-1, 4). For Dagayloan this bout will see him looking to extend a 7 fight winning streak, and build on wins over the likes of Esneth Domingo and Danrick Sumabong. A win for the Filipino will almost certainly open up big opportunities in the near future, given his run of form. For Yamauchi however the bout will be his first since suffering a controversial loss in China to Wulan Tuolehazi, the same man who has also beaten Jayr Raquinel. A win for Yamauchi gets him back on the fast track, whilst a loss will give him some real rebuilding to do. It's great to see both men taking a risk here, and we're really expecting something very special from this bout. Our preview of this bout is available here Yamauchi and Dagayloan set to battle in intriguing 8 rounder! In an interesting all-Japanese bout ranked fighters clash, as JBC and WBO Asia Pacific ranked Yuichiro Kasuya (12-2-1, 3) takes on OPBF and JBC ranked Takayuki Sakai (9-1-2, 6), in what is arguably the most over-looked bout on the card. The 22 year old Kasuya has been a professional for over 5 years and show a lot of early promise, winning the Rookie of the Year in in 2014. A 3 fight run that saw him going 0-2-1 slowed his ascent but with Kadoebi now behind him it seems like his career is back on track and hopefully he can build on the early promise he showed. Sakai on the other hand started his career 3-1-2 but has since reeled off 6 straight wins, including a very notable one over Amphol Suriyo, aka Pharanpetch Tor Buamas, last December. The winner of this one could well find themselves in a title fight very soon. One of two notable debutants on this card is Mikio Sakai (0-0), who takes on the hard hitting Elfelos Vega (7-6, 5). As an amateur Sakai went 44-22 (19) and was a pretty notable amateur and even if he didn't regularly win national tournaments he was solid with Kadoebi clearly expecting big things from him. Vega is a very tough tough debut opponent, with the Japanese based Colombian being heavy handed and able to take a good shot. Vega hasn't fought since March 2018, but has shared the ring with the likes of Takeshi Inoue, Charles Bellamy and Kazuto Takesako, with only Takesako and Ryosuke Maruki managing to stop him. This looks like it could be a baptism of fire for Sakai. Another debutant who is in tough is the 21 year old Ryo Nakai (0-0), who takes on unbeaten Filipino Jay Lloyd Quidlat (4-0-1, 2). The debutant ran up a 30-16 (15) record in the amateurs and should have the tools to handle Quidlat, who is unbeaten but has faced very limited opposition on the lower end of the Filipino scene. An interesting looking debut for Nakai, but a big step up for Quidlat. Oklahoma, USA In Okalahoma we're expecting to see two Central Asian prospects in action. The more well known of those is hard hitting Uzbek prospect Shohjahon Ergashev (16-0, 14), who risks his unbeaten record against fellow puncher Abdiel Ramirez (24-4-1, 22). On paper this looks like an interesting match up, and it should be explosive, though Ramirez is the naturally smaller man and has lost 3 of his last 4. Given that both can punch we do expect to see heavy leather thrown, but Ergashev should be too heavy handed, too big and too tough for 28 year old Mexican. The other Central Asian fighter on this card is Izim Izbaki (1-0, 1), though it should be noted Izbaki has had several fight fall through since his debut. Well regarded by those in Kazakhstan Izbaki has got potential, and should be far too good for the 26 year old Armonte Summers (1-1), who is listed as being 6'10". If this bout takes place we expect Izbaki to fight like a man with a point to prove given the issues he's had with getting in the ring since his debut last November. California, USA Staying in the US we'll also see the unbeaten Bobirzhan Mominov (10-0, 8) take on Javier Flores (14-2, 12). The talented 27 year old Mominov is one of the less spoken about Kazakh prospects but has impressed and looks like someone who needs to be let off the leash sooner, rather than later. On paper this is a big step up for him, with Flores having never been stopped, and having gone 10 rounds with the once touted Ronald Cruz just a few months ago. A good test, but one that Mominov should pass. New South Wales, Australia One other bout of note will take place in Australia and see Australian based Filipino veteran Jack Asis (38-22-5, 19) fight for the 66th time as he takes on the unbeaten Youssef Dib (12-0, 5). Asis has had a real roller coaster of a career, turning around a 21-18-4 (10) record by scoring 14 straight wins, but he has suffered back to back losses entering this bout, and was stopped last time out after being dropped a number of times. The 26 year old Dib is no puncher, and did look poor last time out, but should have more than enough to beat the 36 year old Asis. Gauteng, South Africa Under-rated Kazakh Alexandr Zhuravskiy (13-4-1, 11) ended a 3 fight losing run last time out, when he held Boyd Allen to a draw in South Africa. This coming Friday he returns to South Africa to take on 21 year old South African puncher Roarke Knapp (8-0-1, 7). This looks a tough ask for Zhuravskiy, however he continues to show that he's no easy out for anyone, and we wouldn't be surprised to see him to give Knapp a really serious test here. Bucheon, South Korea
The main show this coming Saturday for Asian fight fans comes from South Korea, keeping up what has been an interestingly busy Korean scheduled this year. This time around it will be the KBA who are leading the way, and not the more well established KBM or KBF. The main event of the card will see female veteran Ji Hyun Park (23-3, 7) take on Chinese novice YuFei Wu (1-0). This will be Park's first defense of the WBF International Minimumweight title, which she won last July, and it's hard to see her losing here as she is genuinely a world class fighter. Wu is such an unknown that it's hard to get a read on her, though Korean sources have suggested that she was a standout Chinese amateur at high school level. On the under-card there isn't too much to be excited by, with the biggest supporting bout being between KBA ranked Light Welterweight's Hwan Young Jo (5-7, 1) and Jong Hoon Lim (2-4-1). These are both top 3 ranked by the KBA, though that really sums up the lack of depth under the KBA ranks. Another supporting bout will see Bum Young Lee (10-9-2, 3) take on Hyeon Oh Lee (3-3), with both of these men being ranked in the top 10 by the KBA at Super Bantamweight. Cavite, Philippines As well as the show in Korea there is also a show of note in the Philippines, featuring a number of interesting local hopefuls. One of the interesting bouts on this card will see unbeaten 19 year old ArAr Andales (9-0, 2) take on Cris Ganoza (17-2, 8) in a bout for the WBA Asia Minimumweight title. The bout is pencilled in as Andales' first defense of the belt, and he has really been impressive so far through his career, but this is a clear step up in class, and is obviously his toughest bout to date. Another interesting match up on this card will see Alphoe Dagayloan (12-2-5, 5) make his first defense of the WBA Asia Flyweight title, as he takes on unbeaten 20 year old Esneth Domingo (11-0, 6). Without trying to sound too easily impressed, we think this is a bloody brilliant match up. We've been impressed by Dagayloan, despite his less than perfect record, and Domingo is no patsy. This could be one of the weekends most interesting bouts. Texas, USA In Texas this coming Saturday we'll get a number of Asian fighters fighting on a major Golden Boy card, two of whom will be challenging for major titles The main event of the card will see unbeaten Mexican Jaime Munguia (31-0, 26) defending his WBO Light Middleweight title against Japanese challenger Takeshi Inoue (13-0-1, 7). The champion really burst onto the scene last year, not only winning the title but also fitting in 2 defenses of the belt in a real break out year. Surprisingly Munguia was an unknown when was denied the chance to fight Gennady Golovkin, but ended the year one with incredible momentum. A real break out star of the year. Inoue, no relation to Naoya Inoue, had a brilliant 2017, scoring 4 wins and unifying the Japanese, OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific titles, but had a frustrating 2018 fighting only once. The expectation is that Inoue will be brushed aside by the excellent Mexican, but he will have travelled to score the upset and seems to be fully aware of how big this opportunity is. Our preview of this contest can be read here Inoue looks to upset WBO champion Munguia! Thhe other bout will see Puerto Rican puncher Jesus M Rojas (26-2-2-1, 19) take on Chinese challenger Can Xu (15-2, 2), with Rojas looking to defend his WBA "Regular" Featherweight title. Rojas lost last time out to Joseph Diaz, but Diaz failed to make weight resulting in Rojas keeping the, and he'll be looking to make a real statement this coming year. Xu will be looking to become the first Chinese man above 112lbs to win any form of a world title but is up against it here. Rojas is the more experienced man, the hard hitting and the more proven fight, but Xu will certainly be there to win and to put himself at the top of the world scene. This is an interesting match and for many their first real chance to see Xu fighting live. Our preview of this bout can be found here Can Xu become the WBA "regular" Featherweight champion? New York, USA Staying in the US, though travelling over to New York, we get a real 50-50 match up, as unbeaten Mongolian Tugstsogt Nyambayar (10-0, 9) take on the explosive Dominican Claudio Marrero (23-2, 17) in a bout for the lightly regarded IBO Featherweight title. It's hard to see this bout going the distance, with both being serious punchers and both having been down in recent bouts. For Nyambayar this bout is a big step up in class, and his first against a Featherweight puncher in his prime. On the other hand Marrero has fought just 33 seconds since being stopped by Jesus M Rojas back in September 2017. It's hard to see this as anything but a thrilling contest. Our preview of this fight can be read here Tugstsogt Nyambayar and Claudio Marrero clash! Quebec, Canada In Canadian we'll see top Kazakh prospect Sadriddin Akhmedov (6-0, 6) look to enhance his reputation after a brilliant 2018. He'll be up against Mexican foe Abraham Juarez (13-1, 5) in a bout for the WBC Youth Light Middleweight title. The unbeaten 20 year old Kazakh really impressed us in 2018 and we are expecting him to shine again this year. On paper Juarez is a good step up in class, and he has gone unbeaten in his last 9 bouts, but he is seen as the clear under-dog against the sensational Kazakh. Baja California, Mexico In Mexico fans will get the chance to see Kazakh fighter Aida Satybaldinova (4-1-1, 1) begin her 2019 campaign. "Lady Sparta" made he debut in March 2018 and was bust last year, but lost against her only opponent with a winning record and we suspect she's going to be matched softly here, though her opponent hasn't currently been announced. Cavite, Philippines The more interesting of two Filipino cards will take place in Cavite, in what is being sold a very clear double header. One of the main bouts will see Alphoe Dagayloan (11-2-5, 5) battle against Danrick Sumabong (7-1, 6) for the WBA Asia Super Flyweight title. We've been impressed by Dagayloan, who showed his power last year with stoppage wins against Madiyar Zhanuzak and Rongguo Wu. Sumabong on the other hand is a 19 year old who hasn't had much attention, but is heavy-handed fighter who managed to give the very highly regarded Jade Bornea real problems last year. This is certainly worth getting excited about. The other bout of note will see ArAr Andales (8-0, 1) battle Charlie Malupangue (7-3-3, 6) in a bout for the WBA Asia Minimumweight title. The 19 year old Andales is stepping up massively here, but he has shown plenty of promise and has won the LuzProBA title already in his short career. Mulapangue was stopped in his most notable bout, by Robert Paradero, but this is a credible fighter on the domestic scene, as he'll be looking to prove here. It's worth mentioning that neither of these really should be fighting for a WBA Asia title, but it's still an interesting fight all the same. Paranque City, Philippines As well as the Cavite show there will also be one at Paranque City. This show will be headlined by an WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver Super Featherweight title clash between Al Toyogon (9-2-1, 6), the defending champion, and Ryusei Ishii (7-4-1, 4). On paper this is a well matched bout and should be pretty competitive. The show will also feature a WBC Asian Boxing Council Flyweight title bout, with Ricardo Sueno (8-2-4, 3) and Diomel Diocos (13-2-3, 4) fighting for the vacant title. On paper this is another well matched contest and should provide some excellent action for the fans, who appear to be getting treated well in the Philippines this year with strong low level domestic clashes! October 27th is set to be a busy day, especially in the Philippines where there will be 3 different shows!
Ifugao, Philippines The most notable card being held in Asia this coming Saturday will come from Ifugao and will see one of the top teenage prospects in world boxing look to continue his rise. That teenager is Filipino “Wonder Boy” Carl Jammes Martin (10-0, 9), who looks to make his first defense of the WBA Asia Bantamweight title as he faces off with Korean visitor Moon Chul Suh (5-6-3, 4). The heavy handed Martin won the title back in June, when he stopped George Lumoly in 3 rounds, and is currently riding a 6 fight T/KO run. The Korean has a much less impressive record, but has stopped his last 3 and looks to be a dangerous fighter, even if he's not the most impressive, and he will be looking for the chin of the Filipino youngster. Another prospect on this card will be 16 year old Roy Nagulman (5-0-1, 3), though his opponent hasn't been named at the time of writing. The teenage hopeful debuted at the age of 15, with a draw, but has won his last 6 and will be hoping to continue his winning run here. Cavite, Philippines A second Filipino card will be held in Cavite. The most attractive bout on this card will see the very talented Alphoe Dagayloan (10-2-5-1, 4) take on Rongguo Wu (6-1-2, 2) in a mouth watering clash. The 26 year old Dagayloan proved last time out that he was a fighter developing his man strength, as he stopped Kazakh fighter Madiyar Zhanuzak, and showed he hit hard than his record suggests. Chinese fighter Wu on the other hand is a has goen 8 fights unbeaten, following a KO defeat on debut almost 3 years ago. We see Wu putting up a strong effort but coming up short here In another notable bout fans will see the unbeaten Denmark Quibido (8-0, 5) seek his 4th win of the year. At the time of writing however his opponent has yet to be announced. The unbeaten 22 year old southpaw is a genuinely promising prospect and should be stepped up in the near future, sadly though late notice opponents won't help his development here. One other bout on this card, that looks like a very clear mismatch, will see Roberto Gonzales (27-4, 17) take on Edsil Jungco (3-11-6). Coming in to this Gonzales has lost his last two bouts, both by stoppage, but Jungco shouldn't provide any real threat here. It's worth noting that Edsil has avoided defeat in his last 3 bouts, but with 9 stoppage losses against his name it's clear he can't handle the heat, and we expect Gonzales to take an early win here. Cavite, Philippines Another show from Cavite will be headlined by a fantastic match up between Neil John Tabanao (16-4, 11) and Eduardo Mancito (16-9-2, 9). This 10 round main event should genuinely be a real thriller and both men are better than the records suggest, and both can genuinely hit solidly at domestic level. The tough Tabanao was the last fighter to last the distance with Isaac Dogboe. On the other hand Mancito has competed against the likes of Tomjas Rojas and Satoshi Shimizu, the only two men who have stopped him. The only other bout of note on this card will see Daniel Lim (6-0, 2) battle against Menard Abila (5-6-4, 1) in a 4 rounder. New York, USA Outside of Asia fans will be able to see Uzbek Heavyweight prospect Bakhodir Jalolov (2-0, 2) fight in a step up, as he takes on Tyrell Wright (9-2-2, 6). The unbeaten Jalolov is a former amateur standout, having won a bronze medal at the 2015 World Amateur Championships and a gold at the 2017 Asian Championships. He'll be strongly favoured here but Wright is much tougher than Jalolov's first 2 professional opponents. The 31 year old American has never been stopped and has taken unbeaten prospects Jermaine Franklin and George Arias the distance his two losses. Despite being tough it is worth noting that Wright is more than 2 years removed from his last win. Maryland, USA Also in the US will be Kazakh prospect Shyngyskhan Tazhibay (7-0, 2), who looks to record his third win of the year as he faces off with Juan Rodriguez (8-11-1, 6). The unbeaten Kazakh has shown some promise but isn't really being developed with much ambition and his match making, after 3 years in the professional ranks, is disappointing to say the least. Rodriguez has lost 9 of his last 11 and it would be a huge surprise to see him pick up a win here. Rodriguez is tough, but very limit and is likely to lose a clear decision here. Lyubertsy, Russia We'll also get an interesting bout in Russia as Pavel Malikov (13-1, 5) looks to bounce back from a recent loss to Daud Yordan, and battles Filipino Ernie Sanchez (19-12-1, 10) for the vacant Eurasian Boxing Parliament Lightweight title. The once beaten Russian has been in some brilliant fights during his 16 bout career, including his loss Yordan and his 2017 win over Daiki Kaneko, and will be favoured here. Sanchez however is no walk in the park and he gave Evgeny Chuprakov a real test earlier this year and holds a 2017 upset win over Hurricane Futa. Malikov is the bigger man, and should be favoured, but we suspect he will be given a stiffer test than he may expect. This coming Saturday is a pretty busy day for Asian fight fans, with shows of note all across the globe. Hong Kong S.A.R., China In Hong Kong fans get a pretty notable, yet small, card as DEF HK continue their relationship with Japanese promotions. The main event of the card will see 22 year old local Raymond Poon KaiChing (5-1, 3) take on Japanese visitor Ryo Narizuka (8-7-1) in a bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental Light Flyweight title. KaiChing has won his last 3, but has been matched softly and it's hard to see why he's fighting for a title, even one as lightly regarded as this one. The light punching Narizuka is 1-3-1 in his last 5, but has been matched very hard with his last losses coming to Sho Kimura and Ryuya Yamanaka, both of whom are currently world champions. This has the potential to be a banana skin for the local fighter. Despite not being the main event the most notable bout, for us at least, will see Japanese tough guy Takuya Watanabe (33-8-1, 18) face off with Indonesian journeyman Hendrik Barongsay (29-27-3, 18). It's not a great bout, given how good Watanabe is, but it is a chance for Watanabe to return to the ring following his loss to Yongqiang Yang earlier this year. The Indonesian, who has lost his last 4, shouldn't pose any sort of a threat to Watanabe, who who is 3-0 in Hong Kong and looking for bigger and better fights than this. Baden-Württemberg, Germany Arguably the most significant single fight with an Asian this coming Saturday will see female Bantamweight champion Aniya Seki (33-3-2, 5) defending her WIBF title against the heavy handed Csilla Nemedi (8-1, 6). The bout isn't just for Seki's WIBF title but also the GBU and WBC Silver titles and should be a compelling match up between the skills and experience of Seki and the heavy handed power of Nemedi. Ekaterinburg, Russia We'll be able to see several central Asian fighters in action in Russia. One of those is 23 year old Kazakh Madiyar Zhanuzak (4-0, 1), who will be up against Filipino foe Alphoe Dagayloan (9-2-5-1, 3) in what looks like a really interesting match up. The unbeaten Kazakh has impressed us since his July 2017 debut, but this does look like a genuine step up, and the type of bout that should see him having to prove himself. Aged 26 Dagayloan is the reigning PBF Super Flyweight champion and has gone 5-0-1 in his last 6, including a win over Mateo Handig and Jayar Diama. Another notable one is Russian based Kyrgyzstan born Erzhan Turgumbekov (2-0), who is taking a massive step up in class to take on the experienced Andrei Isayeu (30-12, 9). The unbeaten Turgumbekov has began his career with back to back wins against limited novices, but this bout seems to suggests that he and his team are now comfortable on moving up against veterans. The 38 year old Isayeu is from Belarus and despite picking up losses he is a tough guy to stop, suggesting that he will take Turgumbekov the scheduled 6 rounds here. Pathum Thani, Thailand In Thailand fight fans will be able to see Macau born Lap Cheong Cheong (3-0, 2) look for his 4th straight win. The 21 year old Flyweight hopeful hasn't had his opponent named for the show but it's unlikely he'll be facing someone of any real note. California, USA Turning our attention Stateside there is several notable fighters from Central Asia, with two of those looking to shine in California. On paper the most exciting of those is the incredibly talented Murodjon Akhmadaliev (2-0, 2), who takes a small step up in class to face off with Luis Fernando Molina (7-4-1, 2). The very highly regarded Akhmadaliev, from Uzbekistan, shone on his debut in March and again in April with many now tipping him to become one of the faces of Uzbek boxing over the coming years. Argentinian fighter Molina showed his toughness last December, when he went 6 rounds with Michael Conlan and this bout gives Akhmadaliev a chance to earn some comparison to the popular Irishman. A stoppage for Akhmadaliev would be impressive, but wouldn't be a massive surprise. The other Asian fighter on this card is Kazakh Ashkat Ualikhanov (2-1, 2), who looks to record his third straight win as he battles Darel Harris (1-2-1, 1). On debut Ualikhanov was disqualified in 3 rounds and his career has been horribly stop-start since then, but he does have power and talent and will be looking to make an impression here against Harris, who has failed to win aby of his last 3 bouts. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Staying in the US fight fans will be able to see 2016 Olympic Gold medal winner Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (4-0, 2), as he takes on Kevin Johnson (5-0, 4). The unbeaten Uzbek was dropped in the first round of his professional but since then has looked really promising and appears to be on the right track to success, even if he does look some way from a world title fight. On paper this is a step up for the Uzbek and Johnson, not to be confused with the Heavyweight of the same name, is a solid puncher with an unbeaten record of his own and will be coming into this bout on the back of a career best win over Flavio Rodriguez. The Uzbek should come out on top, but this is an interesting match up on paper. |
Categories
All
Archives
October 2022
|