Intex Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
The big card this coming Saturday is a huge one in Osaka, which features two world title bouts, a clash between, a Heavyweight clash, an all-Japanese rematch on the under-card and several notable hopefuls.

The main event is a really intriguing bout as IBF Featherweight champion Angelo Leo (25-1, 12) makes his first defense, as takes on mandatory challenger Tomoki Kameda (42-4, 23), in what feels like a must win for the youngest of the 3 fighting Kameda brothers. Leo, who is a former WBO champion at 122lbs, shocked the boxing world last August when he scored a scary KO win over Luis Alberto Lopez to claim the IBF title. That win showed, in some ways, that he hits much harder than his record suggests, and is also a very skilled, crafty and intelligent fighter, who made Lopez pay for his mistakes. As for Kameda, the 33 year old is pretty much in last chance saloon, and is now fighting at a weight where he really lacks power. He’s very skilled, wonderful to watch, and very sharp, but at Super Bantamweight and now Featherweight he’s not had stopping power, and has to work hard every round, which has seen his stamina being questioned, and sometimes coming up short. We suspect this will start very technically, before Leo’s power and physicality will come into play down the stretch and run away with the bout in the end.

The other world title bout on this card will see IBF Minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran (17-4-1, 13) defending his title against Ginjiro Shigeoka (11-1, 9), the man he beat for the belt last year. Notably since winning the title, with a 9th round TKO win over Shigeoka in July, we’ve not seen Taduran in action, and we do wonder if 9 months of inactivity as the champion was a mistake, given that he could have picked up a defense in the interim and kept the momentum rolling, rather than essentially losing some steam after one of the biggest wins of his career. In their first bout he took the best Shigeoka had to offer, before breaking down the Japanese fighter, in a bout where he seemed like a man against a boy. As for Shigeoka, who has also not fought since the first bout with Taduran,, the long break has likely served him well, following a number of injuries suffered against Taduran, though we do query why he wasn’t given an easy return bout. The game plan from Shigeoka needs to be smarter here if he’s to avoid another loss, though we do wonder whether he has the tools in the locker to deal with someone like Taduran, who is tough, a solid puncher, has under-rated skills and is very highly experienced. 

At Heavyweight Ugandan visitor Herbert Matovu (7-1, 6) takes on Mitsuro Brandon Tajima (12-1, 10), in what should be an explosive clash between two men who are flawed, but hunt early wins. Matovu has picked up 7 wins in Africa, 6 in Uganda and 1 in Kenya, and suffered his only loss when he travelled away from Africa, losing in 2 rounds in Russia to Umar Salamov. Only 1 of his bouts has gone beyond 2 rounds. As for Tajima, the quick handed, yet rotund, Japanese-Brazilian is looking to score his third win since his loss to Alexandru Jur, and this is not really a step up from his last two wins. It feels like a case of Tajima being a talent, but wasting that talent, and a bout like this will do nothing to move his career forward.

The IBF Minimumweight title bout isn’t the only rematch on this show as Hiroki Hanabusa (14-4-5, 6) and  Matcha Nakagawa (17-2-2, 6) face off for the second time, following a draw last year. Since their first bout Hanabusa has been busy, going 2-2, though both of his wins, by stoppage, have come against low level Thai imports whilst his losses have been clear ones, losing a wide decision to Angelo Pena and being stopped by Mikito Nakano. As his best Hanabusa is solid, but we do wonder what ambition and resistance he has left. As for Nakagawa he's picked up two wins, including a notable one over Pete Apolinar, but didn't look great against Rocky Ogden back in December and aged 31 might well be on the way out himself. Neither of these men seem to have what it takes to get to the next level, but they are well matched and should put up an interesting contest early on the show.

Among the other bouts on the card unbeaten Filipino Vencent Lacar (9-0, 4) will take on Ryo Mandokoro (5-0, 3) in an excellent looking 8 rounder, Hong Kong's Raymond Poon KaiChing (10-3-1, 6) will take on promising 20 year old Shuri Oka (4-1, 1), and the second fight for second generation fighter Daigoro Marumoto (1-0, 1), as he takes on Thai teenager Sukrit Nakpreecha (6-2-0-1, 4).

Mapo Sports Center, Seoul, South Korea
As well as the big action in Japan, we also have a small card in Korea. The card is a really small one, with 6 bouts in total, including 4 bouts over the 4 round distance. One of the two bouts scheduled for longer, is a 6 rounder between Juyeong Lee (5-3, 3) and Seung Woo Yang (3-2, 2).  Lee is an 18 year old Korean, who has fought 5 of his bouts in Vietnam, but is, rather notably, 3-0  in Korea, where he has fought his last two bouts. Yang on the other hand Lee is an 18 year old Korean, who has fought 5 of his bouts in Vietnam, but is, rather notably, 3-0  in Korea, where he has fought his last two bouts. It’s hard to see anything but a Lee win here.

One notable concept used for this show is a KO bonus payment. The fighters on the show will be given triple their purse if they score a stoppage in the first 2 rounds, and double their purse if they score a KO in round 3 or afterwards, which should help spur on some action from the off and see the men involved looking to win and win early, which should make for more fan friendly action.

Aichi Sky Expo, Tokoname, Aichi, Japan 
The main show, and the biggest by a long way, this coming Sunday is from Aichi, where 3150 x Lushbomu put on a really solid, though not quite spectacular, show.

The main event is a rematch of a bout we saw last year, though with the roles reversed as Melvin Jerusalem (23-3, 12) enters as the WBC Minimumweight champion against the man he took the belt from, Yudai Shigeoka (9-1, 5), almost a year to the day of their first bout. In their first bout Jerusalem, who entered as a big under-dog, shocked Shigeoka by dropping him, twice, en route to a split decision. Since then he has defended the belt once, beating the previously unbeaten Luis Castillo back in September. Although not the most technically sound, Jerusalem hits harder than his record suggests, is awkward, has excellent timing, is tough and someone that only Oscar Collazo has ever really impressed against. As for Shigeoka, he looked to be a real talent, and his wins over Wilfredo Mendez and Panya Pradabsri made him look like he was going to be one of the faces of the division for years to come, before losing to Jerusalem. Although talented Shigeoka can get involved in the wrong type of fight, he can fight hot headed and give up his technical advantages, as we saw when he first fought Jerusalem. If Shigeoka fights to his strengths and doesn’t get drawn in he can avenge his loss, but it’s hard to imagine him boxing to plan for 12 rounds without getting frustrated, and that’s what makes this bout so intriguing

In the chief support bout former Japanese Heavyweight champion Mitsuro Brandon Tajima (11-1, 9) will begin his move towards Bridgerweight as he takes on Guillermo Casas (11-4-1, 6), with the plan being for Tajima to make his mark in the sports newest division. For Tajima this will be his second bout since losing, almost a year ago, to Alexandru Jur, and he'll be looking to show that he's taking the sport serious, taking his weight seriously, and is not longer an talented but overweight and undisciplined fighter who should never have been fighting whilst weighing in over 200lbs. As for Casas the Mexican has lost 2 of his last 3, and has really just built his record at the infamous Big Punch Arena in Tijuana. Casas is 0-3 outside of Mexico and we would be surprised to see him pick up a win here.

Two of the bouts on the card see Japanese fighters taking on Thai visitors. The more notable of those two bouts will see Japanese veteran Mugicha Nakagawa (29-11-3, 18) battle against the highly experienced Navapon Khaikanha (62-5-1, 50), in what looks a really good bout. Nakagawa has shared the ring with a genuine who's who of the Japanese scene over the years and has only been stopped once, way back in 2010 when he was stopped in 5 rounds in Thailand. Since that loss he has proven himself to be tough, and capable of holding his own on both the domestic and regional scene. As for Navaphon, the Thai was once a top contender at Bantamweight, and had a 56-1-1 record. Since then he has gone 6-4 and been stopped 3 times, including a brutal 5th round KO to the then debuting Majid Karimi Poshtiri, in a defeat that likely suggested that Navaphon's career is coming to an end and this could be his last fight of note. 

The other Japan Vs Thailand bout will see the unbeaten Ryusei Miyagawa (5-0, 1) take on Nattawut Maneewong (9-4, 7). Miyagawa started his career impressively, taking the 0 of unbeaten opponents in his second and third fights, but his last 2 bouts have seen his competition come with less hunger, and it feels this bout, despite being his first 8 rounder, isn't really much of a step forward. Maneewong has lost 2 of his last 3, and is 0-4 in Japan, with that losing run expected to continue here. Miywagawa is promising, but he needs stiffer tests sooner rather than later.

The card also has two all Japanese bouts. One of those will see Japanese rankers at 154lbs clash in a very interesting match up, as 25 year old Kensuke Suzuki (6-3-2, 2) takes on 22 year old hopeful Ruku Sasaki (9-1-2, 4). After starting his career 4-0 Suzuki has become a fighter with very inconsistent form, going 2-3-2, with all 3 of his losses showing him to lack durability, with all 3 bouts resulting in him being stopped. He currently has just 1 win in his last 4 bouts and really needs to build on a 2024 win over Masateru Hatagami. As for Sasaki he last early in his career, but since then has found his groove, running 6 straight wins, climbing the national and regional rankings and winning the Japanese Youth title. His 2024 was busy, with 4 wins, and he has a lot of momentum coming into this, momentum he will expect to continue to build on and move towards a senior title fight.

The second will see the Towa Tsuji (9-1, 6) clash with Shori Umezu (11-1-1, 7) in a mouth watering 8 rounder Bantamweight bout between two men ranked by the JBC, OPBF and WBO AP. Tsuji is the naturally bigger man, being ranked at Super Bantamweight and moving down for this bout, he comes into this bout on a great run, having won his last 6, claimed the JBC Youth Featherweight title, and scored notable wins over Kyosuke Okamoto and Yuki Yonaha in his last 3. He's in good form and looks to be well on his way to a senior title fight. Umezu on the other hand is the natural Bantamweight who won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in February 2022. Sadly he suffered his first loss in 2023, to Kazuki Anaguchi, but has bounced back with a win over Koji Tsurumi and looks to build on that win here. This is a hard one to pick and a great match up.

One other bout of note will see Chinese fighter Yesibolati Nasiyiwula (4-2-2, 1) have his second bout in Japan as he takes on former South African amateur standout John Paul Masamba (0-0), who begins his in Japan as “Masaki Kameda”. The bout has been put together to make Masamba look great, and he should manage that given not only his strong amateur background, but also the fact he’s been one of the main sparring partners for Tomoki Kameda ahead of his bout with Angelo Leo. We really wouldn’t be surprised to see Masamba make a great impression here, and begin his rapid climb to some sort of titles within just a few short years.

Hiokayama Gymnasium, Kakogawa, Hyogo, Japan 
Outside of Aichi, the other 3 Japanese shows are all quite limited. That’s shown pretty clearly by a card in Hyogo which has a former world champion on it, but the main matches are total mismatches.

The main event of the card will see 23 year old Japanese hopeful Ryoji Miyashita (5-2, 3) take on Thanakorn Suwannakul (5-2, 1). Miyashita impressed last year, winning the West Japan Rookie of the Year, before losing in the All Japan final by split decision against Kyosuke Nishiya. That was his most recent bout, in December, and it’s fair to say he comes into this looking to make a statement, put that loss behind him and move on to bigger and better things, whilst also being the headliner of the show. On paper Suwannakul looks like a decent opponent, and his debut loss to Sathaporn Saart is certainly not one that should be held against him. Sadly however his wins have all come at a very, very, low level and it's hard to read much into his ability based on his wins, though it’s fair to say he is the under-dog here.

The former world champion on the show is Mika Iwakawa (12-7-1, 4), a former WBO and IBF Atomweight champion. At her best Iwakawa was a genuine talent, and wins over Nao Ikeyama, Nanae Suzuki and Ayaka Miyao showed that. Sadly though she is now more than 2 years removed from a win and is 2-2 since 2021, with her last out being a loss to Sumire Yamanaka back in January 2024. Here she is being matched softly so that she can pick up an easy win, as she takes on 23 year old Thai Wisuta Sririttidet (8-5, 6), Sririttidet, who has been stopped in 4 of her 5 losses, and in all 3 of her bouts in Japan.

Sangyo Hall, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan 
On another Japanese card, this time in Kanazawa, we get a card with another two notable fighters on it, both taking on Thai visitors.

The most notable of them is recent OPBF title challenger and former Japanese Youth champion Hiroki Hanabusa (13-4-5, 5), who looks to bounce back from back to back losses, as he takes on limited Thai visitor Weeraphon Ketnarong (9-11-1, 5). The 26 year old Hanabusa has been matched hard through his career, facing the likes of Toshiki Shimomachi, Katsuya Fukui, Kyonosuke Kameda, Kai Watanabem Angleo Pena and Mikito Nakano, and he has shown the ability to score notable upsets, beating both Kameda and Watanabe. Despite back to back defeats he should be expected to pick up an easy win here against a visitor who has been stopped 7 times in his 11 losses, including last time out, when he was stopped in 3 rounds by professional novice Ren Ohashi.

A more competitive match up might be seen in the bout between the unbeaten Reon Fujino (6-0-1, 3) and rugged visitor Lerdchai Chaiyawed (15-13, 10). Fujino debuted in 2023, winning the All Japan Rookie of the Year that December before adding two wins to his record in 2024. Sadly despite winning his last 5 he has shown a lack of power and it seems like the 20 year old still hasn't developed his man strength. As a result bouts that should be relatively easy, given his skills, have been hard fought with him failing to get the respect of his opponents. On paper Chaiyawed looks like a really poor opponent, but he’s an ideal opponent for a good 8 rounder, given he’s tough, with only a single brutal KO loss against him, upset minded and comes to win, rather than just making up the numbers. It's his genuine effort that has seen him become a common feature in Kapan, with this marking the 11th time he has fought in Japan. Sadly he is 1-9 in the Land of the Rising Sun

KBS Hall, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
The smallest of the Japanese cards in Kyoto where JBC ranked Light Middleweight Rei Nakano (3-1-1, 2) headlines in an 8 rounder against Korean visitor Hwang Kuk Je (7-5-3, 2), in the only bout scheduled for more than 6 rounds. Nakano made his debut in 2022, and despite a draw in his second bout he has gone on to fight for the Japanese Youth title at 154lbs, losing a close decision to Ruku Sasaki last year. Sadly he's been out of the ring for over a year coming into this bout, but it's fair to assume he'll be really hungry to make a statement here. As for Je, the Korean did have a good run early in his career, going 6-2-1 in his first 9, but has gone 1-3-1 in his last 5, including a loss in Japan in 2023 to Ryota Toyoshima. He’s proven to be a fun fighter to watch, with flaws that make his fights exciting, but with just 2 wins wince 2020 it’s hard to see him having what’s needed to deal with the 23 year old Japanese southpaw.

Itaewon Primary School, Seoul, South Korea 
Je’s outing in Kyoto won’t be the only bout for Korean fans to have an interest in, as Seoul plays host to a KBM title double header, with one champion defending his title and two men fighting for a vacant title.

The main event of the show will see the once beaten Jong Dae Yoon (6-1, 2) make his second defense of the KBM Super Middleweight title, as he takes on unbeaten puncher Tae Kyung Yoon (6-0, 4) in a really solid looking domestic title clash. The 33 year old champion made his debut in 2023, as Heavyweight, but has come down the scales, suffering a loss in his second bout, to Jae Kam Lee who outweighed him by close to 100lbs, and has now settled at 168ls, where he has fought 2 of his last 3. The unbeaten challenger, known as TK, looks like a really live challenger based on his record alone, however he made his debut in 2004, and scored his last win in 2005, when he beat David Koswara, and he's been away from the boxing ring for close to 20 years. On paper this is a great match up, but in reality it’s so hard to know what TK offers, that it’s hard to actually get excited about this one.

The other title bout on this card will see 31 year old Han Sol Lee (8-6, 4) take on the once beaten Sang Myung Lee (3-1-1, 2) in a bout for the vacant KBM Super Bantamweight title. On paper this is the opposite of the other title bout, and doesn’t look very appealing, however we suspect this will be more competitive. Han Sol Lee was once 7-1 before seeing his record take a battering and he’s won just 1 of his last 7. Notably however those 7 losses have seen him losing 4 times on the round, including losses to Kanamu Sakama, Lap Cheong Cheong and Misaki Hirano, with his one with in that stretch being a fantastic 9th round TKO win over Won Joon Lee for the Korean Bantamweight title, and he has shown he can dig deep and win against good domestic fighters. As for Sang Myung Lee, he’s the much younger man, at 24, but is also the man taking a huge step up, with his opponents so far having a combined 4-3-2 record, including the then 2-0 Dae Yub Jang, who stopped him in 108 seconds, and the then 0-2-1 Hyun Soo Kim, who held him to a draw last June. Sang Myung is the naturally bigger man however and he will be hoping that he can make his frame count for something here.

One other bout of note on this card will see 35 year old local Joo Young Kim (18-2-3, 10) battle against Filipino visitor Jestine Tesoro (9-7, 5). Although he’s now the wrong side of 30 Kim is one of the more notable Korean fighters, who suffered both of his losses early in his career to Ma Roo Jung, with those losses coming less than 10 months apart in 2016 and 2017. Since his second loss Kim has gone 12-0 winning a Korean title, a minor regional IBF title, and recently beat the then unbeaten Doniyorbek Khaitaliev. Kim is no world beater, but is a solid who could, and should, have done more with his career. Tesoro on the other hand is a 26 year old who has faced a relative who's who, facing the likes of Kenji Fujita and Yoshimitsu Kimura. Despite coming up short against the more notable fighters he has proven to be tough enough to take good fighters rounds and will likely give Kim good rounds, before coming up short.

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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.

EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
This coming Sunday is a big day in Japan with 3 different shows, the most notable of which is a title double header in Osaka, promoted by former Japanese star Koki Kameda.
 
The main event here will see a 4th Japanese Heavyweight champion being crowned as the highly touted Brandon Mitsuro Tajima (1-0, 1) faces Korean fighter Sung Min Lee (7-2-1, 2) for the vacant title. Tajima made his long awaited debut earlier this year, but it was little more than a cameo as he dismantled Sang Ho Kim in 56 seconds. He will be hoping for a chance to show more of his ability here, though unfortunately Lee isn't the most testing of opponents, and in fact Lee is coming in to this on the back of an upset loss to Ja Sung Jo. Lee has proven to be tough and have heart, but this is a huge ask for him against a man many in Japan are very, very excited about. Our preview of this clash can be read here Tajima and Lee battle to become 4th Japanese Heavyweight champion
 
The other title bout on this show will see OPBF Super Featherweight champion Masanori Rikiishi (11-1, 6) defending his title against aggressive and hard hitting Filipino warrior Tomjune Mangubat (15-3-1, 12). For Rikiishi the bout will serve as his first defense of the title, which he won last time out with a very impressive win against Takuya Watanaba, and he will feel he has the tools and boxing IQ to neutralise Mangubat. As for the Filipino he'll be determined to make the most of this opportunity, especially given a loss last time out to unbeaten hopeful Charly Suarez. If Mangubat can get success with his pressure this will be a very tough bout Rikiishi, but that's a big if. Our preview of this contest can be read here OPBF champion Rikiishi defends against Filipino warrior Mangubat!
 
Outside of the two title bouts the big talking point of the show will be the professional boxing debut of 2008 Olympic gold medal winning Judoka Satoshi Ishii (0-0), who turns his hand to professional boxing at the age of 35. The former Judo star will be looking to secure a win in boxing as he takes on 30 year old novice Shuho Takayama (1-0, 1), in a 4 round Heavyweight bout. Interestingly Ishii has had success not just in Judo, where he was a genuine star, but also MMA and Kick boxing, and he is a well experienced combat sports practitioner, but we do wonder if it's too late for the Croatian based Japanese born fighter to make any sort of impact in professional boxing.
 
In a must win bout we'll see two former world title challengers face off as Hiroshige Osawa (37-5-4, 21) takes on Jeo Santisima (21-4, 18). Aged 37 Osawa is coming to the end of his career, and he's only fought once since the start of 2020, scoring a technical decision over Yoshiyuki Takabayashi last September. At his best Osawa was a solid regional level fighter, but given his age and inactivity it's hard to imagine him being even a shadow of the fighter he once was. As for Santisima he fought for a world title in 2020, and is 2-1 since losing in that title fight. Early in his career he looked explosive and powerful but when he's stepped he has looked limited and despite only being 26 it does feel like he's found his ceiling and is on the slide. We suspect Santisima is getting to Osawa at the the right point here, but this is certainly a hard one to call and Osawa might have one great performance left in the tank.
 
One other really notable bout on this card will see former world champion Ryo Miyazaki (26-2-3, 16), compete in the third bout of his on going comeback. On paper this is a big step up for Miyazaki as he takes on Azael Villar (18-1-3, 14), from Panama. Miyazaki, at his best, was a brilliant warrior, who had under-rated power, real toughness and great work rate, but at 33 he is old for a smaller weight fighter and it's hard to know how much he has left in the tank, even if he is something of a "young" 33. Villar on the other hand is 28 and has world rankings from 3 of the world title bouts, but this is a step up fir Villar, who has been beating low level fighters so far through his career. Given the styles of the two men, this should be a very, very fun and fan friendly bout.
 
One other under-card bout of note will see 2020 Rookie of the Year winner Sora Fukunaga (10-0, 5) clash with 2014 Rookie of the Year winner Kenya Yamashita (14-5, 11), in what should be a thrilling bout. Although Yamashita is flawed he is always worth watching with an ultra aggressive style, and we suspect he could ask questions of Fukunaga, who is looking to record arguably his most notable win to date. This should genuinely be a very, very exciting match up, albeit one without a major name involved in it.
 
Central Gym, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
A second notable show takes place in Hyogo, and will be headlined by a former world champion taking on a former multi-time world title challenger, whilst the supporting card features two solid Japan Vs Philippines bouts.
 
The main event is a really dangerous one for former WBO Minimumweight champion Ryuya Yamanaka (17-3, 6), who only returned to the sport earlier this year following a brain injury several years ago in his loss to Vic Saludar. The talented Yamanaka was expected to ease his way back into the sport, taking on a few easier opponents before stepping up in class. He however has taken a different approach and will take on hard hitting former 2-time world title challenger Jonathan Taconing (29-4-1, 22), of the Philippines. Given Yamanaka's previous injury this is a very, very risky bout against a flawed but aggressive and hard hitting fighter and there is a real feeling of danger here for Yamanaka. If he wins however the rewards are a potential world title fight in 2023, marking what would be one of the most impressive comebacks in the sport in recent years.
 
A very notable 8 rounder on this card will see the unbeaten Kazuki Anaguchi (2-0, 2) step up in class to face his first international opponent, as he battles Filipino Ranelio Quizo (10-2, 3). Since making his debut, just over a year ago, Anaguchi has looked like the sort of fighter who will be fast tracked, and despite only having 6 professional rounds to his name he looks a potential title holder, at least on the regional or domestic level. As for Quizo he comes into this bout on 3 straight wins, including a 7th round TKO win over Philip Luis Cuerdo last time out, a bout that was longer than Anaguchi's entire career. Quizo has the tools to ask questions of Anaguchi, but we do feel the local fighter will take this opportunity to shine.
 
A third bout of note on this card will see bombs being thrown as visiting Filipino Jun Blazo (16-6-3, 12) takes on charismatic Japanese switch hitter Takahiro Tai (3-1, 3). The heavy handed Blazo has been a professional since 2014 and has proven to be a very dangerous fighter, even on his travels, famously dropping Koki Eto in 2016. Sadly for Blazo he enters this bout 0-5 in bouts in Japan, but he will perhaps feel this is a chance to score his first win on Japanese soil. As for Tai he's aggressive but flawed and whilst he certainly not a polished fighter, he is very entertaining, takes risks and tries to behead opponents. Expect this one to be a brutal and explosive war.
 
Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan
As well as the notable shows in Osaka and Hyogo we are also have the Central Japan Rookie of the Year finals. Sadly Central is over an over-looked region of Japan and with the show coming on the same day as two other notable cards it's even easier to over-look this card.
 
One of the more notable bouts on this card will be at Super Bantamweight, as the once beaten Junya Kawai (3-1, 1) takes on the unbeaten Ken Shioda (4-0, 2). Aged 31, Kawai has won his last two bouts and bounced back well from a 2021 loss to Shunsuke Bunno, however there are question marks regarding his long term future in the sport, given he's now 31 and actually debuted all the way back in 2015. As for Shioda he debuted in May 2021 and has been active, with 4 wins in around 15 months, and he will feel his activity and age, given he's only 28, will play a role here in what should be a great fight.
 
Another bout worthy of some attention is a clash between young Minimumweights, as 19 year old Rento Miyazawa (2-1, 1) faces 18 year old Seiya Imai (2-0) in a rematch of a bout we had last November. The older man debuted in July 2021 and won his debut before losing his second bout, to the then debuting Imai. Coming in this Miyazawa will be looking to avenge that loss, whilst Imai will bee looking to repeat his win over his fellow youngster.

Mielparque Hall, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
This coming Friday the Mielparque Hall will host the latest show from Koki Kameda's 3150 Kameda Fight Club. The card isn't the best matched, though that's not much of a surprise given the fact the 3150 Fight Club is still finding it's feet.
 
Although the card isn't the deepest it does feature to very well notable bouts. The first of those will see former WBA Minimumweight champion Ryo Miyazaki (25-2-3, 16) take on Takumi Sakae (22-4-1, 16) in a genuinely well matched and interesting bout at Flyweight. The 33 year old Miyazaki began a comeback last year, after more than 5 years away from the ring, and this will be his second of that comeback, and it's a big step up from his 2021 ring return against Takayuki Teraji. This should be a genuine chance to see what he has in the tank. As for Sakae, the 28 year old was once tipped for big things, but has fallen short in a number of notable bouts, including a loss to Riku Kano last year, and he'll know he needs a win to keep alive any hope of getting a shot at a world title. Given the styles of the two men this should be a very entertaining bout, with fireworks expected from both men.
 
The other bout, and an arguably more interesting bout, will see the long awaited, and much over-due, debut of Japanese-Brazilian Heavyweight hopeful Brandon Mitsuro Tajima (0-0), who passed hi pro-test bout in 2020 but bouts fall through at short notice delaying his debut. The former amateur stand out, who went 42-9 (20) in the unpaid ranks, will be up against Korean fighter Sang Ho Kim (8-3-1, 2). Kim has been stopped in all 3 of his losses, and isn't an incredible fighter by any stretch, but he should make for a good test for Tajima, in what is a scheduled 8 rounder, something we see very very rarely in Japan. We suspect that if Tajima shines here he and his team will race towards titles, and he might even end up in a national title fight in just his second professional bout, which would be a new Japanese record. Kim will be there to win, and is an exciting fighter, but we suspect there will be a huge gulf in skills here.
 
Sangyo Shinko Center, Sakai, Osaka, Japan
As well as the Kameda promoted show we'll also be getting a small, low key, card in Sakai City. This is a very, very low quality card, with the main event being a 4 round female bout between Riyuna Yoshikawa (2-1-1, 1) and Moemi Inukai (2-1, 1). Coming in to this Yoshikawa is ranked #7 by the JBC, and will be risking that ranking, whilst Inukai will be looking to bounce back from a November loss to Ayana Miyasaka, in what was a very well contested 4 rounder in Tokyo.
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