Toyota Center, Houston, Texas, USA
The most notable bout with an Asian fighter this coming Saturday takes place in the US in what is essentially a world title eliminator at 122lbs. The match up in question will see unbeaten American hopeful Ra'eese Aleem (19-0, 12) take on once beaten Filipino Mike Plania (26-1, 13) in what is a genuinely match watering match up. The 31 year old Aleem is incredibly fun to watch, and comes into whilst being regarded as a top 15, is not top 10, contender following notable wins over Vic Pasillas and Eduardo Baez. As for Plania he looked set for something big in 2020, when he beat Joshua Greer Jr, but has lost that momentum coming into this bout, and will know that he needs to perform like he did against Greer if he's going to reinject some much needed fire into his career. We expect this to be a barn burner, given the styles of the two men, but Plania will need to be at his very best to over-come Aleem. World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates As well as the major fight in the US we also get some pretty notable action in Dubai, with several notably prospects in action. On paper the best of the bouts on the Dubai card will see unbeaten Filipino fighter Jayson Vayson (9-0-1-1, 5) take on exciting Indian fighter Nutlai Lalbiakkima (4-0, 4), in what could be a very special bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental Light Flyweight title. Vayson comes in to this on the back of a very controversial bout with Tibo Monabesa, which saw the WBC declare the bout a no-contest due to the controversial decision that went to Monabesa. He also holds a very notable draw against Rene Mark Cuarto. As for Lalbiakkima he comes into this having been a wrecking ball on the Indian scene, with his 4 wins so far coming in just 7 rounds. The winner of this won't get a world title fight immediately, but will certainly become one to watch. Lalbiakkima isn't the only unbeaten Indian hopeful on this card, another is Laldingliana (3-0, 2), who also takes a step up in class as he battles Kazakh fighter Alimzhan Tursunov (4-1, 3), who was beaten last time out and has been out of the ring for around 18 months. Hard to say much about this one, given neither has really faced anyone of any note, but it should be a very interesting bout, and given it's scheduled for 8 we should see the two men needing to prove their stamina and resolve. Another Indian fighter on this card is Manish Ahlawat (3-2-1, 2) who battled unbeaten Pakistani hopeful Muzafar Khan (9-0, 8). On paper this looks like an easy win for Khan, but his opponents so far have been absolutely awful, and this is the first time he's faced someone with more than 2 bouts to their name. As for Ahlawat he has lost his last 2, but has gone 6 rounds in those losses and will be desperate to get back to winning ways here. One other bout worthy of some attention is a 6 Heavyweight bout pitting unbeaten American Norman Neely (12-0, 8) against Azeri novice Surat Garayev (1-0), who is taking a huge step up this early in his career. Neely has a nice looking record, but really hasn't beaten anyone of note, and is something of an untested fighter, which is disappointing for a 33 year old with 1 bouts. As for Garayev he debuted in December, beating a 5-0 fighter, and will be looking to record another win here and put himself on the fast track to facing a notable foe. Masbate, Philippines As well as the action in the US and in Dubai we also have action in the Philippines, with two shows in the country. One of those is in Masbate, with a mouth watering main event That main event will see two unbeaten men collide, as Criztian Pitt Laurente (9-0, 6) takes on Richard Bulacan (8-0, 6), in what is a real test for both fighters. The 22 year old Laurente has long been tipped as one to watch by those who followed him in the amateurs, and whilst clearly talented he hasn't yet set the world on fire and a lot of his competition has been poor, Ernesto Saulong being the only real exception to that. As for Balucan he has scored a few solid, low key, wins such as beating Rimon Rama, Vergel Deguma and Anthony Sabalde. The winner of this really should be looking at a title fight later in the year, whilst the loser can certainly bounce back. In a supporting bout we'll see Prince Andrew Laurio (11-3-1, 8) in action against Mark Jequinto (4-9-1). Laurio was once 10-0-1 but has struggled in recent years, going 1-3 in his last 4 and he will be looking to rebuild. It's hard to imagine Jequinto to put up much of a fight here given he has lost his last 4. Kitaotao Gym, Kitaotao, Bukidnon, Philippines The other Filipino show takes place in Bukidnon and is less interesting than the Masbate one. One of the main bouts here will see Ryan James Racaza (11-0, 7) look to extend his unbeaten record as he takes on the very limited Romulo Ramayan Jr (7-18-5, 3). Typically this is a bout that we would complain about, but Racaza has been out of the ring since the end of 2019 and it's clear the focus is on him shaking some ring rust and getting back in to action. Ramayan on the other hand has only a single win in the last decade and has gone 1-12-4 in his last 17 bouts dating back around 10 years. The only other bout worthy of some attention here will see the one beaten Christian Bacolod (13-1, 9) take on Jay R Tulinan (4-5, 2). Sadly Bacolod has been relatively inactive since his 2019 loss to Thanongsak Simsri, with just a single bout since that one, and this bout is about getting him some ring time, against someone who has lost their last 4 bouts. A bit of a nothing contest for a talented 27 year old hopeful.
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This coming Sunday is set to be a relatively quiet day, but there is 3 Asian shows, with two of those set to take place in the Philippines and one in India.
Cebu, Philippines The most notable of the three cards is from Cebu where we see two promising and unbeaten Filipino prospects kick off their new year. The more notable of the two is Criztian Pitt Laurente (7-0, 4), who looks to begin 2022 with a bout against Vicente Casido (6-3-1, 2). Laurente had a decent 2020, with a tough win over Ernesto Saulong and a win over Kim Lindog, but will be expected to step up this year and look to move onward and upwards. As for Casido he has lost his last 3 and is 1-3-1 going back to October 2015. It's fair to say this is a step backwards for Laurente and will hopefully be one of 3 or 4 fights for him this year. The other Pinoy prospect on this card is Kenneth Llover (3-0, 3), who takes on Jimpol Dignos (2-2, 1). The "Loverboy" debuted in 2020 and picked up two wins last year, with all 3 coming against fellow novices. It's unlikely he'll be stepping up his quality any time soon but he's promising, heavy handed and explosive. Dignos on the other hand has lost his last 2 and is almost 2 years removed from his last win, making him a clear under-dog. Brgy. Lumbo, Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental, Philippines The other Filipino card is from Misamis Oriental and features a trio of unbeaten hopefuls facing off with opponents with losing records. Of the three unbeaten fighters in action Roslan Solilawan Eco (5-0, 3) is the one who should be given the most attention, especially because he's the one taking on the most notable opponent, Michael Camelion (11-14-3, 9). Eco debuted in 2019 and has slowly been stepping up the level of his competition, with Camelion being a respectable opponent for this stage of his career. On paper this looks like a gimmie, but Camelion can put in surprising performance when he wants to, and should ask some questions of Eco, even if Eco should still clearly take home the W. Banarsi Dass Arya College, Jalandhar, India In India the action really is low level, with the most notable bout on the card being a 6 rounder between Honey (1-1) and Deepak (1-1, 1), who clash in a 6 rounder at Super Bantamweight. For the next few years we expect this will be the level of bout we become accustomed to in India, but they are putting down the groundwork for the future and that's great. This coming Saturday isn't a huge day for Asian fighters but there are a number of interesting bouts featuring unbeaten Asian hopefuls, in what could be potential banana skins.
Banana Sports Complex, Binan City, Laguna, Philippines The first Asian card of the day will take place in the Philippines and on the whole this is a really, really low quality show. The under-card has almost nothing to get excited about. Thankfully though it does have a very good main event. That main event will see unbeaten 21 year old prospect Criztian Pitt Laurente (5-0, 3), a former amateur standout who many were really excited about when he turned professional in 2019, taking on Ernesto Saulong (22-6-2, 9), a former world title challenger. The talented Laurente was seen as one of the faces of the future for the Philippines when he ended his amateur career, but in his first 5 bouts he faced nobody to really show off what he can do. Saulong should be the perfect acid test for Laurente and a win here for the youngster would be impressive, and a statement. As for Saulong he won't be there to roll over, and in fact it was just over 3 years ago that he took Ryosuke Iwasa 12 rounds. He'll be the smaller man and the under-dog, but he'll be there to win and we expect a genuine effort from him here. If he gives a full effort there is a chance of him upsetting Laurente here. Khodynka Ice Palace, Moscow, Russia As well as the action in the Philippines we also have two interesting bouts in Moscow. One of those bouts will see unbeaten Uzbek Azizbek Abdugofurov (13-0, 5) defending his WBC Silver Super Middleweight title, as he takes on fellow unbeaten Pavel Silyagin (6-0, 4). The talented Abdugofurov looked set to move into world title bouts back in 2018, but his career has stalled horribly and he was out of the ring for the entirety of 2020, despite being signed with Frank Warren. Since Abdugofurov's last bout we've seen Silyagin start his career and race out to 6-0 (4), with decent wins against Siarhei Khamitski and Omar Garcia. This could be a genuine banana skin for Abdugofurov, given his inactivity over the past few years. In another bout between unbeaten fighters former amateur standout Bakhodur Usmonov (1-0), from Tajikistan, will be up against Kazakh Bektas Kassenay (4-0, 1). We saw Usmonov make his debut last year, when he narrowly over-came Vildan Minasov in a brilliant 6 rounder on Christmas eve, and there are a lot of questions for him to answer going forward. Kassenay on the other hand has a nice looking record but his competition so far has had a combined 2-1 record and he's yet to fight in a bout longer than 4 rounds. This could be a cynical bit of match making from Usmonov's team, though we can't blame them as Usmonov's scare on debut. This coming Saturday is a pretty busy day in terms of Asian boxing with two shows in Japan, one in Thailand and one in India. Across those shows we will see a couple of regional title bouts, and a number of very promising youngsters as we move towards the end of November.
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan The most notable show of the day is an Ohashi promoted event at Korakuen Hall, which will feature a world ranked fighter defending a regional title, two interesting domestic fights and noteworthy exhibition. In the main event we'll see WBO Asia Pacific Featherweight champion Musashi Mori (11-0, 6) take on the heavy handed Tsuyoshi Tameda (21-5-2, 19) in an excellent match up. Mori, who is currently world ranked by the WBO, will be 21 when this fight takes place and will know that a win will help him move one step closer to a world title fight. Although a light puncher the talented youngster is maturing and following the guidance of legendary trainer Ismael Salas, and has become a very skilled young fighter. Tameda was once touted as one to watch, but in recent bouts he has been picking up losses, and appears to be falling short of expectation. Despite that Tameda is a rock fisted fighter and his power could give him a real chance, if he can catch Mori clean. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Young regional champion takes on dynamite puncher! In a supporting bout JBC #1 ranked Lightweight Seiryu Toshikawa (12-5, 7) will be taking on Takahiko Kobayashi (9-3, 7) in a good looking 8 rounder. The 24 year old Toshikawa, who will be risking his ranking here, has won 6 of his last 7, and has bounced well since a 2018 loss to Shawn Oda, in a very close fight for the Japanese Youth title. This however is not a gimme for him. In Kobayashi we have an under-rated 24 year old puncher who gave Handy Hiraoka real problems in 2017, leading on all 3 cards before being stopped, and beat touted Korean Jeong Han Cha last time out. Although not a spectacular bout on paper this is a really interesting match up, and could be a very, very compelling one when the men get in the ring. In another supporting bout we'll see the in form Hiromu Murota (6-4-1, 4) take on former Japanese Super Featherweight champion Seiichi Okada (22-7-1, 13). We've seen Murota really turn his record around after a 2-4-1 start, and he has run off 4 straight wins coming in to this bout, but they have all been at a very low level. As for Okada the 38 year old is well past his best, and it's more than 8 years since he lost the Japanese title to Daiki Kaneko. At his best Okada had more than enough skills to over-come Murota, but the question is what does he have left at this point in his long career. Also on this card will be an exhibition between former 3-weight world champion Akira Yaegashi (28-7, 17) and rising Japanese prospect Taku Kuwahara (7-0, 4). Although Yaegashi has retired as an active fighter it is good to see him remain in the sport, and it will be good to see him again here. Despite being retired he has continued to work in the sport, and is now working as a trainer at the Ohashi Gym. As for Taku Kuwahara the 25 year old Flyweight is one of the best prospects in Japan and this will be a great opportunity for him to showcase his skills against a loved figure of Japanese boxing ahead of his next fight in January. EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan On a second card in Japan, over in Osaka, we see several interesting match ups. The main event will see Kyonosuke Kameda (5-2-1, 4), the cousin of Koki, Daiki and Tomoki, battle against the debuting Daiki Asai (0-0). On paper it's easy to assume that Kameda will be favoured here, especially after he reached the 2019 All Japan Rookie of the Year final last year, where he lost to Jinki Maeda, however this bout isn't the gimme it looks. Despite Kameda being from a successful boxing family it needs to be noted that Asai is a former amateur standout and went 61-16 (33), and will be looking to make a statement now he's turned professional. This could be a very intriguing bout, despite having the debutant status of Asai. Another very interesting bout here will see novice professional Ayato Hiromoto (2-0, 1) take on Japanese ranked Super Flyweight Ryosuke Nasu (12-5-3, 2). Originally we were expecting to see Hiromoto battled for world title challenger Masayuki Kuroda but with Kuroda being injured Hiromoto's team looked elsewhere and secured him this bout with Nasu. So far Hiromoto has looked a real talent, with excellent skills and boxing craft, but this is a serious step up. As for Nasu he's looking to secure a third straight wins following a 2019 loss to Kenta Nakagawa. This should be a very interesting match up, and a genuine test to see what Hiromoto really has to offer going forward. A third bout of interest here will see JBC ranked Light Flyweight Sho Omote (8-1, 3) take on Shota Asami (7-7, 4). The once beaten 26 year old is riding a 6 fight unbeaten streak, and had a sensational 2019 which included him winning the All Japan Rookie of the Year in December. The 25 year old Asami might not have a great record, and has lost his last 2 bouts, but he's had a number of very close bouts and he is much better than his record looks. With that in mind we wouldn't be surprised, at all, if Omote was given a very serious test by Asami here. Suamlum Night Bazaar, Ratchadaphisek, Bangkok, Thailand We also get a really good bout in Thailand pitting two talented unbeaten fighters against each other in a truly mouth watering contest. In one corner will be talented teenager Phoobadin Yoohanngoh (9-0, 4), who will be looking to defend his WBA Asia Light Welterweight title, whilst the other corner will play host to unbeaten challenger Atchariya Wirojanasunobol (13-0, 5). Aged just 16 Phoobadin is one of the most promising teenagers in the sport, and is tipped incredibly highly following several excellent performances. He will however need a career best performance here to over come the once touted Atchariya. As for Atchariya this will be his second bout since the start of 2019, following a lengthy legal battle, which derailed a bout in Japan against Andy Hiraoka. Aged 31 Atchariya can't afford an in ring set back, but he's in with a big, strong, skilled, youngster looking to make a big mark and move his career forward. This is a very, very interesting bout, and will be shown live on Thairath for fans interested in watching it live. Bawing Gym, General Santos City, Cotabato del Sur, Philippines In the Philippines we'll see unbeaten prospect Criztian Pitt Laurente (5-0, 3) take on Renan Portes (10-13, 6), in what is expected to be another win for the talented Laurente. At one point Portes was a very capable fighter but he has now lost 8 in a row, and has been stopped in his last 5 suggesting he's essentially given up with trying to win. Given the talent of Laurente it's hard to see anything but a win for the youngster here. INTHEPINK FITNESS CLUB, Bangalore, India There will also be a show in India, albeit a very, very low key card. In one of the bouts on this show the unbeaten Karthik Sathish Kumar (5-0, 3) will be up against the debuting Jayapal Jaganadhan (0-0). The 24 year old Kumar debuting in April 2010 and has become a well travelled fighter already, with bouts in Thailand, Dubai and India. Sadly for him this will be his first bout since January. As for Jaganadhan, the 21 year old is really an unknown, and this looks like a tough debut, at least on paper. Another fighter making their debut on this card will be Shaik Nagma (0-0), who takes on the once beaten Ramandeep Kaur (6-1) in a female bout. Kaur was beaten last time out, by Rinky Inder Kishore, but will be looking to get back to winning ways here. This coming Saturday isn't a huge day for Asian boxing, but is an interesting one with a huge fight and several other bouts of note, as get a day to look forward to. Pennsylvania, USA The most significant bout of the day takes place in the US as WBC Featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr (30-1, 18) defends his belt against unbeaten Mongolian challenger Tugstsogt Nyambayar (11-0, 9). Russell, who's reign has been among the worst in boxing, will be making his 5th defense of the title that he won way back in March 2015. Although a talented fighter he has completely wasted his prime years with a once a year schedule. Nyambayar on the other hand started his professional career with high activity, but has been a lot less active in recent years, following issues with his hands. The Mongolian, if he wins, will become only the second ever Mongolian world champion, but this is certainly not a gimme for a man looking to put his name in the history books. Although both have been inactive this is still a very interest match up and one we are really looking forward to. Our preview of this bout can be read here King Tug gets world title fight at last! But can he win? San Jose, Costa Rica Limited Filipino Carleans Rivas (8-6-4) will be getting a shot at the IBF female Minimumweight title, as she travels to Costa Rica to take on local star Yokasta Valle (19-2, 8). This looks like a really tough bout for Rivas who has struggled when she's stepped up in the past, and we expect her to struggle again here. Valle might not be a big name, but her title win last August against Joana Pastrana was impressive and we expect her to be far too much for Rivas here. This bout has been previewed here Rivas faces Valle in IBF title fight, but does she really have a chance? La Union, Philippines The most noteworthy or two Filipino cards will take place in La Union. The main event here will see unbeaten American Rafael Marzan (12-0, 9) take on Jestoni Autida (12-11, 6). In reality this should be a straight forward win for the talented Marzan, who is fighting in a 4th different country in as many fights. The American has recently fought at home, in the US, as well as Mexico and Germany, and it's kinda cool to see a fighter getting experience around the globe. On the other hand Autida has lost 4 of his last 5, and we would be shocked to see him really testing Marzan. In a support bout we are expecting to see OPBF Minimumweight champion Lito Dante (16-11-4, 8) fighting in a tune up bout against Sulis Barrera (4-7). There is some doubt about this contest taking place, given Dante is booked for a title defense in March, but in reality he should steam roll Barrera, who has won 2 of his last 9 bouts. In a bout that could be rather entertaining the heavy handed, but limited Alvin Lagumbay (11-5-1, 10) will be up against Bryan Macamay (10-10-3, 6). Lagumbay, best known for his 2018 upset win against Keita Obara, is 1-3-1 in his last 5 bouts, but should have far too much for the very limited Macamay. Also on this card will be debuting Uzbek hopeful Abdulkhay Sharakhmatov (0-0), who kicks off his career with a bout against Benjie Ebido (0-2). The very talented Sharakhmatov, who has competed in the WSB and was a very good amateur, is expected to be fighting out of the UK in the future, having signed with Frank Warren, and has the talented and amateur experience to be moved quickly. This should be a very easy win for the 23 year old who is expected to go very, very far in his career. Cebu, Philippines A second Filipino show is pencilled in to take place in Cebu. One of the bouts worthy of note here will see the unbeaten Bryan James Wild (4-0, 3) take on Margarito Moya (9-10, 3) in a 6 round contest. The 18 year old Wild made his debut in late 2018 and has looked promising but untested, and this will be a notable step up in class for him ahead of bigger and better fights in the coming years. Another bout of note on this show will see former amateur standout Criztian Pitt Laurente (4-0, 3) face off with the experienced Romnick Magos (12-11, 7). Pitt is regarded as a top Filipino prospect and this should a straight forward win for him, but as with Wild it is a clear step up in competition from the opposition he has been facing previously. Davao del Norte, Philippines
Thsi coming Saturday our attention turns to the Philippines where we see a number of notable fighters featuring on a hot of notable names, including 3 former amateur standouts. One of the main bouts on this card will see 27 year old Mark Anthony Geraldo (37-9-3, 18) battle against Neil John Tabanao (17-5, 11) in a battle for the GAB Super Bantamweight title. Geraldo will be making his first defense of the title, and despite only being 27 this will be his 50th professional bout. Tabanao comes into this bout on the back of a loss to Angelo Leo, in the US in April, but had won his previous 4 and is 14-1 in the Philippines. This could be a very competitive contest. The most notable of the amateur fighters on this show is Charlie Suarez (2-0, 2), who takes a notable step up in class to take on Indonesian journeyman Waldo Sabu (13-14, 3) in a bout for the interim WBC Asian Boxing Council Super Featherweight title. The 30 year old Suarez really does need to look good in a bout like this to push his career along, as he is simply too old to waste time, and we're glad this is his 3rd bout in 4 months. Hopefully a win here will be followed by something more meaningful in the near future. Sabu scored a shock win last time he was in the Philippines, but has since suffered back to back losses and is 3-8 in his last 11. The under-rated Joey Canoy (14-3-1, 7) will be looking to pick up a couple of low level regional titles as he takes on Frans Damur Palue (15-22-3, 10), from Indonesia. The talented Canoy is a real talent and is expected to go far with his career. This bout will be for the WBA Asia and WBC Asian Boxing Council silver Minimumweight titles, and we can't help but think that Canoy will make light work of Palue and begin to target more meaningful titles in the near future. As well as Saurez fans if the Filipino amateur scene will also be happy to heat that Criztian Pitt Laurente (1-0, 1) and Criz Russu Laurente (1-0,1 ), who are brothers, are scheduled for this show. Both were very good amateurs and both could be fast tracked, despite both only being teenagers. These are two super hot Filipino prospects to make a note of. |
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