April 27th-Tapales in action in the Philippines, Sho Kimura and Akira Yaegashi meet in the ring!4/23/2025  General Santos City, Cotabato del Sur, Philippines
This big card of the day is in the Philippines, where we see a former unified champion, along with a notable contender and a rising prospect all in action, in a very solid card. The main event will see former 2-weight world champion Marlon Tapales (39-4, 20) take on the once beaten Jon Jon Jet (15-1-1, 12) in a really solid looking bout, though one that Tapales’ should win given his much more accomplished career and the level he’s fought at. Tapales, who has held the WBO Bantamweight title, and the IBF and WBA Super Bantamweight titles will be seeking his third win since his 2024 loss to Naoya Inoue, and will also be looking to make his second defense of the WBC International Silver Super Bantamweight title. As for Jet, this is, easily, the biggest fight of his career and the Indonesian puncher has won his last 5, building up some momentum, though his level was shown in his 2019 loss to Luke Boyd, and it would take a huge upset to see him win here. In a really good supporting bout the criminally under-rated Joey Canoy (23-5-2, 14) will be up against Minh Phat Sam (10-5, 8) from Vietnam, with the two fighting for the WBC International Minimumweight title. Canoy is one of the many Filipino fighters who’s record doesn’t really reflect their ability. He’s one of the fighters who can compete at world level, and he holds a very good win over Melvin Jerusalem, and has mixed with very good company, despite not yet getting a shot at one of the 4 major world titles, though he has challenged for the IBO title twice. As for Sam, the Vietnamese puncher is dangerous, but his wins have come at a low level and he has lost to every notable fighter he's fought, including DainXing Zhu, ArAr Andales and Esneth Domingo. Sam will be hungry for a win, but it’s hard to imagine him having the experience or tools to overcome Canoy, who will be hoping to land a world title shot sooner rather than later. Also on the card, hard hitting southpaw Alvin Lagumbay (14-9-1, 12) will take on the unbeaten Criztian Pitt Laurente (13-0, 8), in what is a very good step up for the unbeaten 25 year old. Laurente is a genuine talent, and was a very good amateur before turning professional, and despite only being 25 it does feel like his career has been something of a grind, with only 13 fights in 6 years. Despite that he is promising and if he can be kept active and motivated he could go a long way. As for Lugambay, he’s a monstrous puncher, albeit a flawed puncher, who is best known for his 2018 win over Keita Obara. Sadly since then he has gone 4-7-1, has lost his last 3 and been stopped 3 times in his last 5. Kumagaya Dome, Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan In Saitama we get a very notable card, featuring two former world champions sharing the ring together. Sadly however they are not taking part in a live contest, but instead an exhibition bout as a local star takes on one of the most popular former champions Japan has, in a retirement ceremony. The retirement in question will see former WBO Flyweight champion Sho Kimura share the ring with former 3 weight world champion Akira Yaegashi, with two men taking part in a short public spar in what is dubbed Kimura’s “Last fight”. The two will compete for 3 round in what should be a a clear bit of fan service and fun for those in attendance, those watching the PPV and the two men involved, who would have had an instant classic had they both faced off when they were active fighters The main event, in terms of actual fights which will go on the records of the men involved, will see 27 fight veteran Hisashi Kato (12-13-2, 8) take on the once beaten Yasuomi Soda (7-1-1, 4). The 39 year old Kato is a true veteran of the Japanese scene. He debuted back in 2006 and during his career has fought a genuine who's who of the Japanese scene at 147 and 154lbs, with bouts against the likes of Nobuyuki Shindo, Shusaku Fujinaka, Yusuke Konno, Masaya Tamayama and Yuichi Ideta. Sadly he has lost almost all of his meaningful bouts, with a win over Rikuto Adachi being one of his few genuine upset wins. He’s never been a world beater, but he has been a great servant to the Japanese scene. As for Soda, he is looking to bounce back from a loss to Ryota Toyoshima back in November, a loss that came in a Japanese title eliminator and a loss that he will be desperate to avenge, though will know he needs to get past Kato to earn a rematch with Toyoshima, with is now the current Japanese champion at 154lbs. Soda should win, and should break down Kato here, look to make a statement and help move himself towards his first title fight. In another solid domestic bout the JBC ranked Mirai Imagawa (13-7-1, 5) will face the experienced Isao Aoyama (14-13-1, 4) in a Super Flyweight bout. The 29 year old Imagawa has gone 0-2-1 in his last 3, and been stopped in both those losses, pushing him from the verges of a title fight to well down the rankings, and he will need to string together a few results to land a shot at the Japanese title. On paper he should be strongly favoured here, however Aoyama is no push over, despite his record, and the 35 year old has proven to be tough, upset minded and will be wanting to do everything he can to end his career on a win, following a 2024 loss to Suzumi Takayama in a Japanese title, fight. Aoyama has fought pretty much anyone who is anyone on the Japanese scene at 115lbs including Keisuke Nakayama, Akinori Hoshino, Tsubasa Murachi, Tetsuro Ohashi and Takuya Kogawa. Aoyama will be determined here, Imagawa is out of form and we dare say Aoyama will see this as a real chance to end his career with a notable win. With that in mind, we expect this one to be a really thrilling, all action, fire fight. Messe Mie, Tsu, Mie, Japan A second Japanese show takes place in Mie, with this being a much, much smaller event. The card is mostly 4 rounders, with the one exception being a sure fire war, as Ren Yamabe (8-4, 7) takes on Yoshiki Shimomura (7-2-1, 7), in a bout that promises fireworks. Yamabe is no world beater, but he is a lot better than his 8-4 record suggests, and is every bit as dangerous as his 7 KO’s in 8 wins suggests. He has lost his most notable bouts, losing to Shinsei Otani, Jinu Lee and Jinki Maeda, but has typically taken fights close and wins over Eiji Togawa and Hikaru Matsuoka show his power is legit. He gave Maeda all he could handle back in December, and despite losing that bout will have given him a lot of confidence to build on. As for Shimomura he was 7-0-1 (7) not too long ago, but has lost his last 2, and knows that he can ill afford another loss here. Expect to see both looking to land power shots early in a fight that will have tension from the off, and could be over in the blink of an eye.
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 This coming Saturday we get plenty of interesting action, with solid shows in Tokyo, Metro Manila and Bangkok.
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan The Japanese show is the latest in the successful "WHO'S NEXT DYNAMIC GLOVE on U-NEXT" series and has a nice solid mix of bouts on the show. The main event will see Japanese Lightweight champion Hironori Mishiro (16-1-1, 5) seek his second defense, and score his third win of 2024 , as he takes on former Japanese Featherweight champion Hinata Maruta (14-2-1, 10), who continues to try and fulfil his incredible potential. Mishiro won the title in in April, when he beat Shuma Nakazato, to claim his second major professional belt, having previously held the OPBF Super Featherweight title, and he looks to be settling in very well at 135lbs after a technical decision loss to Min Jo Jun in South Korea in 2023. As for Maruta, he was once tipped as a future star and looked sensational at times early in his career, but has struggled to put things together despite winning the Japanese Featherweight title with a very impressive win over Ryo Sagawa in 2021. He has had his frame fill out, after debuting as a skinny Bantamweight, but this is his first real test since moving to Lightweight last year. Aged just 27 Maruta is still young enough for things to click and for him to have the sensational performances many were expecting but another set back here could well end those hopes. In a major supporting bout former Japanese Light Welterweight champion Homura Fujita (12-2, 10) takes on Yangcheng Jin (13-9-2, 7) in one of a number of Japan Vs China bouts on this card. The hard hitting Fujita will be fighting for the first time since losing the Japanese title to Kuntae Lee in April, a loss that ended a 7 fight winning streak. He’s aggressive and heavy handed, and was very crude early in his career but he has developed really well since his first loss, Kodai Honda in the All Japan Rookie of the Year final, and is now a very solid domestic level boxer-puncher. As for Jin the Chinese 36 year old is a rugged visitor, who has only been stopped once, way back in 2018 by Alexander Kotov, but has lost 3 of his last 5. He has got mixed success on the road, which includes a win in his only previously bout in Japan, nack in 2019 against Ukyo Yoshigai. Another of the Japan Vs China bouts will see the very highly regarded Hiroki Horiike (3-0, 2) take on Qi Yin Gao (7-4, 5), in what is Horiike's third bout against a Chinese fighter. Horiike looks t be one of the brightest young prospects in Japan, with the 23 year old 140lb'der looking like he has all the tools to go a long way. Last time out he was given a good 8 round work out by LeQuan Wang, the sort of test all prospects need, and whilst this is a step backwards from that fight, it will serve as a chance for him to show what he has learned since September. As for Gao the 29 year old is no world beater, he has lost his last 2, and 3 of is last 6, and been stopped twice in his 4 losses, but has been selected as the opponent to try and take Horiike rounds, rather than treat to beat the young local. Another unbeaten Japanese fighter on this card taking on a Chinese visitor is Reito Takahashi (2-0, 2), who takes on Guoqi Chu (8-4, 4). Takahashi, also 23, is a Lightweight prospect who has already looked sensational despite only making his debut in April. This will be his third bout in 8 months, and so far both of his bouts have finished in round 3, including a good win over Al Toyogon back in August. Sadly Chu is more of a lateral step than a step up from Toyogon, but can't be overlooked, given he has some momentum on the back of 3 straight wins, 2 of which have come on the road and the other coming against an unbeaten hopeful. We expect Chu to come with some ambition, but not have the tools needed to really test Takahashi. Elorde Sports Center, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines Over in the Philippines we have a really long looking show, with a lot of bouts on it, but overall a lack of quality in the match ups. Thankfully we do have 2 bouts worthy of some real attention The most notable of the fighters on the card is former amateur standout Criztian Pitt Laurente (12-0, 7), who was tipped for big things when he turned professional though has failed to live up to those expectations so far. Laurente will be seeking win #13 when he takes on Alven Vergara (8-2-1, 6). Aged just 24 Laurente has time on his side, despite only fighting once since the start of 2023, he has good domestic wins against Ernesto Saulong, Ernie Sanchez, Richard Bulacan and JR Magboo, but really will be hoping to kick on next year, and make the most of his potential. As for Vegara, the 27 year old is something of a glass cannon, with only 3 of his bouts going the distance. Sadly for him, he has had his chin exposed twice as a low level, and it'd be a real surprise to see him giving Laurente a tough test here. Another noteworthy fighter on this card is the once beaten Jahzeel Trinidad (11-1, 6), who is looking to bounce back from a loss, in July, to current world champion Shokichi Iwata as he takes on Christian Gagarin (4-2-1, 3). Trinidad wasn’t good enough for Iwata, though Iwata is one of the best at 108lbs right now, but had scored solid wins domestically and is a real nasty puncher, who has really had to fight domestic Flyweights to get good rounds under his belt. Although on paper Gagarin might not look a worthy test for Trinidad, his performances so far do suggest he could be a potential banana skin, having never been stopped, with both of his losses being super close decisions, and he has a win over former Japanese amateur standout Ryusei Baba. This is not the easy bout for Trinidad that it looks at first glance. Spaceplus Bangkok RCA, Bangkok, Thailand Over in Thailand TL Promotions put on a card headlined by Arnon Yupang (15-5, 6), who defends his minor regional title against Indian challenger Baljeet Singh (8-3, 7). The 27 year old Yupang, looking to make his first defense of the ABF Super Featherweight title, won his first 5 and 8 of his first 9, but has since gone 7-4, losing to decent fighters, like Jeo Santisima, Tsubasa Narai and Virgel Vitor. We know his level is under genuine regional level, but he’s not actually a bad fighter. As for Singh, the Indian looks like a heavy handed fighter on paper, with 7 KO’s in 8 wins, notably however his opposition has been terrible, Jackson Griffiths aside though Griffiths did stop him in 2 rounds, with almost all of his wins coming against novices with losing records, many of which are winless.  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. 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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