 Talisay, Cebu, Philippines
The big card for us this coming Friday is a Sanman promoted show in Cebu, featuring an OPBF title fight and some very, very promising prospects. The main event of the show will see two former world title challengers battle for the now vacant OPBF Minimumweight title. The match up in question will see Melvin Jerusalem (16-2, 10) take on Toto Landero (11-5-2, 2) in a truly mouth watering match up. The 27 year old Jerusalem is best known for giving Wanheng Menayothin an incredibly competitive bout in 2017, though has failed to secure another top level bout since then. As for Landero he's best known for a competitive loss to Knockout CP Freshmart in 2018. Interestingly not only are both of these men looking to move towards a second world title bout, and claim the OBF title, but they are also looking to end a rivalry which also saw them clash in November 2018, with Jerusalem taking a 10 round decision over Landero in a non title fight. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Jerusalem and Landero clash for regional crown! One of the prospects on this card is the excellent Dave Apolinario (14-0, 9) who has slowly been creating a buzz on the back of some very impressive performances in the last few years. He'll be looking for his 15th straight win as he takes on fellow Filipino Charlie Malupangue (9-4-3, 6). On paper this doesn't look like a terrible match up, though in reality it should be a rather easy win for Apolinario as Malupangue is a natural Minimumweight taking on a well sized Flyweight, who will likely grow into a very strong Super Flyweight when he fully matures. Another of the prospects on this card is the highly touted KJ Cataraja (12-0, 10), a former amateur standout who looks like one of the most talented fighters in the Philippines. Sadly Cataraja has been badly affected by the Covid19 issues in the Philippines, with the closure of ALA Gym and only fighting once since the start of 2020. As a result he's very much just having a stay busy bout here as he takes on the limited but experienced Cris Alfante (17-8-1, 9). Alfante, at his best, was a decent fighter, but now a days he's very much the type of fighter who go rounds with a decent fighter, but end up losing without asking too many questions of a prospect. It really is a shame that Cataraja's career has progressed as slowly as it has. Korakuen Hall, Japan Over in Japan we see the East Japan Rookie of the Year continue as we get a Rookie of the Year card from the Korakuen Hall. This particular show will feature 6 bouts, covering the Super Bantamweight, Featherweight and Light Welterweight divisions. On paper the bout that interests us the most on this show is the all debutant bout between Ryujiro Nakajima (0-0) and Kei Nakayama (0-0), who will be clashing at 140lbs. We love all debutant bouts, and they are one of the best things about the Rookie of the Year competition, with the rawness of the two fighters involved generally making for exciting clashes with a lot of raw energy and often a lack of composure.
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 This Saturday promises to be a great day with a brilliant Japanese card being shown live on Boxing Raise, and a live show being streamed from the Philippines!
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan That Japanese card comes from Tokyo and features 4 bouts of note, none are world title bouts, but there are two less title bouts on the show, and a mouth watering domestic show down, as well as a bout featuring a former Japanese national champion. In the main event OPBF Light Welterweight champion Rikki Naito (22-2, 7) will battle against fellow Japanese fighter Yusuke Konno (16-4, 9), with both Naito's OPBF title on the line. Coming in Naito will be the clear favourite, he's the more proven man, the Oriental champion and the quicker more skilled fighter. We shouldn't write off Konno however, and he's a big, strong, powerful fighter, with good stamina and he'll be desperate to force his will on Naito. This is very much a match up of skill Vs will and knowing that Konno will be pressing and pressuring through out we can't help feel that Konno is a very live under-dog here. Our full preview of this bout is available here Naito and Konno clash for OPBF title The chief support bout is a mouth watering match up between youngsters as Yoshimitsu Kimura (12-2, 7) and Shuma Nakazato (10-1-2, 7) clash, in a truly brilliant match up. Kimura is coming in on the back of a split decision loss to OPBF 130lb champion Hironori Mishiro, which was a great clash last year, and he'll have given his standing and confidence a huge boost despite the lost. Incidentally Nakazato's sole loss also came to Mishiro, but since then he has gone 4-0-1 and will know a win here moves him to within touch distance of a title bout. We expect this to be highly technical but also really exciting with Kimura being the aggressor, applying calculated pressure and Nakazato looking to play the role of a puncher. We wouldn't be surprised if this was the bout of the week. The other title bout promises to be just as good as the main event, with Japanese Youth Super Flyweight champion Suzumi Takayama (3-0, 3) defending his title against Hiroto Yashiro (2-0, 2), in what will be Takayama's first defense. Unlike most countries Japan matches their young up and comers against each other often and the Youth title has seen that happen more and more often in recent years. Prior to turning professional both of these youngsters had made their marks on the amateur scene and seeing them face off at this ultra-early point in their professional careers is really exciting. This is a hard one to call and we are expecting a brilliant, tactical, hard hitting battle here. A fantastic match up and credit to both men for accepting the bout. This should be something special. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Novices clash in Japanese Youth title clash! Also on this card will be former Japanese Super Bantamweight champion Ryoichi Tamura (15-5-1, 7), who is always worth watching. The all action Tamura will be expected to pick up a relatively easy win here, as he takes on Ryu Oba (5-4, 3), though in fairness Tamura makes even mismatches fun and exciting with his action style and aggression. Although Oba is the under-dog he'll have some confidence having won his last 2 and will be here to win. This should be fun, even if it does have a very predictable winner. Phillipines The restart in Filipino boxing has been a slow one, though we do get another show in the country today as Sanman puts on a card with several notable names on it. The main event will see former WBO Bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales (33-3, 16) battle against Eden Sonsona (36-11-2, 13) in a bout at a contracted 132lbs, well above Tapales' best weight. This will be Tapales's first bout since losing to Ryosuke Iwasa in an IBF "interim" Super Bantamweight title bout, and to see him going up the scales this much is a worry, though he should still have enough to beat Sonsona. Another notable fighter on this card is 2-time world title challenger Aston Palicte (26-4-1, 22), who will be in action at Bantamweight, where he takes on Reymark Taday (10-12-1, 5), in what looks very much like a confidence builder for Palicte following 2 losses last year, including one to Kazuto Ioka. Other notables involved on the show are Joey Canoy (15-4-1, 8) and the talented Dave Apolinario (13-0, 8), who are both facing domestic foes that they shouldn't struggle with. This event is set to be streamed on the Sanman Facebook page for those wanting to enjoy some Filipino action. Xi An, China As well as the action in Japan there will also be a show in China. This is another low key Chinese card, as we still see the sport re-finding it's feet in the Middle Kingdom. One of the few interesting bouts on this show will see Jin Ping Yang (2-0-1) take on Xiaokang Song (4-0) in a battle of unbeaten men, over 10 rounds. The 23 year old Yang made his debut in October 2018, with a 4 round decision, and stepped up to 6 rounders earlier this year. He's now leaping up to a 10 rounder in what is very, very clearly a step up in class. Song on the other hand is a 21 year old and has been a fighting in 4 rounders. This isn't an easy one to call, but is an interesting one on paper, and a somewhat compelling match up, given that the promoter is trusting the two men to headline the card. In a second bout on this card Shichao Gao (5-1-1, 2) will take on JiZhong He (2-1, 1) over 8 rounds. We have been impressed by Gao in the past, and he seemed to be on the fast track to the top when he beat Koji Igarashi and Anurak Thisa last year, but a loss in June has slowed his rise. As for He it's hard to say anything at all about him given the very low level of competition he has faced so far, and this is a very, very big step up in class for him.  Cotabato del Sur, Philippines
In the Phillipines fans will be getting a show featuring a couple of very notable Filipino fighters, though both look to be in mismatches. The main event of the show will feature the talented Randy Petalcorin (30-3-1, 23), in what looks like a very easy confidence building win against fellow Filipino Reymark Taday (9-10-1, 4). The very talented Petalcorin is looking for his second win since being stopped by Felix Alvarado and will be expected to go through Taday rather easily here. Although perhaps not a legitimate world class fighter Petalcorin isn't far off that level and should run through Taday here with absolutely no issues at all. In a major supporting bout the unbeaten Dave Apolinario (11-0, 6) will take on local veteran Arnold Garde (10-8-3, 4). The unbeaten Apolinario is one of the very best prospects in Filipino boxing, and he has been very impressive in recent bouts. Garde isn't as bad as his record suggests, but it's still hard to imagine this being anything more than an easy win for the very talented and quick rising Apolinario. Aged 20 there is no rush with Apolinario but they really could let him off the leash a little bit in 2020. On paper the best of the bouts on this card will see punchers collide. The bout will see Presco Carcosia (6-0-1, 6) take on Jayar Aliasot (6-2, 5) in what looks like an excellent and explosive contest on paper. The 23 year old Carcosia has only seen the final bell once, in his draw against Renerio Arizala, with all 6 of his wins coming in the first 3 rounds. He will be out there looking to get another quick win.The 24 year old Aliasot had scored 3 wins in the first 2 rounds, and is 3-2 (2) in bouts that go beyond 4, so he will likely also look to go for it earlier. Expect this one to be explosive, and potentially very short.  Metro Manila, Philippines
The most botable card in Asia is the next in the ESPN5 line of shows, stacked with prospects. One of top prospects on the show is Jayson Mama (12-0, 6), who takes on former world champion Kwanthai Sithmorseng (49-6-1, 26). The talented Filipino is a real talent and will be expected to win here, though the question is how he wins and how good he looks against the Thai veteran. Kwanthai was very good, once, but is a long way removed from his best years. Another of the notable prospects in action here will see the all action Carl Jammes Martin (12-0, 11) take on unbeaten Indian visitor Rakesh Lohchab (6-0, 2). On paper this looks like a decent test for Martin, but in reality the Filipino youngster should pick up his next win with no problems. Martin is one of the sports true "made for TV" fighters and we suggest fans do all they can to catch every bout of his that they can. In an all-Filipino show down we'll see the very highly regarded Dave Apolinario (10-0 6) take on the out of form Dexter Alimento (13-6, 9). Apolinario looks to be up there with the top prospects in Asia, and he should be too strong and too powerful for Alimento. Alimento's career once promised a lot, but it really has faltered in recent bouts and it's hard to know what he really has left. In one other bout of note we'll see former world title challenger Randy Petalcorin (29-3-1, 22) take on Thai journeyman Worawatchai Boonjan (14-21-1, 13), aka Phupha Por Nobnom. This will be Petalcorin's first bout since losing to Felix Alvarado in an IBF Light Flyweight world title fight last October and will likely be little more than a confidence building win for the talented Filipino. Hiroshima, Japan A second notable card this coming Sunday takes place in Hiroshima, Japan, and features a female OPBF title fight, and a couple of interesting, but low level, domestic bouts. The main event of this show will see unbeaten teenager Eruka Hiromoto (4-0) taking on Korean foe Chan Mi Lim (4-6-1, 4) in a bout for the OPBF female Minimumweight title. The talented Hiromoto comes into this bout having already scored a win over Lim, just over a year ago, and will be hotly tipped to pick up the victory here and claim her first title. Lim has gone 2-1 since losing to Hiromoto in their first bout but is 0-2 on the road, having twice lost in Japan. Another female bout on this card will see Yumi Narita (3-3-3, 1) battle Sana Hazuki (6-4-1, 2). Coming in to this both fighters are ranked by the OPBF and JBC, and will know that a win here could open the door to another title fight. We say another title fight as both women are, 0-1-1 in Japanese female title bouts, so both will be hoping to secure another shot and make it third time lucky. One other female bout of note will see JBC ranked female Flyweights Sachiko Kondo (2-3-2) and Yume Hirayama (3-0) face off in a pretty good test for the 19 year old Kondo. In a male Flyweight bout we'll see Taiyo Inoue (8-4-2, 5) take on Akira Kokubo (7-8-3, 2). Coming in to this Inoue is ranked by the WBO Asia Pacific , thanks to a win in November against Roland Jay Biendima, and will be risking that ranking here. On paper Inoue will be favoured, though it's worth noting that Kokubo has won 5 of his last 6, turning around a really bad start to his career. Moscow, Russia As well as the shows in Asia there is also a show in Russia featuring several Asian fighters. The most notable of the Asian fighters on this card is unbeaten Uzbek puncher Shohjahon Ergashev (16-0, 14). Ergashev struggled last time out, narrowly over-coming Mykal Fox, and we're expecting him to have an easier time here against what appears to be a very late notice opponent The other is Russian based Korean fighter He Su Khan (5-4-1, 1). Although Khan is 0-3-1 in his last 4 he has been unlucky in some of those set backs, and he is much, much better than his record suggests. At the time of writing Khan's opponent hasn't been named, though given how Khan has been facing fighters with better record we are hoping for him to get an easy win here.  Metro Manila, Philippines
Ateention turns to the Philippines this coming Saturday as ESPN5 televised their first show of the new year. It's not a bumper card, but does feature some notable names as the channel looks to increase the profile of a number of Filipino fighters. One of the notable bouts on this card will see the unbeaten pairing of Dave Apolinario (9-0, 6) and Mark Vicelles (9-0-1, 5) battle for the WBO Asia Pacific Youth Flyweight title. We've been impressed by Apolinario since he made his debut back in 2017 and the 20 year old looks like a dynamite prospect with speed, skills, power and a lot of potential. This however is a step up in class and Vicelles will be coming to do more than just make up the numbers. The 23 year old Vicelles has already ruined 22 unbeaten records, and will be looking to expose another touted domestic rival here. We're expecting real fireworks and excitement here in what should be the show stealing bout. In a good supporting bout Reymart Gaballo (20-0, 17) will be taking on Japanese foe Yuya Nakamura (9-2-1, 7) in what should be an interesting assignment. Gaballo will be favoured, he really impressed last year with wins against Stephon Young and Julias Kisarawe, but Nakamura is no push over, and he impressed in December when he should have had a win over Yougu Yu, though the judges found a way to score that a draw. Gaballo should win, but Nakamura won't be there to just make up the numbers. In another supporting bout the hard hitting Romero Duno (18-1, 14) will face off with Indian Kuldeep Dhanda (7-1, 1) in what is expected to be little more than a stay busy bout for Duno. The Filipino puncher is on a 9 fight winning run, including his break out win over Christian Gonzalez from March 2017, and looks like a potential world title contender. Dhanda on the other hand has never previously fought outside of India and lacks a win of any note, suggesting he will be completely unable to cope with Duno's power and skills. Jeonju, South Korea In Korea fans will be getting a double title show, with domestic Cruiserweight and Welterweight titles up for grabs. The theme of the show is Korea Vs Japan Vs China, but sadly the international bouts are over shadowed by the title bouts. The Welterweight title will see either Yong Hwan Jun (4-4-1, 2) or Dong Young Kang (4-5-2) being crowned as the new champion. Neither of these two are great, but the Korean Welterweight scene isn't very good right now and hopefully getting the title scene up and running will kick start that, with fighters vying for a shot. The Crusierweight title fight on the other hand will see Hyun Tae Bae (5-1-1, 3) battle against Kyung Hak Lee (3-5-1, 1). The 29 year old Bae returned in December, after more than 2 years out of the ring, and stopped Tae San Kil to earn his shot at the title. Lee on the other hand is without a win since March 2011, and it seems like this is little more than a coronation event for Bae. One other bout of note here will see the unbeaten Dong Myung Shin (1-0), who impressed on debut in September, battle against Chinese fighter Yiping Gao (3-5, 1). Shin looked really good, defeating Hiroyuki Sagehashi on debut, and we're expecting him to shine again here. At the age of 30 Shin will need to be active to make any mark on the sport, but could be one of the few Korean with the skillset to impress internationally. California, USA Another Asian fighter in action in the US is Filipino Genisis Libranza (17-1, 10), who will be looking to make his US debut following an aborted bout in January against Carlos Buitrago, who failed to make weight for a bout with Libranza. He will be up against Gilberto Mendoza (11-6-2, 4), who is a 29 year old who has yet to score a win of note. This should be seen as a showcase to Libranza if we're being honest.  Metro Manila, Philippines
One of the best Filipino cards of the month comes on the final Monday of the month, surprisingly, where we get a world title fight, a world title eliminator, a regional title bout and several interesting prospects in action. The main event will be a brilliant match up between talented and sharp punching Filipino Randy Petalcorin (29-2-1, 22) and destructive Nicaraguan Felix Alvarado (33-2, 29), who meet for the vacant IBF Light Flyweight title. On paper this is a really interesting contest between two very different but very talented fighters each looking to claim a world title for the first time. Although Petalcorin has the home advantage Alvarado comes into the bout in terrifying form, with 14 stoppage wins in his last 15 bouts! This could be a modern classic. A preview of this bout can be read here Petalcorin and Alvarado meet for IBF crown! In a major supporting bout Filipino Kenny Demecillo (14-4-2, 8) will take on English southpaw Lee Haskins (35-4, 14) in an IBF Bantamweight world title eliminator. The unheralded Filipino is taking a massive step up in class to face the former world champion, but at 26 years old Demecillo is just coming into his prime whilst Haskins is an old 35. Whilst the Filipino is the youngster it's hard to see him defeating the tricky, slippery and ultra-awkward Haskins. Another major supporting bout will see the once beaten Giemel Magramo (21-1, 17) defending his WBO Oriental Flyweight title against Mexican visitor Sebastian Sanchez (11-5, 8). The only loss on Magramo's record was a razor thin one to Muhammad Waseem in Korea and he's very highly regarded as a fighter who will, at the very least, challenge for a world title. The 26year old Sanchez has lost 4 of his past 5, but has been matched hard with bouts against the likes of Paul Butler, Cristofer Rosales and the aforementioned Alvarado. Lower down the card we'll see Ronnie Baldonado (12-1-1, 9) look to score his third wins since losing to Kosei Tanaka, as he faces Enrique Magsalin (5-0-2, 1) in a decent domestic bout. The very touted Jade Bornea (12-0, 8) will face journeyman Macrea Gandionco (12-6-3, 7), who appears to have been a late replacement for former world champion Sonny Boy Jaro and teenage prospect Dave Apolinario (8-0, 5) will be hoping to notch his next win as he faces Joan Imperial (14-7-6, 9).  Cotabato del Sur, Philippines
The most notable show this coming Sunday is in the Philippines as we get a title double, with a supporting cast of Uzbek hopefuls. One of those title bouts will see the once beaten Mike Plania (15-1, 8) take on domestic journeyman Angelito Merin (9-8-3, 3) in a bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver Super Bantamweight title. The 21 year old Plania will be fighting for the second time since losing to Juan Carlos Payano back in March, and will be looking to build on an opening round blow out win against Jugn Rey Lauza. As for Merin things haven't been so smooth with the 28 year old going 2-6-1 in his last 9 bouts. Although Merin has, on the whole, faced better competition we have been impressed by Plania and strongly fancy him here. The other title bout will see the unbeaten Dave Apolinario (7-0, 5) take on fellow Filipino Michael Camelion (10-9-1, 8) in a bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Youth Flyweight title. The 19 year old Apolinario looks like a real prospect and and has both a solid amateur background as well as power, speed and youth, with Sanman seemingly having a pure talent on their hands with him. Aged 23 Camelion is starting to look like damaged goods with 5 stoppage losses, including defeats to Hiroto Kyoguchi, Vince Parras and Jayson Mama. Given Apolinario's power we don't see this one going long. The Uzbek fighters, who are all taking on limited Filipino fighters, are Jasur Akhmadjonov (6-0-1, 4), Bekzod Tursunboev (1-0, 1) and Ulugbek Sobirov (7-0, 5). Coming in to this Akhmadjonov will be hoping to put a draw with Rodel Wenceslao behind him, teenager Sobirov will be looking to impress Filipino fans once again whilst Tursunboev will be wanting to build on an opening round KO against Roy Mukhlis. Fukuoka, Japan As well as the card in the Philippines there will also be a card in Fukuoka. In the main event Yuki Ozawa (12-6, 3) will battle Katsuhiko Kanno (10-11-7, 4) in an 8 round contest. Ozawa has lost 6 of his last 8, but has mixed with decent company, including Ryo Takenaka, and is better than his record and recent form suggests. Kanno has also struggled in recent bouts, and was blown out inside a round earlier this year by Tae Il Atsumi. Kanno is usually durable, but we don't think he'll put up too much of a test for Oazawa. The card also has a really interesting looking support bout, as Tetsuwan Takashi (3-1-2) faces Fumiaki Sueyoshi (5-1, 4) in a 6 rounder. The 24 year old Takashi lost on debut, back in 2014, but has since gone 3-0-2 and this will be his first bout over the 6 round distance. The heavy handed Sueyoshi started his career with 4 straight wins before suffering a stoppage loss in September. Since that loss Sueyoshi has moved through the weights and looked rejuvenated when he stopped Bejita Ishikawa back in March. This could be very interesting.  Rizal, Philippines
The most significant card this coming Sunday will come from Rizal where we get a world title eliminator as well as a card featuring a host of notable Filipino fighters, who are sadly taking on a number of over-matched foes. The main bout is an IBF Minimumweight final eliminator with unbeaten Filipino sensation Mark Anthony Barriga (8-0, 1) battling against Colombian Gabriel Mendoza (29-5-2, 23). The talented Filipino has been waiting for an eliminator for some time, having seen various foes drop out, and will now be looking to dazzle as he takes on the limited but hard hitting Mendoza. As for Mendoza this will be his second bout since losing to Jose Argumedo in an IBF title fight, and although he's not world class he can hit hard and could test Barriga chin, if he can land on the slippery Filipino. Interestingly the winner of this will likely face Hiroto Kyoguchi later in the year, if Kyoguchi can retain his title against Vince Paras later this year One of the most notable names on this show is recent world title challenger Genesis Servania (30-1, 13), who fights for the second time since his loss to Oscar Valdez. The talented Servania will be up against Indonesian journeyman Jason Butar Butar (27-23-1, 18), in what should really bee little more than a show case for Servania. Although a mismatch the bout will see Servania fight in the Philippines for the first time since February 2015. Another very notable name in action is the enigmatic Marvin Sonsona (20-1-1, 15), who looks once again to kick start his frustrating career. The former WBO Super Flyweight champion hasn't fought since May 2015, when he struggled past Jonathan Arrellano. Whilst Sonsona is a genuine talent there is real question marks surrounding the Filipino and his desire to make the most of his skills. He'll be up against Arief Blader (23-27-2, 8) in what should be a really easy ring return, though we really don't know what Sonsona will turn up. Also on this card are AJ Banal (35-2-1, 23), James Enterina (10-0-1, 4), Lolito Sonsona (21-2-4, 9) and Dave Apolinario (6-0, 4) among others. Bulacan, Philippines A second Filipino show will be held in Bulacan, and will be a much smaller show. The most notable bout here will see Jose Roda Jr (3-1-1) take on Richard Morales (3-2, 2) in a bout scheduled for 6 rounds. Both men will come into this feeling confident of picking up the win and as a result this should make for an interesting contest, but we're not expecting anything in terms of high quality, at least compared to the other Filipino show which is much, much better than this card. Yamaguchi, Japan As well as the action in the Philippines there is also two shows in Japan, one of which is being held in Yamaguchi by Kanmon Japan. The chief support bout on this card is a terrific match up as the unbeaten Kudura Kaneko (6-0, 4) takes on Change Hamashima (10-2-1, 4) in a rematch of their 2017 clash. In the first bout between these two Kaneko won a wide decision over 6 rounds but will be stepping up to the 8 round distance here. Interestingly this will be the first time either fighter has been scheduled in an 8 round bout, and should be a good test for the stamina of both men. Given how clearly Kaneko won the first bout however it's hard to see why these two are having rematch so soon after their first contest. The main event of this card is fantastic on paper with Accel Sumiyoshi (10-4-2, 3) taking on Shogo Yamaguchi (11-3-2, 6). Since losing to Masayoshi Nakatani in an OPBF Lightweight title bout back on 2015 we've seen Sumiyoshi go 6-0-1 with notable wins over Tatsuya Yanagi, Allan Tanada, Naotoshoi Nakatani and Motoki Sasaki and really build himself a solid record at this level. As for the 24 year old Yamaguchi we've seen him begin to struggle. Yamaguchi went 9-0-1 (4) to begin his career but has since gone 2-3-2 and was stopped last year by Andy Hiraoka. Given the momentum in both men's careers it's hard to pick against Sumiyoshi, but it is a very good bout on paper. Ibaragi, Japan The second Japanese show is from Ibaragi, where the fans will get the chance to see a number of unbeaten men in action. One of the unbeaten fighters is Fumiya Fuse (5-0, 1), who is scheduled to face off with an Indonesian visitor. Last year we saw Fuse claim the Rookie of the Year crown at Bantamweight, when he stopped Hiroki Tokuyama in the final, and he'll be looking to build on that success here as he kicks off his 2018 and looks to secure a 6th straight win. The bout scheduled as the final bout on the card is all unbeaten contest as Hideaki Onuki (3-0) takes on Akihiko Kurita (2-0) in a bout scheduled for 4 round. This looks almost certain to go the distance but should still prove to be a very interesting and well matched bout between two fighters with similar records and similar experience.  Texas, USA
The biggest fight for us this coming Saturday will see IBF Light Welterweight champion Sergey Lipinets (13-0, 10) risk his title against the outstanding Mikey Garcia (37-0, 30), with Garcia looking to become a 4-weight champion. The American based Kazakh born champion won the title late last year following a competitive win over teak tough Japanese fighter Akihiro Kondo and will be looking to prove he's world class as he takes on Garcia. For Garcia the bout will see him looking to further prove himself as a pound for pound elite. On paper Garcia will be the heavily fancied man here,and the better pure boxer, but Lipinets is the naturally bigger and stronger fighter and could prove a tougher than expected test for Garcia. Baden-Württemberg, Germany Another world title bout will take place in Germany, with Tamao Ozawa (13-4, 5) taking on Raja Amasheh (20-1-1-1, 4) for the vacant WBO female Super Flyweight title. On paper the 35 year old Amasheh will be heavily favoured, given she has the home advantages and the much better record, though she has been out of the ring for almost a year and has just a single win in the last 24 months. For Ozawa the bout will be her second world title bout, following a loss to Su Yun Hong last year in a bout for the WBO Female Light Flyweight title. Despite losing to Hong Ozawa may feel more comfortable here, given she is naturally a Super Flyweight, and had to really boil down to make the Light Flyweight limit. This could be much better than it looks on paper. Metro Manila, Philippines Fans in Asia will also get the chance to see a small card in Metro Manila thanks to the promotional outfit of the legendary Gerry Penalosa. The main event will feature the once beaten Carlo Caesar Penalosa (10-1, 3) battling against Tanzania's Adam Yahaya (18-2-1, 7) in a very good looking match up. Coming into this Penalosa has won his last 3 following a surprise defeat to Reymark Taday early last year. The visitor lost 2 of his first 5 bouts but has since gone 15-0-1. On paper that sounds impressive but Yahaya has fought some dire opposition and this is his toughest bout on paper, by some margin. Another bout of note will see Malaysian prospect Muhamad Farkhan (5-0, 5) take on Indonesian veteran Jamed Jalarante (23-22-1, 11). The unbeaten Farkhan is arguably the most promising Malaysian fighter currently coming through the ranks, though how far he can go is yet to be seen. The 33 year old Jalarante was once a promising fighter, but over the last 8 years he has racked up losses, many by stoppage, and struggled to score any wins of note. Farkhan should win, and continue his rise, and hopefully he'll move on to a real test later this year. Another unbeaten puncher on this card is teenager Dave Apolinario (5-0, 4), who looks to extend his unbeaten record as he takes on the limited Dexter Dimaculangan (3-15-5, 1). Aged 19 Apolinario looks like one of the most exciting young Filipino fighters rising through the ranks, and whilst he is clearly some way from getting fights his rise is going to be a fun one to follow, and this will just be the next chapter in that rise. Laguna, Philippines Another Filipino card is set to take place in Laguna, with two title bouts. One of those title bouts will see Jheritz Chavez (7-2-2, 5) take on a the hard hitting Reymond Yanong (9-3-1, 8) for the GAB title at 140lbs. This should be a really interesting test and will test Yanong's power against Chavez's toughness in what could be a very good contest for the fans in attendance, even if neither fighter is a world beater in the making. The other title bout will see the once beaten Umi Ishikawa (5-1, 3) face off with local southpaw Norj Guro (9-7-1, 4) for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental Female Minimumweight title. Neither of those fighters have looked that impressive but they should make for a compelling contest together, with neither really able to take another defeat at this stage, if they are wanting to go on to bigger and better things. Queensland, Australia In Australia fight fans will get the chance to see Australian based Filipino veteran Jack Asis (38-20-5, 19) take on Rivan Cesaire (15-5-1, 3). The 34 year old Asis has been one of the feel good stories of the last 6 or 7 years, as he turned his record around from 21-19-4 to actually being in the world rankings. He has however suffered a couple of recent defeats which has lead him to fighting low key bouts, like this one. Cesair is himself an Australian based import, originally from Cameroon, and at 33 years old he will be looking to avoid another defeat, and scored his 5th straight win. This should be an interesting bout between two men who will both be hungry for the victory.  California, USA
The real show of note for us this weekend comes from Carson California in what is arguably the best card of the last few years. It's not stacked with 50-50 bouts, though two bouts could well fit into that category, but it is stacked with talent with potentially the top 5 fighters at Super Flyweight all in action with a trio of bouts that have a logical reason to be on the same show. This is a card which has had thought behind it, and promises so much. It's one of those rare card where if one bout turns out to be a disappointment, for example an early technical draw, there is still enough for the card to be remembered fondly. The main event of the card is a rematch of one of the best fights of the year, as Thailand's Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (43-4-1, 29) takes on Nicaraguan great Roman Gonzalez (46-1, 38). Their first bout saw Srisaket drop Gonzalez in the first round en route to a close, and disputed, decision over the previously unbeaten Gonzlez. Srisaket will be looking to repeat the victory and make the first defence of his second reign of the WBC Super Flyweight title. Gonzalez will be seeking revenge for his first, and only, loss and looking to reclaim the title that he lost to the Thai back in March. A second world title fight on this card will see Japanese sensation Naoya Inoue (13-0, 11) defending the WBO Super Flyweight title against Antonio Nieves (17-1-2, 9), in what is Inoue's US debut. The extremely talented Japanese youngster is viewed by many as one of the best natural talents in the sport, and will know that this is his chance to show the world just how good he is in front of an audience of fans from around the globe. Although the huge under-dog Nieves is coming into the bout confident, and knows that a win here really puts him on the boxing map. The challenger is a bit of an unknown, and this opportunity is huge, but it's a huge step up in class for him. Interestingly a former Gonzalez foe is part of the under-card here, with Brian Viloria (37-5-0-2, 22) taking on Miguel Cartagena (15-3-1, 6), who is known in Asian circles for his win over Jobert Alvarez and his nasty technical draw with Toshiyuki Igarashi, from this past April. The 25 year old American is tough, aggressive and could be a genuine handful for the 36 year old Viloria, who has fought just once since his October 2015 loss to Gonzalez. At his best Viloria would be a huge favourite, but this bout could be extremely tough for the veteran. Also on this card will be the unbeaten Nick Frese (5-0, 5), who faces Nam Phan (3-2-1, 2). Dutch born Thai based Frese will be fighting outside of Asia for the first time and will be hoping to show his skills, and pick up another quick win. The unbeaten man us pencilled in to fight again in October and has been ultra busy this year, but has also been destructive racking up a combined 10 rounds from his 5 bouts. Nam Phan, who is an American based American, hasn't fought in will over a year and is 10 years removed from his last win, but the bout really is supposed to just showcase Frese. As well as the bouts mentioned the card will feature an all-Mexican bout, back at Super Flyweight, as Juan Francisco Estrada (35-2, 25) takes on Carlos Cuadras (36-1-1, 27), with the winner set to become the mandatory for the Srisaket Vs Gonzalez winner. Astana, Kazakhstan A second notable show packed with Asian fighters comes in Central Asian country Kazakhstan,where we get a number of notable and unbeaten Kazakh's in action, against opponents who look very solid on paper. The main event of the card will see the world ranked Kanat Islam (24-0, 19) take on Brandon Cook (18-0, 11) in a really mouth watering match up. The unbeaten 32 year old Islam is slowly edging towards a world title fight, and is regarded as one of the notable Kazakh's in the professional ranks so far, but his career has been a slow burning and he's been a professional for close to 5 years with out yet really making a big splash. Aged 31 Cook has also been a bit of a slow burner as a professional, though his win in January against Steven Butler did get him some international attention, due to a post fight incident which saw Cook being hit with an item thrown at him. This really is a must win for both, and who ever loses will find it very hard to rebuild at this stage. Another good looking bout towards the top of the card will see the very promising Zhankosh Turarov (21-0, 15) battle with Argentinian puncher Bruno Leonardo Romay (21-4, 18). Although less well known than Islam we have got high hopes for Turarov, who is 26 and has shown real flashes of being a genuine prospect. Romay will be hoping to make the most of his power, but this is a big step up for the South American, who's fighting in Asia for the first time. Arguably the most notable prospect on this card is also the least experienced, as a professional. That's former amateur star Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (1-0, 1), who looks to impress in his second bout as he takes on Carmelito De Jesus (18-5, 15). We saw Alimkhanuly really shine in the amateurs, winning World and Asian championship gold in 2013 and reach the quarter finals of the 2016 Olympics. On his professional debut the Kazakh destroyed Milton Nunez and we're expecting a similar performance here. De Jesus, from Brazil, has scored wins on the road before, stopping Italian Stefano Castellucci, and will be there hunting the upset but he'll likely have little success against the Kazakh sensation. Another notable prospect is Nursultan Zhanabayev (2-0, 1), who made his debut last year in China and has already competed in a pair of 10 rounders. His upcoming bout will see him take on the heavy handed Brazilian Alex Sandro Duarte (13-1-1, 10). Although Duarte has a nice record on paper he has lost to his most notable foe to date, and we expect another set back for him here. Other hopefuls on this card include Ali Akhmedov (8-0, 6), who was last seen stopping the unbeaten Curtis Hill Jr, battling against Justin Thomas (18-2, 7), and Aidos Yerbossynuly (6-0, 5), who's fighting for the first time since going the distance with Devin Butcher, who will look to shine against the more experienced Jonathan Geronimo Barbadillo (17-4-1, 14). Cotabato del Sur, Philippines In the Philippines we have a pretty notable show. One of the most notable bouts on the show will see Ben Mananquil (14-1-2, 3) battle against Jess Rhey Waminal (11-1-1, 6) in a bout between talented and once beaten fighters., looking to claim the interim OPBF Bantamweight title. Of the two men Mananquil is the more proven man, and he's unlucky not to have a stoppage win over Kwanpichit OnsongchaiGym to go along with his wins over Mateo Handig and Glenn Porras. Although less well known Waminal can't be over-looked and has scored notable wins over Joe Tejones and Gerpaul Valero. This isn't going to be a true OPBF title level fight, but the reality is that it is still a brilliant match up, with both fighters looking to go in there and prove they are the better fighter. A less exciting looking bout will see veterans collide as Eden Sonsona (36-7-2, 13) takes on Jaime Barcelona (39-61-1, 10). The talented Sonsona is an upset minded fighter, as we saw in 2015 when he stopped Adrian Estrella in 2 rounds, but will be the favourite here against a man who really is just a journeyman, but a damned tough one who has only been stopped 5 times in 101 bouts. Although Sonsona will be the favourite it is worth noting that he only just took a narrow decision over Barcelona last December, and this could be another hotly contested bout, despite the hugely different looking records. A really good match up on this card will see unbeaten Filipino prospect Jade Bornea (8-0, 5) taking on once beaten Thai Kongfah CP Freshmart (19-1, 11) in a mouth watering match up for the IBF Youth Super Flyweight title. The Filipino prospect was an amateur stand out before turning professional in 2014. He's tipped to go a long way but this is a big step up in class for the 22 year old Pinoy. For Kongfah this will be his most significant fight since he faced a then unknown Daigo Higa back in 2015, when Higa stopped the Thai in a 7 round thriller! This could be a coming out party for Bornea or a chance for Kongfah to climb back up the rankings, a great match up! In a mismatch worthy of noting we'll see the world class Randy Petalcorin (26-2-1, 19) take on veteran Jetly Purisima (21-23-4, 6). The bout shouldn't be competitive,with Petalcorin being better than Purisima in every way, but it does give the talented “Razor” a chance to shake some ring rust after more than 6 months of inactivity. Petalcorin is a natural talent and should be fighting at world level so hopefully his team will move him in that direction next year, rather than keep him in there with horribly over-matched opponents, like Purisima. There will also be two promising novice prospects on this card in low key bouts. One of those is Mark Antonio (2-0, 2), who will look to keep his stoppage run alive as he takes on Michael Padayag (3-8-1) in what should be a straight forward win and Dave Apolinario (2-0, 1), who will be strongly favoured to over-come Rudy Salaton (0-1). |
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