 This coming Saturday is a hectic day for Asian fight fans, the first of 3 really busy days to end the month of March. The key action is in Aichi, but there is also action in Tokyo, Incheon, Bangkok and even a bout of note in Germany.
Aichi Sky Expo, Tokoname, Aichi, Japan As mentioned the key show for the day is in Aichi, with 3150 and LUSH Bomu working together to deliver a card that is packed with notable fights, including a world title fight, a regional title fight and several notable prospects. The main event will see IBF Flyweight champion Angel Ayala Lardizabal (18-0, 8) take on IBF Light Flyweight champion Masamichi Yabuki (17-4, 16), with Yabuki moving up 4lbs to challenge Lardizabal in a mouth watering clash. The unbeaten Mexican champion won the title in august, when he stopped Dave Apolinario, and built on an impressive run of results that also included wins against Cristofer Rosales and Felix Alvarado, albeit a very lucky win over Alvarado. Aged 24 Lardizabal is a talented youngster, and does have a good record, but this will be his first bout outside of Mexico, and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against the hard hitting and hungry Yabuki, in Yabuki’s backyard. Yabuki is one of the heaviest handed fighters, pound for pound, in the sport today. He’s a KO artist as such, but he’s someone with sledgehammer, power, and unlike some punchers who wade in looking for the finish, he boxes, and lets his power work it’s way naturally into fights, as we saw when he stopped Sivenathi Nontshinga. Given Yabuki’s power, and the fact it carries late into fights, and the fact Lardizabal is the natural Flyweight, this bout really is a very intriguing one. The other title bout on this card will see OPBF Super Flyweight champion Giemel Magramo (30-4, 23) defending his title against the fast tracked Aoi Yokoyama (2-0, 1), in what looks to be a very dangerous big of match making for Yokoyama. Magramo is no world beater, he has come up short at, and around, world level with losses to Muhammad Waseem, Junto Nakatani, Taku Kuwahara and Anthony Olacuaga. He is however very much part of the top contenders, and wins over Judy Flores, Jayr Raquinel, Wenfeng Ge and Renz Rosia, have shown he's dangerous, skilled and not someone who should merely be seen as a stepping stone. As for Yokoyama, the Japanese youngster is hotly tipped by those at 3150 and Watanabe gym, but was given a real test last time out, when he narrowly got past Denmark Quibido. He was a very good amateur, and has shown a lot to like as a professional, with good skills, power and movement, but his composure has been questioned and there is a real feeling that Kameda is pushing him too fast, and maybe he needed another fight or two before a bout at this level. The under-card for this card is really solid, with numerous good looking bouts. One of those will see unbeaten youngster Ayumu Sano (9-0-1, 4) take on Thai visitor Nattapong Jankaew (13-4, 9). Sano looks to be one of the best hidden secrets in Japan, and at 22 has already won a WBC Youth title. Jankaew on the other hand showed a lot of promise early on, but has gone from 11-0 to 13-4 and although some of those losses have come to good fighters, such as Marlon Tapales and Hiroto Yashiro, it’s clear he’s not going to be mixing at world level. Sano should be favoured, but it’s a good step up. Another Japan Vs Thailand bout on this card will see Thai puncher Nanthanon Thongchai (13-3-2, 11) take on the debuting Rikito Irita (0-0) in a battle of 20 year olds. Thongchai, like many Thai’s, has padded his record at home in low level bouts and has lost when he’s faced notable names on the road, such as Regie Suganob and Takeru Inoue, and it’s expected that he will move to 0-4 on the road here. Irita, although this is his debut, was a good domestic level amateur, running up a 21-9 record, and he should be too good fir the visitor here. Interestingly the other 3 bouts on this card are all Japan Vs Philippines bouts. On paper the most interesting of those will see former world title challenger Jeo Santisima (25-7, 21) take on unbeaten youngster Ei Go (4-0, 2). Santisima was once looking like a solid world class contender, sporting a 19-2 record when he went into his 2020 bout with Emanuel Navarrete. Sadly since being stopped in 11 by Navarrete the Filipino has gone 6-4, and now looks like the best he’s going to do is become a stalwart at domestic level as a game title contender, though come up short as we’ve seen him do against Toshiki Shimomachi, Hayato Tsutsumi and Kenji Fujita. As for Go, the 24 year old Japanese fighter appears to be quickly rising through the rankings, scoring a notable domestic win over Koshin Takeshima and a win over Filipino Roldan Aldea. Notably Go should be too big for Santisima, given he's a Lightweight come Super Featherweight taking on someone who fought for a world title at Super Bantamweight. Santisima isn’t the only former world title challenger on this card as Kyosuke Okamoto (9-1-1, 6) takes on former Bantamweight world title challenger Michael Dasmarinas (36-3-2, 25), best known for losing to Naoya Inoue. Okamoto is stepping up massively for this bout, but the 21 year old has shown plenty of promise and is the naturally bigger man here, fighting at Featherweight, whilst also being a genuinely heavy handed fighter who has stopped his last 3. Dasmarinas is highly experienced, and the 32 year old Southpaw has mixed at a very good level, obviously given his bout with Inoue, but he has fought much of his career at Bantamweight and is certainly not someone who’s been beating world ranked fighters in pursuit of a second world title fight. Another Japan Vs Philippines bout will see highly touted professional novice Hayate Hanada (2-1-1, 1) clash with Yeroge Gura (8-1-1, 3), who’s only loss came to the previously mentioned Ayumu Sano last time out, with this being an easy to overlook bout, but one that should deliver some really high level action to open the show. Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo, Japan The card in Tokyo is much smaller with the main event here being a 6 rounder between the once beaten Ryu Suzuki (5-1-1, 1) and the unbeaten Shota Kajino (4-0-1, 3). The 25 year old Suzuki made his debut in 2022, losing on debut, and has since reeled off a number of low key domestic wins, most notably a 6 rounder against Shun Nakamura in November, over 6 rounds. Kajino on the other hand is an unbeaten puncher who drew on his debut, in early 2024, before reeling off 4 wins to win the Rookie of the Year in December, just 10 months after his debut, stopping Otaro Segawa in 4 rounds. Both have momentum coming into this but Kajiona has the clear edge in power whilst Suzuki is the naturally bigger man. World Siam Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand We also get a small card in Thailand, where one of the more noteworthy bouts will see once beaten Kazakh Heavyweight Askat Zhantursynov (8-1, 7) take on 20 year old local Weerapat Kamlangwai (7-4, 4), showing the level of show this is, it also features 50 year old Japanese fighter Toshiki Era (25-4, 20) , as he continues his genuine weight career, that has seen him fighting in more than 30 years after his debut! Nova Boxing Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea Over in Incheon we have a low key show, headlined by a 6 rounder between the unbeaten Jae Sung Park (4-0-1) and Joon Hee Lee (5-2-1, 2) at Welterweight. Park is the younger man, at 31 whilst Lee is 37, and given the ages of the two men it’s fair to say neither is being eyed as the future of Korean boxing. Despite that the bout is well matched, has two two men looking to move their career forward, towards a domestic title, and a bit of history, with the two fighting last September when Park took a very competitive win over 6 rounds. Since then Park has been out of the ring, whilst Lee has picked up a low key win and will feel he has some momentum coming into this. Deutsches Haus, Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Away from Asia we’ll see Japan’s Akane Fujiwara (7-4-1, 2) battle for the lightly regarded WBF female Super Featherweight title, as she takes on the in form Lara Ochmann (14-2, 5). The 37 year old Fujiwara has won both domestic and regional titles, albeit at Featherweight, but this will be her first bout outside of Japan, her first 10 rounder and is something of a step up, from fighters like Kimika Miyoshi and Yoshie Wakasa. Ochmann on the other hand has mixed with world class company, though was shut out over 10 rounds by Sarah Mahfoud in her one step up to that level, with her best win to date being over Leonie Giebel. On paper this isn’t a well matched bout, but Ochmann has a much more padded record than Fujiwara and the bout should be more competitive than it looks on paper.
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 This coming Sunday is an interesting day for fight fans in Asia, with 3 cards in Japan and one in the Philippines. On paper the Japanese cards aren’t the strongest, with few really notable names in action , but there should be some good quality fights between well matched fighters. Over in the Philippines we get a really solid show, with 3 very good match ups on it.
KBS Hall, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan Starting with the Japanese cards, the most notable will be taking place in Kyoto and will be promoted by Futur Promotions who have a former world champion in the main event. The former world champion in question is former WBC Super Flyweight champion Suriyan Kaikanha (52-7-1, 28), aka Suriyan Sor Rungvisai, who competes in Japan for the third time as he takes on Kyonosuke Kameda (13-3-2, 8). Suriyan, a true veteran, is now 35 and made his professional debut in 2006. He really began to make his name in 2010 when he gave the legendary Pongsaklek Wonjongkam a very close bout in a WBC Flyweight title bout, losing a narrow decision to the Flyweight great. Less than a year later he would beat Tomas Rojas for the WBC Super Flyweight title, which he defended once before losing it in Japan to Yota Sato. His only other appearance in Japan 2 years later was when he was beaten WBC Bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka. Sadly though that Yamanaka bout was a decade ago and whilst he has gone 15-1 since then he’s certainly not the same fighter he once was. As for Kameda, the cousin of the fighting Kameda brothers, who is now coming into his prime at 26, he has proven himself a very credible domestic level fighter with notable wins over Tsubasa Narai, Mugicha Nakagawa and Hikaru Matsuoka. He's a big, dangerous fighter at Featherweight, which appears to be his natural weight and although not the most polished fighter, he is rapidly improving having come a very, very long way since a TKO loss on debut against Shinnosuke Kimoto back in 2018. We can’t help but feel this is a bout set up to boost Kameda’s standing and get him a win against a faded former world champion, but in many ways that’s good match making, and even a faded Suriyan is still a very capable fighter. In the chief support bout the once beaten Kotaro Kawai (5-1, 2) will take on Bakuto Nakahara (5-5, 2) in a 6 rounder. Kawai is 22 years old and is looking for his second win since suffering a razor thin loss to Ryugo Yanagibori in June 2023. He is quick, sharp and has a lovely 1-2. As for Nakahara he's a win-some, lose-some fighter from Okayama, where there really aren't many fights forcing him to travel for fights. Sadly for him he has struggled to find his weight class, and for this bout he's stepping up to Lightweight for the first time. 176BOX, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan Over in Toyonaka we get a pretty interesting card, with an unbeaten prospect and a title unification bout. The main event will see the unbeaten Marina Loreto (6-0-2) look to unify the JBC female Minimumweght title with the vacant WBO Asia Pacific title, as she takes on the experienced Mont Blanc Miki (6-7-1, 2). Loreto won the Japanese title in April 2023, and she recorded her first, and so far only, defense in November with a draw. Sadly she has now been out of the ring 11 months, losing some of the momentum she was building. As for Miki this is her 5th shot at a title, having come up short in the previous 4. She’s aggressive and fan friendly, but is defensively flawed and limited, with much of her offense being wild and wide, leaving her open to counters. In the chief support bout we’ll see unbeaten JBC ranked fighter Yamato Moriguchi (7-0-1, 2) take on hard hitting Thai visitor Sarawut Jiamthong (11-5, 10). Moriguchi is a 21 year old who won the All Japan Rookie of the Year last year, and looks to be a real prospect for the Kuratoki Gym to develop and nurture. He’s a clean accurate fighter with an aggressive style, who really impressed in the All Japan Rookie of the Year final, unfortunately however he has been out of the ring since winning the Rookie of the Year and lost much of the momentum he had been building at the end of 2023. Jiamthong is something of a glass cannon. The 25 year old has heard the final bell twice in 16 fights, with 10 wins inside the distance and 4 losses coming early. Notably he has been stopped in the 3 bouts where he has travelled outside of Thailand, including a loss to Olimjon Nazarov back in May this year. Whilst it looks like he has power, his competition has been awful and it's hard to put too much weight behind his power. Foodpal Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan A third card in Japan is set to take place in Kumamoto, and this one is the smallest of the 3, by some margin, in terms of its significance. The main event will see Kazuhiro Imamura (3-3-1, 2) take on unbeaten American Alejandro Patrick Meniano (4-0, 2) in a 6 rounder. turned professional with some fan fare, and after a 2-0-1 start to the pros there was some hope he'd develop into a good fighter. Sadly 3 straight losses took away all momentum he was building and it took more than 4 years between his second win and his third win, which came earlier this year. Meniano on the other hand is something of an unknown quantity, though is no stranger to being on the road and will be confident of picking up his 5th straight win, in his third country, after notching a pair of victories in both Mexico and the Philippines. In a support bout Shoki Yamauchi (7-5, 6) will take on fun to watch Korean fighter Ho Jun Kim (3-1-2, 3). Yamauchi is something of a glass cannon with only 3 of his bouts going the distance, all of which were 4 rounds early in his career. Since July 2022 he has never seen the 4th round, going 5-1 (5) in that run. As for Kim the 25 year old debuted last year and despite set backs in his last 2 fights hasn't been stopped. Like Yamauchi he's dangerous early and has an aggressive style, which could lead to some serious fireworks here. Another Japan Vs Korea bout on this card will see once beaten JBC ranked fighter Misaki Hirano (10-1, 4) take on Korean ranked fighter Han Sol Lee (8-5, 4). Hirano is a 27 year old who has won his last 9, including a notable win over Ryo Suwa, and bounced back well from a razor thin loss in his second bout to Hikaru Fukunaga. Although not a nationally recognised name, his success is edging him towards a title fight and if he continues to pick up good domestic type wins he could find himself in the mix late next year. Lee on the other hand has won a couple of titles during his career, namely the WBF Intercontinental Flyweight and South Korean Bantamweight titles. Despite his success he has lot 5 of his last 6, including his last 3, and was stopped inside a round by Kanamu Sakama in his previous visit to Japan, back in 2022 Okada Manila Hotel and Casino, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines As well as the shows in Japan we also get a pretty good looking Filipino show, with several notable names on it, and a few really good looking bouts, in what might end up being the best show of the day. The main event on this show looks to be a really good match up, as former world title contender Giemel Magramo (29-4, 23) takes on rising youngster Judy Flores (14-2, 8) in a bout for the OPBF Super Flyweight title. Magramo was once seen as a future star for the Philippines but at 30 time is starting to run out for him to reach the heights expected of him. Coming from a boxing rich family and blessed with not just boxing in his blood but also spiteful power and well rounded skills he looked like being part of a new wave of Filipino fighters. Sadly for him he ran into Junto Nakatani in 2020 and has gone 5-2 since being stopped by the now 3-weight Japanese world champion. Notably however all 4 of his losses, which have come to Muhammad Waseem, Nakatani, Taku Kuwahara and Anthony Olascuaga, have come on the road to world, or at worst fringe world, level fighters. As for Flores the 25 year old is something of an unheralded Filipino who hasn’t had much fanfare but is 14-0 at home with his only losses, like Magramo's, coming on the road. His first loss was in 2022, to former Naoya Inoue opponent Antonio Nieves, and the second was last year to Andrew Moloney, both by decision, and both above Super Flyweight. Given the hunger of both men, and the fact both will know the OPBF title helps secure world title fights, we’re expecting a really special bout here, in what might be the Asian fight of the day. The main event isn’t the only interesting bout on this card. Another will see unbeaten puncher Roderick Bautista (6-0, 5) go up against the once beaten Arvin John Sampaga (8-1-1, 3) in a 10 rounder. Bautista, dubbed The Bone Crusher, is a 19 year old with nasty power who is living up to his moniker and quickly putting together a solid resume early in his career. In just 6 bouts Bautista has won the OBF Youth Light Flyweight title, taken 2 unbeaten records, had a completed 8 rounder, and either stopped, or dropped, every opponent he's faced. As for Sampaga he's 26 years old has done a completed 8 rounds on 4 different occasions, and bounced back by going 2-0-1 since losing to Lorenz Dumam-ag in 2023, who has since claimed the WBO Oriental Flyweight title albeit in controversial fashion against Ramel Macado Jr. As with the main event this should be really interesting and a very good chance to see whether Bautista can be fast tracked beyond regional level or not. A third bout of note on this show will see Benny Canete (11-2, 8) take on former world title challenger Edward Heno (16-5-6, 6). The 24 year old Canete, dubbed The bull, is an aggressive Southpaw. He's lost 2 of his last 6, losing to domestic foes Kenneth Llover and Noli James Maquilan, but is very much a young fighter who's fan friendly and the losses are unlikely to see him change his in ring mentality. Notably he has two solid domestic wins, over Renoel Pael and Jun Blazo, but a win over Heno would be his biggest, by far. Heno is best known for his 2009 bout with Elwin Soto, for the WBO Light Flyweight title. Despite losing a close decision to Soto it seemed like Heno would cement himself as a top contender for years to come, having given Soto a real test. Sadly however Heno has gone 2-4-1 since that bout, and moved through the weights fighting as high as 124lbs, and falling well out of world title contention. He's still tough, skilled and talented but under-sized, under-powered and as we saw against Toshiya Ishii in July, he's not as capable of taking shows at Bantamweight and Super Bantamweight as he was at Light Flyweight.  The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines
The most notable of three Asian shows this coming Saturday takes place in the Philippines, where we see a battle between two former world title contenders, along with two notable prospects. The former world title challengers are actually facing off as former WBO Flyweight title challenger Giemel Magramo (25-2, 20) takes on former WBC Minimumweight title challenger Jerry Tomogdan (29-12-4, 15). The talented Magramo was unfortunate in his world title fight to come up against the sensational Junto Nakatani, who really was levels above him and schooled him before securing an 8th round TKO. That loss was a one sided one, but Magramo is still a legitimate contender at 112lbs and we wouldn't be surprised to see him mixing it at world level again. As for Tomogdan it feels much like his career is coming to an end, and he's been stopped in his last 2 bouts, very early in both bouts, and hasn't scored a win in well over 2 years. This should be a show case for Magramo and little else. Another Magramo on this show is the once beaten Arvin Magramo (13-1-1, 9), who will be seeking a 5th straight early win as he takes on Ronald Alapormina (5-3-3, 2), who is 2-2-2 in his last 6 dating back 2017. Magramo has been scoring decent domestic wins, beating the likes of Jake Amparo, Francis Jay Diaz and Jerry Francisco, and should be strongly favoured to pick up a victory here. Another promising fighting on this show is the unbeaten Albert Francisco (5-0, 3), who is returning to the ring after more than 2 years out. Given his long lay off we can't really complain that he's being matched softly here, and will be up against Justine Polido (4-4-1, 3), who has lost his last 2 and is without a win since 2017, when he beat the then 0-3 Emil Ferran. Max Muaythai Stadium, Pattaya, Thailand In Thailand we're set for a pretty interesting card, with a mix of notable names and low level title bouts. One of the notable names on this show is once beaten Indonesian fighter Hebi Marapu (16-1, 12), who takes on Thai veteran Pipat Chaiporn (47-13-2, 30), aka Mike Tawatchai. The heavy handed Marapu was upset in 2021 when he last to Hero Tito, but has bounced back since then with a recent win in Switzerland, and will be looking to build on that here. As for Tawatchai the bout will be his first since a 2019 win over Keerati Rueangdet, and it's fair to question just what the 36 year old has to offer here. For winner of this the WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental Lightweight will be the reward, and it is, admittedly, a very lowly regarded title. In a bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental title we'll see Thai based Kiwi Nort Beauchamp (19-5, 3) face off with the limited Chaiwat Buatkrathok (37-6, 25), in a bout that really shouldn't be as competitive as it looks on paper. Chaiwat, also known as Kongfah Nakornluang,has an incredibly padded record and he loses when he faces fighters of any note, including limited Indonesian Jefrey Kakuhe who beat him in May. Whilst Beauchamp is no world beater he should be far, far too good for his man here, and should take a very comfortable victory, likely by decision. Also involved in title action will be Thai based French puncher Emmeric Dewaele (5-0, 5), who takes on Thailand's Thoedsak Sinam (16-8, 13) in a bout for the WBA Asia Super Middleweight title. So far Dewaele has taken out all 5 of his foes in a combined 21 rounds, whilst picking up two minor title, in fact he won those minor titles last time out with a come from behind TKO win over Apisit Sangmuang. Sinam on the other hand is something of a win some lose some fighter, who has moved through the weights and had very mixed success. Among the more notable names he's faced as Phoobadin Yoohanngoh and Nihito Arakawa, and to consider him a natural Super Middleweight would be very, very wrong. We suspect Sinam wil be too small and too under-powered here. Another battle between Indonesian fighters and Thai's will see hard hitting Indonesian fighter Jon Jon Jet (10-1, 8) take on unbeaten Thai 15 year old Surat Eaim ong (5-0-1, 2). Jet is will be fighting for the first time since a brutal TKO1 loss to Luke Boyd, back in November 2019, and prior to that he had been reeling off early wins back home in Indonesia. As for Surat debuted last November and this will be his 7th boxing bout in a little under 8 months! Despite being active this is very notable a big step up for him, but a win will push him towards a regional title fight of some kind. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan We also get a somewhat low key show in Tokyo, as we get the next card under the A Sign Bee banner. The card is certainly not a huge one, but it does have 3 bouts worthy of note on it. The main event is an interesting looking 8 rounder as the light punching, but aggressive, Ryuya Nihei (7-2-1, 1) takes Mugicha Nakagawa (24-8-2, 14), who is looking to bounce back from a loss to Ryo Akaho earlier this year. This has the potential to be a genuinely thrilling action bout, and a fun back and forth brawl if Nihei can drag Nakagawa into his type of fight. Sadly though there is also a real risk it ends up being an ugly stinker, like Nakagawa's bout with Akaho. Aged 24 Nihei does have the potential to mix it up on the domestic title scent in the coming years, and showed his potential last time out, when he beat the well liked Tom Mizokoshi, bit this is very much a step up in class for him. Arguably the most notable name on this card is model-boxer Tomomi Takano (12-5, 8) , who created a lot of buzz early in her career for her looks and did manage to twice fight for world titles. The tall, rangy and charismatic Takano has come up short in her most notable bouts so far, and at the age of 35 it's hard to know what desire she still has to make a name for herself as an actual boxer, rather than as a bit of a gimmick. Sadly her bout on this show is unlikely to tell us anything new about her, as she takes on limited 37 year old Ai Sugimoto (3-3, 2), who was stopped for the third time in her career this past March Makoto Kikuchi. The other bout on this card worthy of note is the debut of Kento Uchigamae (0-0), who went 39-22 in the amateurs. He debuts in a good looking 6 rounder as he takes on the fun to watch Ren Anzai (6-4-1, 2), in what could well be a very, very entertaining 6 round round war. Last time out Anzai scored a really solid win over Fuya Tomita, and will be looking to build on that win here, whilst Uchigamae will be looking to showcase what he learned in the amateurs Airport Hilton, Miami, Florida, USA As well as the action in Asia, we'll also get an Asian fighter in action in Florida, as the unbeaten Mekhrubon Sanginov (12-0-1, 9), a US based Tajik fighter, takes on Colombian puncher Janer Gonzalez (20-4-1, 16). The 26 year old Sanginov has won his last 5, following a draw in 2019 with Fred Wilson Jr, and has stopped 4 of those 5. Whilst that sounds good, it's worth noting that he has been facing decent competition and has been quietly making a name for himself. As for Gonzalez, he has actually lost 4 of his last 5, though they have come against some very good fighters, and sadly he only has a single win to his name since 2018. At his best Gonzalez would be a live under-dog, but now aged 35 with inactivity and poor form, it's very hard to see him posing a real test for Sanginov.  Wadong Gymnasium, Ansan, South Korea
The main card this coming Saturday comes from South Korea where we get an excellent card featuring a female world title fight, two minor regional title fights and several promising prospects. The main event of the show will see WBO female Minimumweight champion Etsuko Tada (20-3-3, 7) defending her title, for the first time, against mandatory challenger Thi Thu Nhi Nguyen (4-0, 1) of Vietnam. This champion won the title in spectacular fashion, knocking out Ayaka Miyao, but has at 40 years old and with just 3 fights since the start of 2019 it's hard to know what she has left, especially given how hard her career has been and how many wars she has been involved in. At her best Tada was one of the elite female fighters in the lower weights, but those years are well past her by now. Nguyen made her debut in 2015, but only really started taking the sport seriously as a professional in 2019, scoring 3 wins before the pandemic pretty much paused her career in early 2020. She has been lined up for a world title fight for well over a year, but due to the pandemic was unable to face Ayaka Miyao or Tada for the belt, and has had to wait until now for this opportunity. That has left her out of the ring for over 18 months. A full preview of this bout can be read here Tada travels to defend against Nguyen The more notable of two WBO Oriental title bouts will see the world ranked Olimjon Nazarov (25-5, 14) defending his regional title against once beaten Filipino challenger Michael Mendoza (11-1-2, 4). The 35 year old champion is knocking on the door of a WBO world title fight, however he is ancient for a Flyweight, at 35, and he lacks the profile which would help him get a shot at the top. Notably he has aged well and is currently riding a 12 fight winning run coming into this bout. Mendoza is a relative unknown outside of Asia, but he has shown plenty to like and looked very impressive in his 2019 win over Kento Yabusaki, which is the only other time he's fought outside of the Philippines. He will go in to this as the under-dog, but is the much younger man, and knows that he has nothing to lose and everything to win. Expect to see Mendoza using his speed and movement, and Nazarov looking to use power and experience. A second WBO Oriental title fight will be held at Minimumweight and see Vietnam's Minh Phat Sam (7-3, 5) take on former world title challenger ArAr Andales (12-2, 4), from the Philippines. Of the two men Andales is the more well known, having given Knockout CP Freshmart a tough test in 2019, but he has struggled since than win and is only 2-1 since losing to Knockout more than 3 years ago. He's certainly a talent but his career has lost all momentum in recent years. Phat on the other hand is is a man who struggled early on in his career, but is 7-1 in his last 8, albeit against very low level competition. This bout is a chance for Phat to make a name for himself, but he will be a a very clear under-dog. In other bouts on this card we'll see once beaten Uzbekistani prospect Abdurasul Ismoilov (8-1, 5) clash with Korean fighter Moo Hyun Kim (8-1, 4), in what looks like a fantastic 50-50 style bout whilst unbeaten Uzbekistani puncher Abdulazizbek Najmiddinov (7-0, 6) takes on Sung Hun Kim (1-4), in what should be an easy win for Najmiddinov The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines As well as the show in South Korea we also have an interesting card in the Philippines, headlined by an excellent regional title bout, and also featuring a strong of notable names on the under-cards. The main event will see former world title challenger Giemel Magramo (24-2, 20) look to bounce back from his 2020 loss to Junto Nakatani as he takes on Jayr Raquinel (12-1-1, 9), in a bout for the vacant OPBF Flyweight title. The talented and heavy handed Magramo was made to look third rate against Nakatani and will be looking to avoid another loss here, though with a lot of inactivity and his confidence likely to be at a low point following that loss it's hard to know just what he'll be like here. Raquinel, a former OPBF Flyweight champion, is a man who has been easy to over-look, but is a very live fighter with solid power and no fear of fighting as the under-dog. Sadly Raquinel has fought just twice since the start of 2019, and is horribly inactive, but the 24 year old southpaw will know a win gets his career back on track. This could be a very, very exciting bout and is one of the best all-Filipino match ups of 2021. Our in depth preview of this one can be read here Magramo and Raquinel battle for OPBF honours! The chief support bout will be another bout as another member of the Magramo clan, this time Arvin Magramo (12-1-1, 8), takes on the once beaten Jerry Francisco (9-1, 2) for the lightly regarded WBO Oriental Light Flyweight title. The talented Magramo has bounced back well since suffering a split decision loss to Garen Diagan back in 2018, winning 4 bouts in a row to get his career back in track. Incidentally Francisco's only loss has also come to Diagan, losing a technical decision to Diagan in 2019. Since that loss Francisco has bounced back with two wins, but they have come at a very low level and he should, really enter this bout as the under-dog Another man who came up short in a world title bout is Juan Miguel Elorde (28-2, 15) , who is best known for losing to Emanuel Navarrete in 2019. The once touted Elorde, who is Flash Elorde's grandson, will be fighting for the first time since losing to Navarrete and should be picking up a very, very easy win as he takes on Aroel Romasasa (11-9, 5). Although not world class, or even close to it, Elorde is a solid and decent fighter whilst Romasasa is man who has lost his last 8, hasn't win since 2010 and hasn't fought since 2016, and that's not likely to change here. Another former world title challenger on this card is Jonathan Taconing (28-4-1, 22), who fights for the first time since being stopped in 2019 by Kenshiro Teraji. The hard hitting 34 year old south paw is now likely past his best, but should still have far, far too much for 38 year old journeyman Albert Alcoy (15-28-8, 5), who is 1-14-3 in his last 18 bouts! Taconing is unlikely to get another world title fight, but he should get a win here. Ghani Sports Football Club, Karachi, Pakistan We're set to get a show from Pakistan, albeit at a much, much lower level, as Pakistani boxing continues its slow and gradual domestic development. The proof of how lacking the Pakistani domestic scene currently is can be seen in the fact the card is set to feature a bout between Shahir Afridi (2-0-1) and Haroon Khan (1-3, 1), who clash for the national Middleweight title. Afridi, struggled to a win last time out and has never beaten anyone with a win to their name, whilst Khan's last fight was a loss at Welterweight. Fingers crossed the domestic scene improves as this sort of a "title fight" does little to help the Pakistani scene. Also on the card will be the unbeaten Taimoor Khan (3-0, 2), a very rare Pakistani Heavyweight hopeful who is looking to step up into an 8 rounder for the first time and battle for the Pakistan national Heavyweight title. Sadly however no opponent has been named at the time of writing, suggesting that his opponent will not be a notable one, or a testing one. Again not a great way to crown a national champion.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
At Korakuen Hall this coming Friday we get a very interesting card thanks to Teiken, who have managed to give us a real mix of things on a very nice looking card. The main event is a bout that has been on and offer more often this year than our socks, though we are so glad that it is is now on and sorted. The bout in question is the match up between once beaten Filipino Giemel Magramo (24-1, 20) and unbeaten Japanese fighter Junto Nakatani (20-0, 15), who vie for the vacant WBO Flyweight. The title became vacant earlier this year, when Kosei Tanaka moved up in weight, and was supposed to see a new champion crowned several times, however the on going situation, and travel issues, kept pushing it back, and back. Thankfully Magramo was able to travel to Japan in October, do his isolation, and leave us here, now, on the verge of this brilliant match up. A full, in depth, preview of this bout can be read here Old fashioned fine tuning and the quick study: Giemel Magramo versus Junto Nakatani In a fantastic chief support bout we'll see second generation fighter Juiki Tatsuyoshi (13-0, 9) take on the fast tracked Kazuhiro Imamura (2-0, 1). Although not the fighter his father, Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, was it's fair to say that Juiki Tatsuyoshi is developing well and is actually becoming a very solid fighter in his own right. Imamura on the other hand is a relative unknown in many ways, but but has looked solid in his two previous pro bouts and will know that a win here will open the door for a Japanese title fight in the near future. This is not a big fight, by any stretch, but it is a very interesting one between two unbeaten men looking to move their career's forward. In another supporting bout we'll see Junpei Tsujimoto (6-2-3, 4) take on the big punching Daiki Ogura (4-3-1, 4). Last time out Tsujimoto was stopped by Nath Nwachukwu in 2 rounds and will now be looking to bounce back from that set back. He will be backed heavily against the hard hitting, but very beatable, Ogura. We suspect this will really will be about rebuilding Tsujimoto's confidence, and little more.  Suzhou, China
The first major show of the new year takes place in China this coming Saturday, and it really is a great show with several bouts of note, in what will see 4 different title bouts taking place. The main event is a fantastic match up between unbeaten Chinese Flyweight Wenfeng Ge (11-0, 6) and once beaten Filipino Giemel Magramo (22-1, 18), who will be fighting for the WBO International Flyweight title, with Ge making his first defense of the tite. So far Ge has scored notable wins over Amnat Ruenroeng and Ivan Soriano, and looked solid, but at the age of 31 will know he can't afford a loss. Magramo on the other hand looks like a star in the making, and his sole defeat was a razor thin one in Korea to Muhammad Waseem. Since his loss Magramo has reeled off 5 stoppage wins and looks to be a fighter intent on making a statement. This really could be a brilliant way to break in the new year. A preview of this fantastic clash can be read here -Ge and Magramo look to begin year with mouth watering match up! Another fantastic match up will see Chinese Light Flyweight Jing Xiang (15-4-2, 3) take on Thai veteran Kompayak Porpramook (59-6, 40) for the WBC silver Light Flyweight. The 28 year old Chinese fighter will be making his first defense of the title, which he last September when he defeated Merlito Sabillo, and he'll be looking to record an 8th straight win. Porpramook, best known for his wars with Adrian Hernandez and Koki Eto, is now 36, but showed he was still a capable fighter last year, when he defeated Pongsaklek Sithdabnij in the first of two bouts. The winner of this will be in the world title mix, but it's hard to see where the loser goes. A preview of this bout can be read here - Chinese novice Jing Xiang takes on Thai veteran Satorn China's Jian Wang (7-1, 2) will be looking for his 6th straight win as he takes on Korean visitor Sung Young Yang (6-2-4, 3) in a bout for the WBO Oriental Youth Super Bantamweight title. The Chinese fighter looks to be in good form on paper, but his competition during his winning run has been poor, and his only real win of note came back in November 2015, when he beat the then debuting Wulan Tuolehazi. Yang is a 22 year old Korean fighter who has won his last 4, and is unbeaten in his last 6, though like Wang he's untested and a win here would be the biggest of his career, The other title bout on this card pits unbeaten men against each other, as local hopeful Xiang Li (3-0, 2) faces off with Filipino Ryan James Racaza (10-0, 6) in a contest for the WBO Oriental Youth Lightweight title. The local novice debuted back in November 2016 but hasn't been particularly active in a pro ring, avoiding the ring through 2017 and only fighting once on 2018. Despite the inactivity Li is regarded highly as a prospect and a win here would be huge proof of his ability. Racaza isn't one of the more well known prospects in the Philippines but the 22 year old southpaw has scarcely lost a round since his debut and has already stopped both Jayar Estremos and Junar Adante. Racaza looks like one to watch, and a win here, on his international debut, would be a potential statement of intent. Although neither man in this bout is well known, this is a very interesting match up. Ifugao, Philippines In the Philippines we'll see the unbeaten Roy Nagulman (6-0-1, 4) battle against experienced journeyman Albert Alcoy (15-27-8, 5), in what should serve as little more than a record padding win for Nagulman, who is just 17 and really shouldn't be rushed. The 35 year old Alcoy has been stopped 16 times, and has just 1 win since the start of 2013, despite that he is actually a step up for Nagulman.  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).  This coming Sunday is a relatively busy day in Asia, with a pair of shows in bot Philippines and Japan. Metro Manila, Philippines The most interesting card, for us at least, is in Metro Manila where Elorde will be putting on a card. The main event of this card sees the excellent Giemel Magramo (20-1, 16) take on the once beaten Michael Bravo (13-1, 6) in a bout for the vacant WBO Oriental Flyweight title, and a chance to take a huge step towards getting a potential world title fight. Magramo is the better known fighter and has scored a two of notable wins since losing a very close decision to Muhammad Waseem in late 2016. Magramo world class potential in that loss and could thrust himself into the world title picture with a win here. For Bravo the bout is a huge step up in class, though he is riding an 8 fight winning run coming in to this and has won both PBF and MinProBA titles in his last 2 bouts, showing he is in really good form and very confident. Another bout on this card will see the unbeaten Casey Morton (6-0-3, 1) battle Thai foe Nongmuay Kokietgym (13-3-3) in a female bout. The unbeaten Morton, who is based in the US, will be having her third successive fight in Asia and this is a step up for her. The Thai is a multi-time former world title challenger and is a very credible foe, despite her total lack of punching power. Davao del Sur, Philippines A second Filipino show, courtesy of Pacquiao Promotions will take place in Davao del Sur. The main event here will be a Filipino Welterweight title fight, as Jayar Inson (15-1, 10) takes on Romeo Jakosalem (18-16-1, 10). The bout sees two former regional title holders facing off in what should be a bit of a slugfest. Of the two fighter Inson is the younger and more promising fighter, with the 27 year old Southpaw being a brutal puncher, as we saw in his demolition job against Ryota Yada for the WBO Asia Pacific Welterweight title. Despite only being 29 years old Jakosalem has had a very hard career and already looks a bit shot, as shown by the fact he has been stopped 10 times in total, including 3 of those in his last 3 bouts. Inson will be strongly favoured here and should be able to stop Jakosalem and move towards bigger and better fights. The rest of this card is pretty weak in all honesty, but will feature a host of promising fighters in mismatches. Those fighters include Joel Lino (8-0-1, 2), Rene Mark Cuarto (14-1, 8), Vincent Astrolabio (10-1, 7) and Jerry Francisco (2-0), who should all be adding to their win column against some horribly over-matched opposition. Aichi, Japan The most notable the two Japanese cards will take place in Aichi and will feature a Japanese youth title fight along with a bout between two OPBF ranked fighters. The youth title fight will see Japanese Youth Super Bantamweight champion Takuya Mizuno (13-1-1, 11) defending his title against Daiki Maniwa (6-1-1, 4), in what will be Mizuno's second defense of the belt. The champion won the title last August and defended it in December, taking split decision in both of those bouts. Although a powerful puncher it does seem like Mizuno's power isn't carrying up to level and he could well be dragged into another tough bout by Maniwa. The challenger is a bit of an unknown, though he has won his last 6, with his win last November against Yo Konomura being a career best. In a battle between OPBF ranked fighters we'll see Super Bantamweight contender Ruito Saeki (7-1, 1) take on Bantamweight veteran Eita Kikuchi (21-5-4, 8). Aged 19 Saeki is a promising youngster who's only loss was in the West Japan Rookie of the Year final in 2016, and since then he has bounced back with 3 wins to work his way into the OPBF rankings. The 32 year old Kikuchi is a former OPBF title challenger, have challenger Shingo Wake for the OPBF Super Bantamweight title back in June 2013. Since losing to Wake Kikuchi has gone 7-2 (2), though was stopped last time out by Yusuke Suzuki in a Japanese Bantamweight title eliminator, and may well be feeling the after effects of his third stoppage loss. Fukuoka, Japan In Fukuoka fans will see Japanese ranked Bantamweight Hideo Sakamoto (17-4-4, 5) look to get his career back on track as he takes on Takaaki Kanai (8-7, 4). Back in early 2015 Sakamoto looked well on his way to getting a Japanese title fight, thanks to wins over Hiroki Shiino and Ryoichi Tamura, sadly though he has gone 1-3-2 since then and is clearly faltering with his career, and needs a win to give his career one more shot in the arm. Kanai shouldn't put up much of a test for Sakamoto, given he has fought at a far lower level and struggled a lot in recent bouts, but the pressure is on Sakamoto to perform, and make sure he does more than just get the win.  This coming Saturday is set to be a hectic day with a lot of action as we continue to race towards Christmas!
Tecamac, Mexico In many ways the most significant bout to include an Asian this coming Saturday comes from Mexico where former world champion Nana Yoshikawa (7-2, 4) resurfaces, to take on the limited Delia Lopez (10-6-2, 5) for the WBC Female interim Flyweight title. For Yoshikawa a loss is likely to be the end of her career, and it would be a huge disappointment given her amateur background. Lopez however is a less than great opponent and should pose little threat for the Japanese fighter. Hyogo, Japan Staying on the theme of Japanese fighters there is also a low key card in Hyogo, thanks to Senrima Kobe. The main event of the card will see 2-time world title challenger Teiru Kinoshita (25-2-1, 8) take on a Thai foe in what is expected to be little more than a confidence builder for Kinoshita. The Japanese fighter was last seen in action this past July when he was stopped by Jerwin Ancajas in Australia, and it's clear that he's not going to win a world title. Despite that it's good to see him back in the ring, and hopefully he'll be moved towards an OPBF title fight in 2018. Another notable Japanese fighter on this card is Ryoki Hirai (9-4-1, 4), who sadly will also be facing a less than testing Thai foe. The talented Hirai has a misleading record, and is much better than the numbers suggest, as shown by recent wins over Takumi Sake and Ryoya Ikema. Although this bout is a step backwards for Hirai it should be noted that he was injured earlier in the year and this looks like an easy run out to test how he's recovered. The most interesting bout on this card will see Japanese ranked fighters collide as Giraffe Kirin Kanda (10-2, 6) battles Mitsuyoshi Fujita (10-3, 3). Coming in to this Kanda is on a 4 fight winning streak, including a big win over Ukyo Yoshigai, and looks to be slowly but surely working his way to a domestic title fight. Whilst Kanda is in good form the same can't be said or Fujita, who was stopped last time out by Koki Inoue, though prior to that loss he had been on an 8 fight winning run and is a live fighter here in what looks like a genuine 50-50 match up. Zhongshan, China For a second day running there will be action in Zhongshan, with several titles on the line. One of those titles will be the WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver Super Featherweight title, which will see Filipino Joe Noynay (12-2-1, 4) battle against Chinese fighter Yongcai Liu (6-4-3, 3). Noynay was last seen losing in a very competitive contest to Reiya Abe, in what was his second loss in 4 bouts, but he should be favoured here. The local has won hist last two against veterans, but a win here would be a surprise given that he is stepping up quite notably here. A second bout for a WBC Asian Boxing Council title will be at Super Middleweight and will see once beaten Chinese puncher Ainiwaer Yilixiati (11-1, 9) take on Georgian foe Tornike Gikashvili (15-7-1, 3). For Yilixiati this bout will be his second since losing to OPBF champion Jayde Mitchell back in August, and it's hard to see anything but a win for the aggressive Chinese slugger. The 20 year old visitor has gone 1-5 in his last 6, including 4 stoppage losses, and it's hard to imagine him lasting the distance here. Another bout at Super Middleweight will see Zulipikaer Maimaitiali (9-1-1, 7) take on Pavel Semjonov (21-7-2, 8), in a non-title bout. The exciting Maimaitiali will be fighting for the second time since his very close loss to Vijender Singh in August and he will be looking to make a statement here. The visitor, from Estonia, may be recognisable to European fight fans, as he has fought a variety of notable fighters, but regularly comes up short in performance that show his toughness. We're expecting to see Maimaitiali win, and if so we can hopefully move towards a bout between him and the aforementioned Yilixiati. Metro Manila, Philippines The most significant of three shows in the Philippines takes place in Metro Manila and features a trio of title bouts, along with a scattering of other notable fighters. One of those title bouts will see the promising Ernesto Saulong (21-2-1, 8) battle against countryman Renan Portes (10-5, 6) for the IBF Pan Pacific Bantamweight title. Coming in to this Saulong has won his last 3, and rebuilt well following his 2015 loss to Lwandile Sityatha. On paper Portes looks the much lesser fighter, and his loss to Hayate Kaji earlier this year does show he can be blasted out, but Portes will know this is a big opportunity and hopefully he looks to take it with both hands. A second title bout, for the OPBF Silver Light Flyweight title will see the once beaten Ivan Soriano (16-1-1, 8) take on the upset minded Jaysever Abcede (15-7, 10). Coming in to this Soriano is riding a 12 fight winning run, dating back to 2010, though he has taken a significant break from action during that run and has fought only 4 rounds in the last 4 years. Abcede is best known for a 2015 upset win over Pigmy Kokietgym, though has only gone 5-4 since then and lost to the likes of Tsubasa Koura and Wanheng Menayothin. This could be a really intriguing match up, though it does look like one that Soriano should pick up the win in. A third title bout, and by far the weakest on the card, will see Danny Tampipi (7-8-2, 4) battle Noel Adelmita (13-11-2, 2) for the PBF Super Bantamweight title. We'll be honest and admit we really are struggling to get excited about this one with both fighters being out of form and neither likely to really shine here. Other fighters on this card include Mark Anthony Barriga (7-0, 1), Jerald Daniega (11-0, 8), Richard Claveras (18-3-2, 15) and AJ Banal (34-2-1, 23), all of whom are expected to pick up straight forward wins against over-matched foes. Barriga and Daniega are two real prospects with genuine potential, whilst Claveras and Banal are both aggressive and exciting and aggressive fighters who should be looking to make statements. Metro Manila, Philippines A second Filipino show in Metro Manila will take place, though to much less fan fare than the one above. The most notable bout on the card is a huge mismatch between Cris Paulino (14-3, 4) and Roy Lagrada (3-18-1, 3). The talented Paulino is the much better fighter here, despite losing successive bout to Koki Eto and Vic Darchinyan, though has taken 2 years out of the ring and will be looking to ease himself back into action against the over-matched Lagrada. This show will also feature the once beaten Giemel Magramo (19-1, 15), who looks to secure his third win since a close and competitive loss to Muhammad Waseem back in November 2016. Sadly at the time of writing Magramo's opponent hadn't been announced. Cebu, Philippines There will also be a small card in Cebu. The main event of the card will see the heavy handed Jayar Aliasot (6-1, 5) take on domestic foe Carlo Demecillo (8-4, 2). Aliasot is stepping up big time here, but will feel his power can do a number on Demecillo, like Satoshi Shimizu's did last December, and that he can get the lighter punching man out of there. As for Demecillo the game plan will be able dragging his man into the later rounds, and out working him, showing the toughness that gave Hisashi Amagasa problems in October 2016. Also on this card is a very interesting looking match up between 32 year old Clyde Azarcon (10-1, 4) and 21 year old Royder Lloyd Borbon (5-1-1, 5). Coming in to this Azarcon has won his last 9, but the competition during that run tells us very little about how good he is and none of the opponents had records to suggest they were really going to be tests. Borbon on the other hand will come in on the back of 3 stoppages, and will be looking to score his best win to date here. This should tell us a lot about both men. Brovari, Ukraine In Ukraine we see a Filipino fighter go to the Lion's den to face one of the more over-looked Ukrainian fighters of recent times. The Ukrainian in question is the outstanding Denys Berinchyk (7-0, 4), who was a Silver medal winner at the 2011 World Amateur championships and the 2012 Olympics. In the opposite corner to the Ukrainian will be once beaten Filipino Allan Vallespin (11-1, 8), who was stopped in his only bout outside of the Philippines by a thunder bolt from current Japanese Super Featherweight champion Masaru Sueyoshi. Vallespin could test Barinchyk but it's hard to imagine him getting a win here. Hauts-de-Seine, France We have another bout involving a Filipino in France, as local prospect Nordine Oubaali (12-0, 9) takes on the highly experienced Filipino Mark Anthony Geraldo (34-7-3, 15) in a bout for the WBC “Silver” Bantamweight title. The talented Oubaali is a 2-time Olympian who was once tipped for big things, but at 31 years old it does seem like now or never for him. Aged 26 Geraldo has been able to be a busy professional and has shown real touches of brilliance, but has never quite managed to put on a full performance at the higher levels. Coming in to this Geraldo is 3-3, including a loss to Takuma Inoue, and although he could give Oubaali a good test, it would be regarded as a real upset if Geraldo picked up the win. Quebec, Canada In Canada we see one of the most exciting prospects from Kazakhstan in action. That man is the heavy handed Batyrzhan Jukembayev (10-0-0-2, 9), who takes a credible step up in class to take on 22 year old American Wilberth Lopez (20-8, 14). The hard hitting Jukembayev does look like a destructive force and is carving out a promising career in Canada but does need to win here to continue that run. Lopez will come in as the opponent but he will be a very live one. He has gone the distance with decent prospects, like Alex Saucedo, Ivan Baranchyk and Juan Ruiz, whilst also proving he can score the odd upset, as he did against Jose Roman. This is not likely to be a walk in the park for the Canadian based Kazakh.  Hiroshima, Japan
There is only one show in Japan this coming Sunday. The main event of the card will see under-rated Filipino Rolly Sumalpong (10-2-1, 4) return to Japan for the first time since losing his unbeaten record to Ken Shiro. The Filipino youngster will be up against Japanese veteran Koji Itagaki (17-11-2, 7) in what looks like a really intriguing fight. Sumalpong is a real talent, but has lost 2 of his last 3 and needs a win of note now. Itagaki has mixed at a high level, but has lost in recent contests to Rey Loreto and Kenichi Horikawa, and will be hoping to use that experience here. In an under-card bout of interest we'll see Taiyo Inoue (6-3-1, 4) face the experienced but light hitting Kenta Sugimoto (11-10-1, 1) in a good looking bout that won't set pulses racing, but should be a good fight all the same. Metro Manila, Philippines In the Philippines we have two shows, though very few bouts of actual note. Although the bouts aren't big one of the bouts will see the very promising Giemel Magramo (17-1, 13) battle against John Rey Lauza (13-13-4, 6), in what should be an easy win for the once beaten man. Last year we saw Magramo suffer a narrow loss to Muhammad Waseem, and he should bounce back with a win here. Bohol, Philippines The other Filipino show is very unexciting. One of the main bouts will see Richard Rosales (11-4-2, 6) battle domestic journeyman Rey Morano (9-50-2, 1) whilst another will see the unbeaten Roldan Sasan (2-0, 1) face professional loser Reynaldo Buluan (3-12-2, 1). Chengdu, China In China we get a bizarrely interesting looking bout between two men who could, in all fairness, be called professional losers. The bout will pit local veteran Xinghua Wang (12-14-1), one of the most experienced fighters in Chinese boxing, up against Japan's Ken Achiwa (11-11-5, 4). Wang is likely to be the fan favourite, but has gone 2-6 in his last 8, and is clearly struggling for form. As for Achiwa he's actually in good form with a 3-0-3 run in his last 6 bouts, dating back more than 3 years. |
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