 Tokyo, Japan
This coming Wednesday attention turns back to the Korakuen Hall where Kawasaki Nitta will be putting on a small but notable show with a Japanese title eliminator and the second bout for a very highly touted novice. The Japanese title fight eliminator will see former champion Hikaru Nishida (17-9-1, 8) battle against 2017 Rookie of the Year Shuji Kato (9-1-1, 6), with the winner set to get a title shot at the title in early 2019. Nishida lost the title earlier this year to Kazuto Takesako, who stopped him in just over 90 seconds, with that loss ending a reign of almost 2 years. Sadly Nishida hasn't fought since that defeat and he's now 18 months removed from a win of note. Kato on the other hand hasn't scored a major win yet, but did win the 2017 Rookie of the Year crown and has gone 7-0-1 since his sole loss, back in 2015. A full preview of this bout can be read here Former champion Nishida takes on Rookie winner Kato! In the only notable supporting bout we'll see the hotly tipped Takuma Takahashi (1-0, 1) take a clear step up in class as he takes on Filipino Joepher Montano (9-3-2, 8). The unbeaten Japanese fighter debuted back in June, when he defeated a Thai visitor in 2 rounds, and this is a clear step up from that bout. Takahashi is regarded as one of the most promising Japanese fighters above 130lbs though we're yet to to see him really face any adversity as a professional. The Filipino isn't a world beater by any stretch, but did give Atchariya Wirojanasunobol a decent test in August and will be hoping to do the same to Takahashi, despite being a very clear under-dog. We're hoping to see Takahashi being asked some new questions here, but we would be very surprised if he didn't come out on top.
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 This coming Saturday we get a world title in the West and we'll also see two very interesting and notable Japanese cards, both taking place in the Kanto region of Japan. New York, USA The world title bout is one of a trio of bouts at Madison Square Garden to feature Asian fighters, in what should be a great chance for a number of fighters to shine. The world title bout will see Kyrgyzstan born Russian based Light Heavyweight Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10) defending his title against once beaten Cuban Sullivan Barrera (21-1, 14). For both men the bout is a major step forward for their career with Bivol facing his most notable opponent to date and Barrera really fighting in a must win, against his second most significant opponent to date,only behind Andre Ward who beat him 2 years ago. The bout pits two top Light Heavyweights against each other, and could well be a very special bout. This card will also feature a pair of Kazakh hopefuls. One of those is Meiirim Nursultanov (5-0, 4), who risks his unbeaten record against Alejandro Torres (9-3-2, 4). Nulrsultanov has looked really good since his debut in late 2016 and will be looking to launch himself up towards the world rankings by the end of 2018, with Torres being his first bout of the year. As for Torres the Mexican 24 year old has proven to be tough and should serve a good test for the Kazakh, who will be hunting his 5th straight stoppage. The other Kazakh on this show will be Madiyar Ashkeyev (8-0, 4), who faces live under-dog Jose Antonio Abreu (13-3, 8). The Kazakh isn't as touted as his aforementioned countryman but is a skilled operator who will be looking to make up for lost time after having fought just once in 2017. Abreu, from the Dominican Republic, has lost 3 of his last 4, all in the US, and will likely come up short again here, though has been matched hard in those losses and is certainly no push over. New York, USA On a separate US card in New York, fans will see Kazakh hopeful Shyngyskhan Tazhibay (5-0, 2) risk his unbeaten record. At the time of writing his opponent hasn't been announced, but it's unlikely to be too much of a step up in class for the unbeaten man. Kanagawa, Japan On paper the Japanese card with the best single bouts take place in Kanagawa on a Kawasaki Nitta promoted card where fans will get two Japanese title fights and another solid support bout. The main event of the card is a Japanese Flyweight title bout between defending champion Masayuki Kuroda (28-7-3, 16) and mandatory challenger Katsunori Nagamine (14-1-1, 10), who meet in a Champion Carnival bout. The champion will be seeking his second defense of the title, and will be expecting a much tougher bout than his last defense, which saw him dominate the limited but entertaining Mako Matsuyama. Nagamine on the other hand will be getting his first title bout, and, on paper, his toughest bout since his sole loss to Ken Shiro. The other title bout is likely to be even better and will see teak tough Japanese Middleweight champion Hikaru Nishida (17-8-1, 8) take on the explosive Kazuto Takesako (7-0, 7) in another of the 2018 Champion Carnival bouts. Nishida has held the title for almost 2 years, but has only managed a single defense, due to an out of the ring accident which forced him out of the ring for a while. Despite the lack of defenses he's a tough, aggressive and exciting champion with a solid mentality and style. Takesako is a talented slugger, and should take the fight to Nishida in a potential war. We are expecting this bout to be a potential Japanese fight of the year and something very special. Also on this card will be the always fun to watch Gakuya Furuhashi (20-8-1, 9), who faces Masashi Kamon (7-2-1, 4) in an 8 rounder. Furuhashi has long been one of the fringe contenders on the domestic scene, and is far better than his record suggests, despite 3 losses in his last 6. Kamon on the other hand began his career 1-2 but has gone on a good run, going 6-0-1 in his last 7. Despite being on a good run Kamon is taking a notable step up in class here. Tokyo, Japan The other Japanese card will be televised on G+ and despite being higher profile in it's coverage it's arguably a lesser card, despite having a number of notable fighters on it. The main event here will see WBO #1 ranked Super Featherweight contender Masayuki Ito (22-1-1, 11) take on under-rated Filipino Vergil Puton (17-9, 8), in a bout which appears to be a world title prelude for Ito. The talented Japanese fighter, a former OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific champion, will be expected to easily over-come Puton but the visitor is no push over, and has asked genuine questions to the likes of Paul Fleming, Ibraham Balla, Shuya Masaki and Ye Joon Kim. Ito should win, but this will be much tough than a public spar for the Japanese fighter. In a really good chief support bout fans will see former Japanese Super Flyweight champion Yohei Tobe (12-2-1, 8) take on Hajime Nagai (15-9-2, 5), with both men risking JBC rankings. Coming into this Tobe is ranked #7 by the JBC and Nagai is ranked #10. Tobe is riding a 4 fight winning run since losing the Japanese title to Sho Ishida, in a very competitive bout back in 2014, and despite issues with activity he is still a top domestic talent. Nagai on the other hand has lost 2 of his last 3, bith technical decisions,but does have under-rated skills, as he's shown against the likes of Yuji Shimizu back in 2016. This should be Tobe's to lose, but is a very good test on paper for the Misako gym fighter. Another support bout will see the often fun to watch Koki Eto (21-4-1, 16) take on Filipino journeyman Marzon Cabilla (16-15-1, 5). Eto is currently riding a 4 fight winning run, albeit against limited competition, since his 2015 loss to Carlos Cuadras. Despite his low level of competition the Japanese fighter is a fringe world class talent, and is well known for his thrilling bouts against the likes of Kompayak Porpramook, Yodmongol Vor Saengthep and Ardin Diale. Cabilla enters this bout in the form of his career, riding a 7 fight winning run, but is stepping back up in class here and is likely to see that run of success come to an end. One other bout of note will see Japanese ranked Light Flyweight Kenji Ono (11-2-1, 6) take on former Japanese Minimumweight contender Masashi Tada (11-5-2, 7). Ono is best known for his up-and-down war with Jun Takigawa from 2016, and has gone 1-1-1 since that bout, suffering an opening round loss to Seigo Yuri Akui in late 2016. He needs a win if he's to move into a title bout. As for Tada he has gone 0-2-1 in his last 3, and over 4 years removed from his last win, however at the age of 28 he does still have time to rebuild his career and a win here would see him move into the JBC rankings.  Tokyo, Japan
For a second day running we get some action at the Korakuen Hall, and we again get a card featuring some notable names on the Japanese domestic scene. Originally the main event of the card was set to see Japanese Middleweight champion Hikaru Nishida (16-8-1, 7) defending his title against Kazuyuki Fukuyama (11-8, 3), Sadly illness has forced Fukuyama out of the contest, and now Nishida will face a Thai visitor instead. The originally made bout did have a little bit of interest, though Nishida was the clear favourite. Sadly the replacement just looks like a stay busy fight for Nishida. In saying that however Nishida has had a string of notable bouts, including a war with Tomohiro Ebisu earlier this year and wins against Makoto Fuchigami, Ratchasi Sithsaithong and Akio Shibata. From what we under-stand the Thai is Vichian K Max Gym (0-1), who was stopped inside a roundby Brandon Lockhart earlier this year, and we expect something similar from Nishida. In a really good supporting bout we'll see the always fun to watch Gakuya Furuhashi (19-8-1, 9) take on Yoshiyuki Takabayashi (9-8, 4). On paper this looks like a mismatch but Takabayashi is much better than his record indicates and Furuhashi has taken so much punishment in recent bouts it's hard to know what he really has left. We'd assume Furuhashi will come out on top but this is no foregone conclusion, with the only guarantee being that this will be action packed. Metro Manila, Philippines In the Philippines fans will get a chance to see a card with an interesting main event between two fighters who are known better for putting up great efforts in losses, rather than their ability to win, but should put on a really good bout against each other. That main event will see the criminally over-looked Vergil Puton (16-8, 8) battle against Eduardo Mancito (15-6-2, 9). Of the two men Puton is the better known, and has given problems to the likes of JR Magboo, Ye Joon Kim, Shuya Masaki and Ibrahim Balla, proving his ability as an “opponent”, who comes to win but just falls short. As for Mancito he has suffered losses to Thong Sithluangphophun, Jelbirt Gomera, Alberto Guevara, Tomas Rojas and Rey Vargas. This should be a really fun, competitive and exciting fight, but we suspect Puton will take home the win. In a supporting bout on this card fans will see Malaysian prospect Aiman Abubakar (5-0, 2) face off with Nestor Junio (1-9-2), in what should be a straight forward win for the unbeaten man. Eastern Cape, South Africa In South Africa we'll see unbeaten Filipino prospect Jhack Tepora (20-0, 15) take on heavy handed South African Lusanda Komanisi (21-3, 18) in a really good match up on paper. The Filipino has long been tipped as one to watch, and has claimed a number of minor titles through his career but hasn't fought away from his homeland yet. As for Komanisi he's shown brutal power in stopping the likes of Mabute Sinyabi and Roli Gasca, but did need a second bout with Gasca to see him off after a very controversial split decision over him in their first bout. This is a really good match up and will see the winner enhancing their standing and taking huge strides towards a world title fight. Arizona, USA In the US fight fans will get the chance to see 2016 Olympic gold medal winner Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (2-0, 1) fighting in the paid ranks for the 3rd time. The talented Uzbek will be up against Mexican tough guy Victor Rosas (9-6, 3), who has only been stopped once in his 15 fight career. The Uzbek was dropped on debut but went on to stop his foe that night and has since added a nice 8 rounds of experience to his record, and is likely to be fast tracked. Although he will be strongly favoured to defeat the upset minded Rosas, he will likely be looking to gain the experience of the later rounds, so don't be surprised to see this one go the distance.  Tokyo, Japan
The month of May is set to be hectic, with notable bouts spread through the coming weeks. The action for the month actually kicks off with a big show it's self, with a Japanese title fight, the return for a popular warrior and a debut of a Vietnamese hopeful. The aforementioned title fight will see Japanese Middleweight champion Hikaru Nishida (15-8-1, 7) battle against interim champion Tomohiro Ebisu (17-4, 17) in what looks set to be a really thrilling bout. Nishida has been inactive since June last year, when he lost the OPBF title to Dwight Ritchie, due to an injury and it's hard to say whether he will still be feeling the ill effects of that injury. Ebisu on the other hand comes into this bout following a thrilling win in December over Makoto Fuchigami. On paper this should be Nishida's pressure against Ebisu's power, and could be a very special way to kick off the month. In a supporting bout we'll see former Japanese Super Bantamweight title challenger Gakuya Furuhashi (18-8-1, 8) return to the ring following his 10th round stoppage loss to Yasutaka Ishimoto last year. The always fun to watch Furuhashi has won just 1 of his last 5 bouts, but should get back to winning ways here, as he takes on the limited and faltering Masajiro Honda (6-8, 4), who has lost his last 3 bouts. A loss here for Furuhashi will likely end his career, which would be a shame, but a win could instantly see him put just a few bouts from a third title fight. Also on the card will be the debut of Nguyen Gok Hai (0-0) from Vietnam, continuing the working relationship between the Kawasaki Nitta gym and Vietnamese boxing. The debutant will be up against Mao Tameda (1-2-1). Although it's hard to know how good Hai is it's fair to say that he wouldn't be invited over to Japan unless Kawasaki Nitta were aware that he was worth having over. This could be a very interesting debut.  Tokyo, Japan
Action again hits A-sign on Wednesday as we get a title double header from the Korakuen Hall. The main event of the card is a 10 round Middleweight bout between reigning Japanese champion Hikaru Nishida (15-8-1, 7) and former world title challenger Makoto Fuchigami (23-11, 14), with the two men not only fighting for the Japanese title but also the WBO Asia Pacific title, making it the third WBO Asia Pacific title bout to be fought for in Japan. This will be the third bout between these two, with Nishida winning their first two, and a loss for Fuchigami will probably be the end of his career. The other tile bout is another WBO Asia Pacific title bout and comes at 130lbs as the teak tough Takuya Watanabe (29-6-1, 15) face Thai puncher Amin Sor Wangmoo (14-1-2, 11). The Thai, making his international debut, has gone 12-0-1 (9) since suffering his sole loss however this ius a big step up for the visitor. The local fighter is as tough as they come and has featured in some great wars, with his bout against Jaesung Lee being a particularly bloody affair, and we're expecting a real fun bout here. In the only notable under-card bout we'll see former world title challenger Masayuki Kuroda (24-7-3, 14) essentially fight for his career. The former Japanese Light Flyweight champion is 3-4-3 in his last 10 but will be hoping to over-come Masashi Odaira (6-6-2, 2) and get some career traction going, Odaira has gone  Tokyo, Japan
For a second day running Japanese fans get title action at the Korakuen Hall, with a notable, albeit small, card. The main event of the card is one of two title bouts and will see OPBF Middleweight champion Hikaru Nishida (15-7-1, 7) battle against unbeaten Australian challenger Dwight Ritchie (13-0-0-4, 1). On paper the bouts looks like one where the title will change hands but Nishida is significantly better than his record suggests, and has gone 9-1 following a frustrating 6-6-1 start his career. Ritchie, fighting outside of Australia for the first time, might be the unbeaten man but he's going to the lion's den to face a very capable champion. In the co-feature we get another title fight as Kimika Miyoshi (12-8-1, 5) battles Kai Johnson (5-9-3, 2) in a bout for the OPBF female Featherweight title. Although a lesser bout than the main event this should be another competitive match up, and a much better one than the records again suggest. A third bout of note on this card sees former Japanese Super Bantamweight title challenger Gakuya Furuhashi (17-7-1, 7) face off against Rokuhei Suzuki (7-6-2, 3). Coming in to this one Furuhashi has gone 3 fights with out a win and it's clear that his team have matched him here to get a confidence building win, which isn't a problem considering it's coming after a bad run  Tokyo, Japan
The boxing year has been slow to get going, not just in Asia but worldwide. Thankfully that has started to change and on March 11th we see the 2016 Champion Carnival kick off with what appears to be a genuinely notable Japanese domestic card. The champions Carnival bout, which is the main event of the show, will see Japanese and OPBF Middleweight champion Akio Shibata (27-8-1, 13) face off against the criminally under-rated Hikaru Nishida (14-7-1, 6), with both of Shibata's titles on the line. The veteran champion is well known as the debut opponent of Ryota Murata, where he was stopped in 2 rounds by the 2012 Olympic champion, but since then he has been reeling off wins at the top of the Japanese domestic scene. The only man in recent times to really push Shibata close was Nishida, when the two men met in 2014, and we expect another very competitive bout here. Of the two men Shibata is the better boxer, in fact he's a very technically capable boxer-mover, however Nishida is a strong, tough pressure fighter who will be in Shibata's face and try to break down the champion. This really could be an excellent way to kick off the Champion Carnival. As well as the main event we also get a trio of notable supporting bouts. One of those features former world title challenger Daiki Kaneko (21-5-3, 14) who makes a move to Lightweight to face Kazuya Soma (7-8-2, 6). The 27 year old Kaneko impressed us in 2013, when he gave Takashi Uchiyama a very tough bout, however two losses last year, including a defeat to Masao Nakamura in a FOTY contender, has left him in need of a win. Soma is limited but is a naturally bigger fighter than Kaneko and could try to use that to his advantage against the former Japanese Super Featherweight champion. Talking of former Japanese champions, former Middleweight champion Tomohiro Ebisu (14-4, 14) returns to the ring to face Toshihiro Kai (5-7-2, 1). This looks to be a mismatch however Ebisu is a “stop of be stopped” fighter and even the light punching Kai has a chance, if he can see out the first few rounds of Ebisu's assault. The former champion has never been the distance and he will be hoping to record his 15th stoppage win here, but he has shown fragility in the past. The third bout of note sees recently OPBF Lightweight title challenger Accel Sumiyoshi (5-4-2, 1) battle Tatsuya Yanagi (11-3-1, 4) in, a rematch between the two men who fought to a draw last year. Coming in to this one the records suggest Yanagi should be favoured however Sumiyoshi is much better than his record indicates and he has been matched ridiculously hard since his debut in 2012, in fact he has fought the reigning Japanese and OPBF Lightweight champions and other title contenders. Whilst Sumiyoshi is better than the numbers suggest Yanagi is in a bit of a rut with a 1-3-1 record in his last 5. This is a bout neither man can really afford to lose. Laos We have also been made aware that there will be a show in Laos. The main event of this card will see Thai veteran Terdsak Kokietgym (59-5-1, 39) [เทอดศักดิ์ สีซุปเปอร์เทคยิม] in a regional title bout whilst another bout on this card will see Laos teenager Nampetch Kwanjaisrikod (8-1, 3) [น้ำเพชร ก่อเกียรติยิม] continue her career. Sad we're unsure who Nampetch and Terdsak will be up against.  Tokyo, Japan
In the main event we see exciting Middleweight Hikaru Nishida (13-7-1, 5) take on Thai visitor Ratchasi Sithsaithong (4-1, 3). Although his record doesn't suggest it Nishida is a genuinely good fighter who has really turned his career around after a 4-5 (1) start and is now probably the #3 Middleweight in Japan, behind Ryota Murata and Akio Shibata. Tough, strong, defensively sound and aggressively exciting Nishida really is one to watch and we suspect he'll show that here against the Thai visitor. Another notable name in action is Akihiko Katagiri (16-8-2, 7) who fights in an intriguing match up against Corrales Kawashimo (7-5-1, 2). Although neither of these two are ranked it shouldn't take away from what should be a very good 8 round contest between two fighters looking to prove themselves, and possibly claim a ranking down the line. A third bout scheduled for 8 rounds will be a female bout between the world ranked Kimika Miyoshi (10-8-1, 5) and the always gutsy Kai Johnson (5-8-3, 2). On paper it's hard to back against Miyoshi who is a former OPBF champion and world title challenger, however Johnson may be driven by revenge, following a loss to Miyoshi just over 4 years ago. It may not be the headline bout but this really could be a very competitive match up between two women each looking to prove a point.  To end the week we get a genuinely busy day with action all across Asia.
Thailand The most notable bout of the day comes from Thailand where we get a WBO Bantamweight title fight between hard hitting Japanese slugger Ryo Akaho (26-1-2, 18) and Thai veteran Punluang Sor Singyu (50-3, 34), who is hoping to become a 2-time world champion. On paper it's hard to bet against Akaho, who is big, strong and hits like a mule, however no Japanese fighter has ever won a world title bout in Thailand and it could well be a case of history repeating it's self here. Also on this show will be two other title bouts. One of those will see Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo (55-2, 36) defending his WBO Asia Pacific Featherweight title as he battles Indonesian visitor Boido Simanjuntak (18-28-1, 7) in what is a clear mismatch. The visitor enters this bout 0-14 on his trips to Thailand whilst Chonlatarn is unbeaten in his homeland and has only lost to world class ighters. The other title bout will see the once beaten Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym (31-1-2, 16) defending his WBO Oriental Flyweight title as he continues to rebuild following his 2014 loss to Chinese star Zou Shiming. Dubai, UAE Whilst the biggest bout of the day is in Thailand the best card is actually in Dubai as ALA return to the oil rich emirate and show case some of their most exciting fighters. The most exciting of the fighters on this card is the unbeaten Super Bantamweight hopeful Albert Pagara (23-0, 16). The 21 year old “Prince” Albert will be defending his IBF Inter-Continental title against Mexican challenger Jesus Rios (31-7-1, 25), who is expected to supper his 8th stoppage loss. Given the ability of Pagara we would like to see him step up in a class but that was never likely on this particular card Albert's older brother Jason Pagara (35-2, 22) will also be in action as he battles Ramiro Alcaraz (15-4-1, 9) in what amounts to a 10 round stay busy contest at a contracted 143lbs. The bout is really little more than a ticking over bout for Pagara who is world ranked by the WBO and could potentially get a world title fight sooner rather than later. One other notable name on this card is Jimrex Jaca (39-8-4, 22) who battles 24 year old foe Pablo Lugo Montiel (21-5, 17). On paper this looks a lot tastier than than the other two major bouts however Montiel has gone 4-4 in his last 8 and going through his record shows that he hasn't scored a win of any real note so far Tokyo, Japan There will also action at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo where fans get the chance to see several crossroad bouts. The most exciting bout on the card will see former Japanese title contenders collide in what is essentially a Japanese title eliminator at 122lbs. In one corner is Gakuya Furuhashi (17-5-1, 7), who was recently held to a draw by current champion Yukinori Oguni, whilst in the other corner will be Yasutaka Ishimoto (25-8, 7), who was narrowly beaten by Oguni last year. This bout may not be one that gets international attention but the winner will be regarded as a fringe contender on the world scene and could well end up getting a national title fight next year before a possible step up to a world title fight at some point. This will be a relatively tactical affair but a very good fight all the same. Another intriguing match up on this card is a rematch of a Japanese Middleweight contest that is a must win for both men. In one corner for this bout is the criminally under-rated Hikaru Nishida (12-7-1, 4) who looks to score his second win over former OPBF and Japanese champion Makoto Fuchigami (21-10, 12), who is best known for his loss in a world title bout to Gennady Golovkin. On paper it's easy to back Fuchigami but in their first meeting Nishida won a unanimous decision and has gone 6-1 in his last 7 whilst Fuchigami has struggled for form with 4 losses in his last 6. On the under-card there are two novices who are expected to receive notable attention. One of those is the unbeaten Kohei Kashino (2-0, 1), who battles Hizuki Saso (4-1), and the other is Riyako Goshi (3-3), who faces Chie Higano (3-3). Kashino is, from what we understand, a highly qualified young man who is attempting to make his name in boxing whilst Goshi is a model known for risque pictures, and always seems to get more attention than her talent deserves. Victoria, Australia We also have two bouts in Australia featuring Asian fighters. The most notable of those fights is a PABA Light Welterweight title fight that sees the talented Czar Amonsot (28-3-3, 17) battle against Indonesian fighter Rusmin Kie Raha (14-7-2, 3). It's hard to see what Raha has to really test Amonsot but the Filipino has everything to lose and nothing to gain from this bout. Another Filipino in action on this card is Roberto Lerio (16-21-1, 6) who looks to upset the unbeaten Ibrahim Balla (7-0, 5) in a bout for the Australian Super Bantamweight title. Lerio, who is based in Australia, is the clear under-dog but will know that a win here will open up some really good opportunities for him in Mexico. (Image courtesy of www.onesongchai.com)  April 24th is a strangely active day with notable fights taking place all over the place. The bouts range from relatively small contests to a “world” title fight in China. Despite the action the day will likely go under the radar for many fans, at least in terms of the Asian fighters.
Beijing, China The biggest bout of the day will be in the Chinese capital at the “Capital Gym” and will see WBA “interim” Light Flyweight champion Randy Petalcorin (22-1-1, 17) defending his belt against unheralded Chinese challenger Ma Yi Ming (12-5, 7). Coming into the bout Petalcorin is a relatively known quantity and looked very good in his title victory last August, when he stopped Walter Tello in 7 rounds. As for Ming this is a relatively undeserved challenge but the Chinese fighter is a lot better than his record indicated will come to fight, possibly leaving himself open to Petalcorin's fast and accurate shots. This could be a potential banana skin for the talented Petalcorin who should move onto bigger fights if he's successful here. On the same card Qu Peng (6-1-1, 4) will be battling against Australian fighter Dane Campbell (3-2, 2). This will be Peng's first bout since losing to Andrew Robinson in Macau last November. Tokyo, Japan In Japan we get a low level card which doesn't leave us too exciting but it does feature some notable fighters, sadly all of which are in relative mismatches. The main event will see the Japanese and OPBF ranked Akihiko Katagiri (16-7-2, 7) facing off against the over-matched Tatsuya Otsubo (7-6-1, 3). Katagiri comes into this bout unbeaten in 5, following a 4th round TKO loss to Jhonny Gonzalez, and will be hoping to continue that type of form as he edges towards a title fight. Whilst Otsubo has a similar run, with 5 straight wins, he has been fighting at a much lower level and this is a massive step up in class for him. In the chief support bout we'll see former OPBF and Japanese Middleweight title challenger Hikaru Nishida (11-7-1, 3) facing off against the debuting Kungsuk Sor Sompong (0-0. Although we know little about Kungsuk we do know that Nishida is a lot, lot better than his record indicates and should have enough in the tank to beat his foe here. A second support bout will see female fighter Kimika Miyoshi (9-8-1, 4) battle against a Thai foe. Miyoshi, who is ranked in the top 10 by the IBF and the WBA at Bantamweight will be hoping to move towards a world title fight though she's unlikely to be able to beat any of the current world champions in or around 118lbs. As well as the 3 bouts mentioned here there will a further 5 bouts. One of those bouts will see Takuya Watanabe (24-5-1, 11) fighting a Thai foe in a 6 round bout. Watanabe, the IBF Asian Featherweight champion, shouldn't have any issues here in what looks like a stay busy fight for a man facing his 5th straight Thai foe. Other bouts will involve qualified accountant Kohei Kashino (1-0, 1) and risique model Riyako Goshi (3-2) who are both involved in 4 rounders with domestic opponents. Thailand In Thailand fans will get the chance to see former WBA "interim" Flyweight champion Yodmongkol Vor Saengthep (35-3, 20)* fight for the second time since being beaten last year by Juan Carlos Reveco. Yodmongkol is set to fight Jopher Marayan (7-5-2, 3) in a bout for the WBA Asia Flyweight title. Whilst other bouts will be on this show we've not been informed of what they are, yet. What we do know is that this show will be aired on Thai channel 7. Metro Manila, Philippines In the Philippines we're expecting to see WBO #1 ranked Super Flyweight Warlito Parrenas (23-6, 20) facing off against Thailand's Kaichon Sor Vorapin (25-13, 9) in a 10 round bout. It seems Parrenas's bout with Jamie Conlan has been cancelled for a second time and Parrenas has decided to stay busy and take a fight at home instead of waiting on the side lines. In the co-feature Recky Dulay (8-1-0-1, 5) will be facing Warren Mambuanag (7-5-2, 3) in what should be a straight forward victory for Dulay who does look like a promising prospect despite already suffering a loss. Others on this bout include the talented Michael Dasmarinas (19-2, 12), who will be in a 6 round bout against a TBA and Jenel Lausa (3-0, 2), who is facing Benjie Baron (2-1) in a 6 rounder. South Africa We get more Filipino action as a couple of Filipino fighters take to South Africa in the search for IBO titles. One of the Filipino's in action is unbeaten Featherweight Randy Braga (15-0-1, 3) who battles the heavy handed Macbute Sinyabi (24-4, 19) in a bout for the IBO Inter-Continental Featherweight title. For Braga this a very risky assignment but at 27 years old it seems the time is now or never to step up. Sinyabi is a vicious puncher but his power doesn't quite seem to have the same effect in recent bouts as it did earlier in his career and if Braga can take his power there maybe a title heading to the Philippines. The other bout is even trickier for the visitor. This one will see Renz Rosia (11-2, 5) battle against the much touted Makazole Tete (12-0-1, 9) in a bout for the IBO Inter-Continental Flyweight title. Tete is the young brother of current IBF Super Flyweight champion Zolani Tete and is said to be better than Zolani, if that's true then Rosia is on to a beating here. On paper Rosia is on a great run with 9 straight wins but he's stepping up massively for this bout and we suspect he'll come up very short against a very good South African. Accra, Ghana Staying in Africa we will also see the heavy handed Joebert Delos Reyes (13-4-1, 10) taking on Emmanuel Tagoe (22-1, 9) in a bout for the WBA Inter-continental Lightweight title. Tagoe will be fighting for the first time in 20 months and whilst his record looks good he has had some luck, including a debatable decision against Ronald Pontillas. Reyes might not be a star in the making but he really can bang and he'll be hoping to show that power here. *Boxrec are missing Yodmongkol's most recent bout against Pongpan Pattanakarngym. |
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