Intex Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
The big card this coming Saturday is a huge one in Osaka, which features two world title bouts, a clash between, a Heavyweight clash, an all-Japanese rematch on the under-card and several notable hopefuls.

The main event is a really intriguing bout as IBF Featherweight champion Angelo Leo (25-1, 12) makes his first defense, as takes on mandatory challenger Tomoki Kameda (42-4, 23), in what feels like a must win for the youngest of the 3 fighting Kameda brothers. Leo, who is a former WBO champion at 122lbs, shocked the boxing world last August when he scored a scary KO win over Luis Alberto Lopez to claim the IBF title. That win showed, in some ways, that he hits much harder than his record suggests, and is also a very skilled, crafty and intelligent fighter, who made Lopez pay for his mistakes. As for Kameda, the 33 year old is pretty much in last chance saloon, and is now fighting at a weight where he really lacks power. He’s very skilled, wonderful to watch, and very sharp, but at Super Bantamweight and now Featherweight he’s not had stopping power, and has to work hard every round, which has seen his stamina being questioned, and sometimes coming up short. We suspect this will start very technically, before Leo’s power and physicality will come into play down the stretch and run away with the bout in the end.

The other world title bout on this card will see IBF Minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran (17-4-1, 13) defending his title against Ginjiro Shigeoka (11-1, 9), the man he beat for the belt last year. Notably since winning the title, with a 9th round TKO win over Shigeoka in July, we’ve not seen Taduran in action, and we do wonder if 9 months of inactivity as the champion was a mistake, given that he could have picked up a defense in the interim and kept the momentum rolling, rather than essentially losing some steam after one of the biggest wins of his career. In their first bout he took the best Shigeoka had to offer, before breaking down the Japanese fighter, in a bout where he seemed like a man against a boy. As for Shigeoka, who has also not fought since the first bout with Taduran,, the long break has likely served him well, following a number of injuries suffered against Taduran, though we do query why he wasn’t given an easy return bout. The game plan from Shigeoka needs to be smarter here if he’s to avoid another loss, though we do wonder whether he has the tools in the locker to deal with someone like Taduran, who is tough, a solid puncher, has under-rated skills and is very highly experienced. 

At Heavyweight Ugandan visitor Herbert Matovu (7-1, 6) takes on Mitsuro Brandon Tajima (12-1, 10), in what should be an explosive clash between two men who are flawed, but hunt early wins. Matovu has picked up 7 wins in Africa, 6 in Uganda and 1 in Kenya, and suffered his only loss when he travelled away from Africa, losing in 2 rounds in Russia to Umar Salamov. Only 1 of his bouts has gone beyond 2 rounds. As for Tajima, the quick handed, yet rotund, Japanese-Brazilian is looking to score his third win since his loss to Alexandru Jur, and this is not really a step up from his last two wins. It feels like a case of Tajima being a talent, but wasting that talent, and a bout like this will do nothing to move his career forward.

The IBF Minimumweight title bout isn’t the only rematch on this show as Hiroki Hanabusa (14-4-5, 6) and  Matcha Nakagawa (17-2-2, 6) face off for the second time, following a draw last year. Since their first bout Hanabusa has been busy, going 2-2, though both of his wins, by stoppage, have come against low level Thai imports whilst his losses have been clear ones, losing a wide decision to Angelo Pena and being stopped by Mikito Nakano. As his best Hanabusa is solid, but we do wonder what ambition and resistance he has left. As for Nakagawa he's picked up two wins, including a notable one over Pete Apolinar, but didn't look great against Rocky Ogden back in December and aged 31 might well be on the way out himself. Neither of these men seem to have what it takes to get to the next level, but they are well matched and should put up an interesting contest early on the show.

Among the other bouts on the card unbeaten Filipino Vencent Lacar (9-0, 4) will take on Ryo Mandokoro (5-0, 3) in an excellent looking 8 rounder, Hong Kong's Raymond Poon KaiChing (10-3-1, 6) will take on promising 20 year old Shuri Oka (4-1, 1), and the second fight for second generation fighter Daigoro Marumoto (1-0, 1), as he takes on Thai teenager Sukrit Nakpreecha (6-2-0-1, 4).

Mapo Sports Center, Seoul, South Korea
As well as the big action in Japan, we also have a small card in Korea. The card is a really small one, with 6 bouts in total, including 4 bouts over the 4 round distance. One of the two bouts scheduled for longer, is a 6 rounder between Juyeong Lee (5-3, 3) and Seung Woo Yang (3-2, 2).  Lee is an 18 year old Korean, who has fought 5 of his bouts in Vietnam, but is, rather notably, 3-0  in Korea, where he has fought his last two bouts. Yang on the other hand Lee is an 18 year old Korean, who has fought 5 of his bouts in Vietnam, but is, rather notably, 3-0  in Korea, where he has fought his last two bouts. It’s hard to see anything but a Lee win here.

One notable concept used for this show is a KO bonus payment. The fighters on the show will be given triple their purse if they score a stoppage in the first 2 rounds, and double their purse if they score a KO in round 3 or afterwards, which should help spur on some action from the off and see the men involved looking to win and win early, which should make for more fan friendly action.

Aichi Sky Expo, Tokoname, Aichi, Japan 
The main show, and the biggest by a long way, this coming Sunday is from Aichi, where 3150 x Lushbomu put on a really solid, though not quite spectacular, show.

The main event is a rematch of a bout we saw last year, though with the roles reversed as Melvin Jerusalem (23-3, 12) enters as the WBC Minimumweight champion against the man he took the belt from, Yudai Shigeoka (9-1, 5), almost a year to the day of their first bout. In their first bout Jerusalem, who entered as a big under-dog, shocked Shigeoka by dropping him, twice, en route to a split decision. Since then he has defended the belt once, beating the previously unbeaten Luis Castillo back in September. Although not the most technically sound, Jerusalem hits harder than his record suggests, is awkward, has excellent timing, is tough and someone that only Oscar Collazo has ever really impressed against. As for Shigeoka, he looked to be a real talent, and his wins over Wilfredo Mendez and Panya Pradabsri made him look like he was going to be one of the faces of the division for years to come, before losing to Jerusalem. Although talented Shigeoka can get involved in the wrong type of fight, he can fight hot headed and give up his technical advantages, as we saw when he first fought Jerusalem. If Shigeoka fights to his strengths and doesn’t get drawn in he can avenge his loss, but it’s hard to imagine him boxing to plan for 12 rounds without getting frustrated, and that’s what makes this bout so intriguing

In the chief support bout former Japanese Heavyweight champion Mitsuro Brandon Tajima (11-1, 9) will begin his move towards Bridgerweight as he takes on Guillermo Casas (11-4-1, 6), with the plan being for Tajima to make his mark in the sports newest division. For Tajima this will be his second bout since losing, almost a year ago, to Alexandru Jur, and he'll be looking to show that he's taking the sport serious, taking his weight seriously, and is not longer an talented but overweight and undisciplined fighter who should never have been fighting whilst weighing in over 200lbs. As for Casas the Mexican has lost 2 of his last 3, and has really just built his record at the infamous Big Punch Arena in Tijuana. Casas is 0-3 outside of Mexico and we would be surprised to see him pick up a win here.

Two of the bouts on the card see Japanese fighters taking on Thai visitors. The more notable of those two bouts will see Japanese veteran Mugicha Nakagawa (29-11-3, 18) battle against the highly experienced Navapon Khaikanha (62-5-1, 50), in what looks a really good bout. Nakagawa has shared the ring with a genuine who's who of the Japanese scene over the years and has only been stopped once, way back in 2010 when he was stopped in 5 rounds in Thailand. Since that loss he has proven himself to be tough, and capable of holding his own on both the domestic and regional scene. As for Navaphon, the Thai was once a top contender at Bantamweight, and had a 56-1-1 record. Since then he has gone 6-4 and been stopped 3 times, including a brutal 5th round KO to the then debuting Majid Karimi Poshtiri, in a defeat that likely suggested that Navaphon's career is coming to an end and this could be his last fight of note. 

The other Japan Vs Thailand bout will see the unbeaten Ryusei Miyagawa (5-0, 1) take on Nattawut Maneewong (9-4, 7). Miyagawa started his career impressively, taking the 0 of unbeaten opponents in his second and third fights, but his last 2 bouts have seen his competition come with less hunger, and it feels this bout, despite being his first 8 rounder, isn't really much of a step forward. Maneewong has lost 2 of his last 3, and is 0-4 in Japan, with that losing run expected to continue here. Miywagawa is promising, but he needs stiffer tests sooner rather than later.

The card also has two all Japanese bouts. One of those will see Japanese rankers at 154lbs clash in a very interesting match up, as 25 year old Kensuke Suzuki (6-3-2, 2) takes on 22 year old hopeful Ruku Sasaki (9-1-2, 4). After starting his career 4-0 Suzuki has become a fighter with very inconsistent form, going 2-3-2, with all 3 of his losses showing him to lack durability, with all 3 bouts resulting in him being stopped. He currently has just 1 win in his last 4 bouts and really needs to build on a 2024 win over Masateru Hatagami. As for Sasaki he last early in his career, but since then has found his groove, running 6 straight wins, climbing the national and regional rankings and winning the Japanese Youth title. His 2024 was busy, with 4 wins, and he has a lot of momentum coming into this, momentum he will expect to continue to build on and move towards a senior title fight.

The second will see the Towa Tsuji (9-1, 6) clash with Shori Umezu (11-1-1, 7) in a mouth watering 8 rounder Bantamweight bout between two men ranked by the JBC, OPBF and WBO AP. Tsuji is the naturally bigger man, being ranked at Super Bantamweight and moving down for this bout, he comes into this bout on a great run, having won his last 6, claimed the JBC Youth Featherweight title, and scored notable wins over Kyosuke Okamoto and Yuki Yonaha in his last 3. He's in good form and looks to be well on his way to a senior title fight. Umezu on the other hand is the natural Bantamweight who won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in February 2022. Sadly he suffered his first loss in 2023, to Kazuki Anaguchi, but has bounced back with a win over Koji Tsurumi and looks to build on that win here. This is a hard one to pick and a great match up.

One other bout of note will see Chinese fighter Yesibolati Nasiyiwula (4-2-2, 1) have his second bout in Japan as he takes on former South African amateur standout John Paul Masamba (0-0), who begins his in Japan as “Masaki Kameda”. The bout has been put together to make Masamba look great, and he should manage that given not only his strong amateur background, but also the fact he’s been one of the main sparring partners for Tomoki Kameda ahead of his bout with Angelo Leo. We really wouldn’t be surprised to see Masamba make a great impression here, and begin his rapid climb to some sort of titles within just a few short years.

Hiokayama Gymnasium, Kakogawa, Hyogo, Japan 
Outside of Aichi, the other 3 Japanese shows are all quite limited. That’s shown pretty clearly by a card in Hyogo which has a former world champion on it, but the main matches are total mismatches.

The main event of the card will see 23 year old Japanese hopeful Ryoji Miyashita (5-2, 3) take on Thanakorn Suwannakul (5-2, 1). Miyashita impressed last year, winning the West Japan Rookie of the Year, before losing in the All Japan final by split decision against Kyosuke Nishiya. That was his most recent bout, in December, and it’s fair to say he comes into this looking to make a statement, put that loss behind him and move on to bigger and better things, whilst also being the headliner of the show. On paper Suwannakul looks like a decent opponent, and his debut loss to Sathaporn Saart is certainly not one that should be held against him. Sadly however his wins have all come at a very, very, low level and it's hard to read much into his ability based on his wins, though it’s fair to say he is the under-dog here.

The former world champion on the show is Mika Iwakawa (12-7-1, 4), a former WBO and IBF Atomweight champion. At her best Iwakawa was a genuine talent, and wins over Nao Ikeyama, Nanae Suzuki and Ayaka Miyao showed that. Sadly though she is now more than 2 years removed from a win and is 2-2 since 2021, with her last out being a loss to Sumire Yamanaka back in January 2024. Here she is being matched softly so that she can pick up an easy win, as she takes on 23 year old Thai Wisuta Sririttidet (8-5, 6), Sririttidet, who has been stopped in 4 of her 5 losses, and in all 3 of her bouts in Japan.

Sangyo Hall, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan 
On another Japanese card, this time in Kanazawa, we get a card with another two notable fighters on it, both taking on Thai visitors.

The most notable of them is recent OPBF title challenger and former Japanese Youth champion Hiroki Hanabusa (13-4-5, 5), who looks to bounce back from back to back losses, as he takes on limited Thai visitor Weeraphon Ketnarong (9-11-1, 5). The 26 year old Hanabusa has been matched hard through his career, facing the likes of Toshiki Shimomachi, Katsuya Fukui, Kyonosuke Kameda, Kai Watanabem Angleo Pena and Mikito Nakano, and he has shown the ability to score notable upsets, beating both Kameda and Watanabe. Despite back to back defeats he should be expected to pick up an easy win here against a visitor who has been stopped 7 times in his 11 losses, including last time out, when he was stopped in 3 rounds by professional novice Ren Ohashi.

A more competitive match up might be seen in the bout between the unbeaten Reon Fujino (6-0-1, 3) and rugged visitor Lerdchai Chaiyawed (15-13, 10). Fujino debuted in 2023, winning the All Japan Rookie of the Year that December before adding two wins to his record in 2024. Sadly despite winning his last 5 he has shown a lack of power and it seems like the 20 year old still hasn't developed his man strength. As a result bouts that should be relatively easy, given his skills, have been hard fought with him failing to get the respect of his opponents. On paper Chaiyawed looks like a really poor opponent, but he’s an ideal opponent for a good 8 rounder, given he’s tough, with only a single brutal KO loss against him, upset minded and comes to win, rather than just making up the numbers. It's his genuine effort that has seen him become a common feature in Kapan, with this marking the 11th time he has fought in Japan. Sadly he is 1-9 in the Land of the Rising Sun

KBS Hall, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
The smallest of the Japanese cards in Kyoto where JBC ranked Light Middleweight Rei Nakano (3-1-1, 2) headlines in an 8 rounder against Korean visitor Hwang Kuk Je (7-5-3, 2), in the only bout scheduled for more than 6 rounds. Nakano made his debut in 2022, and despite a draw in his second bout he has gone on to fight for the Japanese Youth title at 154lbs, losing a close decision to Ruku Sasaki last year. Sadly he's been out of the ring for over a year coming into this bout, but it's fair to assume he'll be really hungry to make a statement here. As for Je, the Korean did have a good run early in his career, going 6-2-1 in his first 9, but has gone 1-3-1 in his last 5, including a loss in Japan in 2023 to Ryota Toyoshima. He’s proven to be a fun fighter to watch, with flaws that make his fights exciting, but with just 2 wins wince 2020 it’s hard to see him having what’s needed to deal with the 23 year old Japanese southpaw.

Itaewon Primary School, Seoul, South Korea 
Je’s outing in Kyoto won’t be the only bout for Korean fans to have an interest in, as Seoul plays host to a KBM title double header, with one champion defending his title and two men fighting for a vacant title.

The main event of the show will see the once beaten Jong Dae Yoon (6-1, 2) make his second defense of the KBM Super Middleweight title, as he takes on unbeaten puncher Tae Kyung Yoon (6-0, 4) in a really solid looking domestic title clash. The 33 year old champion made his debut in 2023, as Heavyweight, but has come down the scales, suffering a loss in his second bout, to Jae Kam Lee who outweighed him by close to 100lbs, and has now settled at 168ls, where he has fought 2 of his last 3. The unbeaten challenger, known as TK, looks like a really live challenger based on his record alone, however he made his debut in 2004, and scored his last win in 2005, when he beat David Koswara, and he's been away from the boxing ring for close to 20 years. On paper this is a great match up, but in reality it’s so hard to know what TK offers, that it’s hard to actually get excited about this one.

The other title bout on this card will see 31 year old Han Sol Lee (8-6, 4) take on the once beaten Sang Myung Lee (3-1-1, 2) in a bout for the vacant KBM Super Bantamweight title. On paper this is the opposite of the other title bout, and doesn’t look very appealing, however we suspect this will be more competitive. Han Sol Lee was once 7-1 before seeing his record take a battering and he’s won just 1 of his last 7. Notably however those 7 losses have seen him losing 4 times on the round, including losses to Kanamu Sakama, Lap Cheong Cheong and Misaki Hirano, with his one with in that stretch being a fantastic 9th round TKO win over Won Joon Lee for the Korean Bantamweight title, and he has shown he can dig deep and win against good domestic fighters. As for Sang Myung Lee, he’s the much younger man, at 24, but is also the man taking a huge step up, with his opponents so far having a combined 4-3-2 record, including the then 2-0 Dae Yub Jang, who stopped him in 108 seconds, and the then 0-2-1 Hyun Soo Kim, who held him to a draw last June. Sang Myung is the naturally bigger man however and he will be hoping that he can make his frame count for something here.

One other bout of note on this card will see 35 year old local Joo Young Kim (18-2-3, 10) battle against Filipino visitor Jestine Tesoro (9-7, 5). Although he’s now the wrong side of 30 Kim is one of the more notable Korean fighters, who suffered both of his losses early in his career to Ma Roo Jung, with those losses coming less than 10 months apart in 2016 and 2017. Since his second loss Kim has gone 12-0 winning a Korean title, a minor regional IBF title, and recently beat the then unbeaten Doniyorbek Khaitaliev. Kim is no world beater, but is a solid who could, and should, have done more with his career. Tesoro on the other hand is a 26 year old who has faced a relative who's who, facing the likes of Kenji Fujita and Yoshimitsu Kimura. Despite coming up short against the more notable fighters he has proven to be tough enough to take good fighters rounds and will likely give Kim good rounds, before coming up short.

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Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan 
This coming Saturday we get the first Dynamic Glove show of the year, and it’s a great one, with 3 regional title bouts and the next bout of a fast rising prospect that some in Japan are viewing as a major part of the future of Japanese boxing.

In the main event we’ll see the hard hitting and really promising Mikito Nakano (11-0, 10) look to make his first defense of the OPBF Featherweight title, as he takes on fellow Japanese fighter Hiroki Hanabusa (13-3-5, 5). The 29 year old Nakano has long been viewed as a potential star for Teiken, but it took him almost 6 years to win his first title, which he did last year when he stopped Bryx Piala in 4 rounds for the OPBF title. Given his undeniable ability it does feel like he’s been moved a bit too slowly, but if he’s busy this year he could well be knocking on the door of a world title. He’s talented, heavy handed, quick, and seems to have it all, other than a real breakout win, which he will hope to get in 20025. As for Hanabusa he's an upset minded fighter who has got some really good domestic wins under his belt, against Kyonosuke Kameda and Kai Watanabe, and he has never lost at Featherweight, with losses at Super Bantamweight and Super Featherweight. Hanabusa is tough and interestingly he will be Nakano’s first Japanese opponent since December 2020, the only time Nakano has gone the distance, when he faced Ruito Saeki.

In a Flyweight title bout Jukiya Iimura (7-1, 2) will face Filipino fighter Lorenz Dumam-ag (10-0-1, 7) in a fight for the vacant OPBF Flyweight title. Coming into this Iimura is the Japanese national champion and he has rebuilt excellently since a 2022 loss to Esneth Domingo, in his only previous bout against a Filipino, winning 4 in a row which has seen him win the Japanese title, and run up 3 defenses of the title. In the ring Iimura tends to be in good fights, partly relying on his amateur boxing skills, and partly hamstrung by his lack of power, which tends to see him getting dragged into fun fights, with his bout against Yuga Inoue being a sensational fight. As for the Filipino, Dumam-ag is flawed, but has got real power and goes by the nickname “Shotgun”. He has taken 4 unbeaten records in his last 5 bouts, and is best known for his controversial win over Ramel Macado Jr, where the time keeper messed up failing to ring the bell after 3 minutes after the first round. If he can drag Iimura into a firefight he has a real chance here to claim his biggest win to date

Nakano isn’t the only regional Featherweight champion defending his title, as stablemate Kenji Fujita (7-0, 3) makes his second defense of the WBO Asia Pacific title and takes on hard hitting Filipino Michael Casama (10-2-1, 10). The talented Fujita was a stellar amateur, and his talent is undeniable, but his ability to reach the top as a professional does seem limited, with the 30 year old Southpaw lacking the time and power to make a mark at the elite level of the professional ranks. Despite that he is talented, and he can certainly box, and we wouldn’t be surprised by him having a long reign as a regional champion. As for Casama, the Filipino is dangerous, as he showed last time out, when he upset the much fancied Kota Kaneko in 125 seconds, but he does struggle when taken rounds, as seen in losses to Pablito Canada and Junya Shimada. If Fujita can see out the early storm that Casama brings to the table, he should have the tools to take a clear decision win.

Also on this show is fast rising Japanese teenager Sento Ito (2-0, 2), who debuted as a professional in April 2024 and will seek his third win in 9 months as he takes on Filipino Alvin Camique (9-3, 4). Ito, who fights around Bantamweight, looks to be a fantastic prospect, he blew out Yotin Thongkhan on debut, in 55 seconds, then showed he had plenty of stamina as he broke down the teak tough Guangheng Luan in 8 rounds 5 months later. This is a genuine step up with Camique having never been stopped, and being upset minded, as seen in his 2023 win over the then 8-0 John Vincent Pangga and his 2024 win over Ben Ligas. Notably he was beaten last time in Japan, when he lost to Ryo Mandokoro, but was competitive and should serve as a real test for Ito.

Mobiliar Arena, Gümligen bei Bern, Switzerland
Interestingly, and rarely, the most notable bouts with Asian fighters this coming Saturday are in Europe, more specifically Switzerland, where we see two notable minor title bouts featuring Asian fighters.

One of the two bouts will see the unbeaten Spanish born Swiss based Dominican fighter Angelo Pena (9-0, 6) look for his 10th straight wins as he takes on Japan’s Hiroki Hanabusa (13-2-5, 5) in a bout for the WBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight title. Pena looks like the new star of Swiss boxing, and has stepped up well in recent bouts, including a good win last year against Sofiane Takoucht, and whilst it is still early in his career the expectation is that he is going places. Hanabusa on the other hand will be making his European debut and will be looking to build on a current 7 fight unbeaten run which includes a win over Kai Watanabe, which has aged remarkably well, and one over Kyonosuke Kameda. Notably this will be Hanabusa’s first bout at 130lbs and his first outside of Asia, both of which could be an issue for him here.

Another Asian fighter on this show is Filipino fighter Jonniel Laurente (10-1-1, 5), who takes on Swiss based Cameroon born fighter Christopher Mouafo (9-1, 6) in a bout for the vacant WBO Global Lightweight title. Laurente has bounced back well since a 2023 loss to Wensong Liu, scoring 2 wins to claim and retain the GAB Youth Super Featherweight title. Despite those wins it should be noted that the loss to Liu came in his only bout outside of his homeland and he is a natural Super Featherweight, not a lightweight. Mouafo has a decent looking record on paper, though he could be struggle to make 135lbs here, being a natural 140lb fighter, and he has shown some questionable durability, having been topped in 2023 by fellow Cameroon born Swiss fighter Bryan Venant Fanga, who is not a noted puncher, in a Swiss title fight. This is a really interesting match up, but one where we suspect the size difference of the local will be key.

Philippines
Laurente isn’t the only Filipino in action, as we also get a card in the Philippines. Sadly this card is a pretty weak one, though does have a main event worthy of note, as the hard hitting Mark Antonio (9-2, 9) takes on the experienced Clyde Azarcon (17-12-1, 6). Antonio, who began his career 8-0 (8), has lost 2 of his last 3 including a major upset loss to Mateo Handig, and desperately needs to get his career back on track after those set backs. As for Azarcon he has lost his last 9 and without a win since March 2020, when he beat Mike Kindaaman, and has been stopped in 8 of those 9 losses. This should be an easy win for Antonio, but it’ll be interesting to see what he’s like after those two recent setbacks.

IS FCC Pattaya, Pattaya, Thailand
Another historic boxing country with a show on is Thailand, which will be having a small card in Pattaya, thanks to FCC Promotion and Highland Boxing Team.

One of the main bouts on this card will see unbeaten French fighter Franck Atangana (6-0, 2) take on Afghan Ahmad Samir Dawrani (10-4-1, 7) in a bout for the lightly regarded UBO Continental Super Middleweight title. The 34 year old Atangana is based in Dubai, and this is his 5th bout in Thailand, sadly despite his unbeaten record his ceiling doesn’t appear to be too high. As for Dawrani he is a Thai based fighter who is 3-4 in Thailand and clearly isn’t going to make a mark at the higher levels of the sport, though he may have enough to test Atangana.

The other notable bout from this card will see 47 year old unbeaten Italian Alessio Bisutti (7-0, 6) take on limited local Nakhonchai Pantang (9-6-1, 7). Bisutti, who is in charge of FCC Promotion, debuted in June 2023 and has racked up his 7 wins in just 23 rounds, picking up a regional WBC title along the way. He's expecting to pick up a win here and then be back out in October, though his competition, as seen with this bout, have been very low quality. Thankfully if he picks up the expected win here his October bout should be a lot more interesting, against a fellow unbeaten puncher.

Jamuna Future Park, Dhaka, Bangladesh
We also have a small show in Bangladesh. The main event here is an 8 rounder as “King Kong” Abdul Mottalib (11-2, 7) looks to continue his perfect at home, where he is 11-0, as he takes on English fighter Paul Peers (2-3, 2). Mottalib, who has lost in his two bouts outside of his homeland, will be having his 4th bout of the year, and despite losing to Jye Lane Taylor in May has already bounced back with a win. Sadly he has been fighting at a very low level, for the most part, and it’s hard to imagine the 27 year old becoming the fighter that ignites the Bangladesh boxing scene. As for Peers, the 36 year old will be fighting for the first time in almost 2 years, and continues to get stamps on his passport after fights in Spain, Ghana, Czechia, England  and Poland, an impressive run that will now see him fighting in 6 different countries in just as many bouts.

Morais Clarion, Trichy, India
Staying in the Indian Subcontinent, there is a very low quality show in India. It’s hard to say much about this card, which is all 4 rounders. Maybe the most interesting thing about the show is that Manoj Kumar (1-0) is set to fight at, or around, Middleweight, which is a surprise given he was around 192lbs for his debut in May. Sadly Kumar, the only unbeaten listed for the card at the time of writing outside of debutants, is facing a yet to be named opponent for his 4 rounder.

This coming Sunday we get 3 different cards in Japan, spread across the country.

KBS Hall, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
In Kyoto we get a card promoted by Yasushi Hirayama, and their Futur Promotions. The card features two female bouts.

The main event will see 25 year old Reika Kawaguchi (5-2-2, 3) look to score her most notable win to date as she takes on veteran former world title challenger Sana Hazuki (11-8-1, 5). At her best Suzuki was a game fighter, and a good Oriental level fighter, winning the OPBF Female Minimumweight title back in 2019, sadly though since that title win she has gone 4-3, and looks like she is winding down her career, and this could be the passing of the torch bout that ends her time in the pros. As for Kawaguchi she's only really faced novices so far, and this is a huge step up in class for her, but one her team will feel she is ready for against a fighter who is slipping and aging.

The other female bout will see unbeaten novices clash, as Rii Kawai (1-0, 1) takes on Sukanya Wiriya (3-0, 2), with both being unbeaten 20 year olds. Kawai made her debut in February, and impressed stopping Kei Sugimoto in the 4th round and looks to be moving quickly to a title fight, with a win over Wiriya likely to be seen as her next step towards a major fight. As for Wiriya all her wins so far have come against win-less novices, and this should be regarded as her first real test.

Sangyo Hall, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
Over in Kanazawa we get a small card from Kashimi Promotions. This main attraction here is a Japan Vs Thai bout, over 8 rounds, between Hiroki Hanabusa (12-2-5, 4) and Somsak Noolae (4-2, 3). Although not a huge name Hanabusa has proven to be a solid domestic level fighter who has come up short against the excellent Toshiki Shimomachi and the dangerous Katsuya Fukui, but has scored notable wins against Kyonosuke Kameda, claiming the Japanese Youth Featherweight title with that win, and Kai Watanabe. Although no world beater, we wouldn't be surprised to see Hanabusa lift a Japanese or regional title in the future. Sadly though he has had 5 draws and does, at times, struggle to get over the line. As for Noolae he has lost 2 of his last 3, and has lost both of the bouts he's had in Japan, though it certainly not a pushover, having given Yushi Fujita a tough run in December, and also going 8 rounds against Tom Mizokoshi. Hanabusa should be too good, but we don’t expect him to blow out Noolae here.

Kokura Kita Gym, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
Over in Fukuoka we’ll see a small but somewhat interesting card, headlined by a really good looking match up between a local favourite and an unbeaten Thai visitor.

That headline bout will see the once beaten Misaki Hirano (9-1, 3), himself from Fukuoka prefecture, takes on Thai teenager Pongsakorn Wongwichian (6-0, 2). Hirano suffered a loss in just his second bout, losing to Hikaru Fukunaga, but since then has gone 8-0 (2) and scored solid domestic wins against Shodai Morita, Retsu Takahashi and Ryo Suwa, winning the Rookie of the Year in early 2022 and moving himself into 8 rounders in impressive fashion. He's still a work in progress but certainly seems to be heading in the right direction and looks like one of the most exciting talents in Fukuoka right now. As for Wongwichian he has, so far, been developing his skills on the Thai scene, and has looked promising so far. This is however a massive step up in class for him, and we do feel it's too much, too early, though it’ll be interesting to see how he fares here.

Another Japan Vs Thailand bout on this card will see Kyosuke Okamoto (6-1-1, 3) look to bounce back from a recent loss in a Japanese Youth title fight, as he takes on heavy handed Thai Worraphon Yothika (6-3, 5). Okamoto was stopped in 3 rounds by Towa Tsuji, in a bout for the Japanese Youth Featherweight title in December, which ended a 4 fight winning run for him. Despite that loss it's way, way too early to write him off and the 20 year old is likely to take that defeat as a learning experience. For Yothika, who's also 20, his career has been that of a glass cannon, with only a single bout going the distance, a win. Notable the Thai is 0-3 in Japan, though has faced two very good fighters, in the form of Riku Masuda and the aforementioned Hiroki Hanabusa

This coming Saturday is a very busy day for Asian fight fans with shows taking place through Asia. The day not only features bouts across the continent, but also across all sorts of levels, including a former world title challenger in one bout, and a range from domestic and regional level bouts, right through to show cases for prospects.
 
Central Gym, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
The most notable single bout comes from Hyogo where we see former world champion Tomoki Kameda (38-3, 20) take on hard hitting Dominican William Encarnacion (19-3, 15) in an interesting 10 round Featherweight bout. Kameda is seeking his third straight win since a 2019 loss to Rey Vargas, and is taking a dangerous opponent here, whilst biding his time for another world title fight, but we don wonder whether he should really be at 126lbs given his lack of power and a physicality in his style Encarnacion is no world beater, and he has lost 3 of his last 4, but he's got power, and did give Adam Lopez a really close and solid test back in May. Kameda will be the favourite, but this is a live test for him.
 
On the same card we'll also see Japanese ranked Light Middleweight Kohei Miyamoto (5-1-1, 5) battle against limited veteran Mao Tameda (3-12-2). The 25 year old Miyamoto has stopped his last 3 in the opening round, and will come into this with a lot of confidence that he has the power and aggression to shine here. As for Tameda he is experienced and tough, having only been stopped in 3 of his 12 losses, but has been struggling to pick up wins recently and is 1-4 in his last 5 going back to 2020. This should be a test of Miyamoto's stamina see what he's like when a fighter can take his punch, but he should still be favoured.
 
Uchinada Town Sogo Gym, Kahoku-gun, Ishikawa, Japan
A second Japanese card will take place in Ishikawa where we get the debut of a brilliantly named fighter, and a Japanese Youth title fight.
 
The Japanese Youth title bout on this card will see Japanese Youth Featherweight champion Hiroki Hanabusa (9-2-3, 3) defending his title against Toshiyuki Takahashi (7-4, 4), in what will be Hanabusa's first defense, since winning the title last November. The talented Hanabusa has lost 2 of his last 3, though they have come to very good fighters in the form of Toshiki Shimomachi and Katsuya Fukui, and they helped prepare him for his upset win last time out against Kyonosuke Kameda for the title. As for Takahashi he has won his last 4, though this is a very step up in class for him, and he will go in as the under-dog. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Youth champion Hanabusa defends against Takahashi
 
The wonderfully named fighter on this card is Megaton Marina (0-0), who will be facing fellow debutant Reona Fukuoka (0-0) in a 4 round female bout at Super Bantamweight. Not really much to add here, other than that Megaton is a brilliant name, especially if it turns out that she's a puncher!
 
The Grand Ho Tram Strip, Vung Tau, Vietnam
Over in Vietnam we get a a trio of minor title bouts thanks to Cocky Buffalo.
 
The main event of the card will see Uzebkistani veteran Olimjon Nazarov (27-5, 15) defending his WBO Oriental Flyweight title against Filipino challenger Bienvenido Ligas (14-2-2, 9). The 36 year old Nazarov has a messy looking record, with 5 losses, but is currently riding an impressive 14 fight winning streak, dating back more than 5 years, and is banging on the door of a world title fight. Ligas on the other hand is 24 year old who has shown a lot of potential, and could well be only a fight or two from a world title shot of his own, if he wins here. The Filipino youngster already holds win against the likes of Alphoe Dagayloan and Roland Jay Biendima, and a win here would be a step in the right direction for his career.
 
A second title bout will see local hopeful Hong Quan Dinh (8-1-1, 4) make his first defense of the IBF Asia Lightweight title as he takes on Filipino visitor Jules Victoriano (11-4, 8). Dinh won the title last time out, taking a 10 round decision over Delmar Pellio, and he'll be looking to not just retain his title but also score a 7th straight win, and potentially move towards an OPBF title fight later in the year. As for Victoriano, he's very much a glass cannon, with 8 stoppage wins and 4 stoppage losses from his 15 fights and will be hoping to use his power here, before Dinh cracks his chin.
 
A third title fight on this show will see the unbeaten Korean teenager Chan Ho Song (7-0, 3) defending his WBO Youth Light Welterweight title against Thai foe Bunchuai Phonsungnoen (4-1-1, 3). Song won the title in April, with a narrow win over Romer Pinili, and should be favoured here, but this is certainly not a gimme for a first defense. The 22 year old Bunchuai was stopped on his debut, in 4 rounds against Toshio Tarumi in Japan, but showed enough there to catch the eye, and has gone unbeaten in the 4 years following the defeat. This is a genuinely solid first defense for this level of title.
 
Metro Manila, Philippines
In Metro Manila we'll see rising star Carl Jammes Martin (19-0, 16) defending his WBA Asia Super Bantamweight title against Charles Tondo (12-5-2, 5). The hard hitting Martin won the title last time out, when he stopped Ronnie Baldonado in 11 rounds, and had to show some grit to pull himself off the canvas early on. As for Tondo, from Tanzania, he was recently beaten by rising British fighter Dennis McCann in a bout where he looked limited but tough, and that toughness will be tested again here.
 
Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Ona  separate card in the Philippines we'll get a battle of unbeaten punchers, as Kenneth Llover (5-0, 4) takes on Ridick Tablanza (4-0, 4). On paper this looks like an excellent match up between two young men each looking to move their careers forward. Of the two men Llover is the more notable, having turned professional in 2020 and racking up two wins already this year. As for Tablanza he debuted in late 2018, and ran up 4 wins in a combined 6 rounds, but has now been out of the ring since December 2019, and it's hard to know what desire he has given that lengthy lay off.
 
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California, USA
In the US we'll see once beaten Kazakh hopeful Ali Akhmedov (18-1, 14) take on Mexican veteran Ricardo Adrian Luna (23-8-2, 15). The hard hitting and exciting Akhmedov has picked up 2 low key wins since his thrilling 2020 loss to Carlos Gongora, and is rebuilding his confidence against low key opponents. Luna is a big step up from Akhmedov's recent opponents, and he recently held Vyacheslav Shabranskyy to a shock draw, but he is a naturally smaller man who has really been more of a gym fighter in recent years, notable as a main sparring partner for Ryota Murata.

Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Thursday we'll get live televised action from Japan, as Teiken put on a show case of young talent live on G+ under the Dynamic Glove banner. The card isn't a major one, in fact if we're being honest it's a rather small one, but it's an interesting one with 4 intriguing match ups on it.

The main event of the card will see former amateur standout Gonte Lee (2-0-1, 1) take on the always fun to watch Aso Ishiwaki (8-3-1, 6). The talented Lee turned professional with high expectations but has been unable to deliver on those expectations so far, though that is partly due to being unfortunate and being out of the ring for the entire of 2020 due to the Covid19 pandemic. He's a real talent, but things do need to kick on for him and it's Teiken know that he needs to be matched hard. As for Ishiwaki he's a fun, talented fighter with an aggressive style, though he was, notably, battered at the end of last year, when Jin Sasaki smashed him in 3 rounds for the Japanese Youth title, and he'll be looking to bounce back from that loss. This could be a very, very good match up, as the skills of Lee go up against the pressure of Ishiwaki.

In the chief support bout we'll see veteran Tatsuya Takahashi (32-9-6, 21) take on Ryotaro Kawabata (12-4-2, 6), in a rescheduled that was first pencilled for January. With 47 bouts to name Takahashi is one of the most experienced fighters in Japan, but he's never been a very polished fighter and he can be out boxed, with opponents taking advantage of his various limitations and flaws. Despite his flaws he comes to fight and tends to give anyone a good test due to his tenacity and fighting spirit. As for Kawabata he is limited himself, as we saw last September against Tsubasa Murachi, but a more polished boxer than Takahashi. Sadly for Kawabata he has scored just a single win in the last 5 years.

In a really mouth watering clash the unbeaten Katsuya Fukui (2-0, 2) will be up against Hiroki Hanabusa (8-1-3, 3). The talented Fukui has looked really exciting and promising, with two quick blow out wins so far, but his competition has been limited and this will be his first bout against a domestic opponent and it'll be interesting to see how he copes with a fellow Japanese fighter who's looking to move his own career forward. The 22 year old Hanabusa is a talented fighter, who impressed in 2018 Rookie of the Year and was unbeaten until last August, when he was stopped in 5 rounds by the fantastic Toshiki Shimomachi. With that loss in mind we suspect Hanabusa will be more determined than ever to pick up a win here. Although not a huge bout this one could be very interesting.

Arguably the most interesting match up on the card is the professional debut of former amateur standout Kenji Fujita (0-0), who we've been waiting to see in the professional ring for almost a year now. The talented Fujita was a genuine amateur standout and he should be looking to make an impression here as he takes on Motosuke Kimura (3-5-2, 1) in a 6 rounder. Kimura has lost his last 3, and 4 of his last 5, but is better than those numbers suggest and he should ask questions of Fujita, though it'd be a massive upset if Kimura won.

This coming Sunday is one of the busiest days we've seen this year for boxing in Asia, with numerous cards taking place, at varying levels.
 
City Sogo Gym, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
The best of the shows will come from Osaka, thanks to Green Tsuda who put on a Japanese Youth title bout and a contest featuring a former national champion.
 
The main event of this show will see former Japanese Welterweight champion Ryota Yada (19-6, 16) take on Takuya Fujii (7-5, 3) in an 8 rounder. On paper this looks like an easy win for Yada, but he's coming into this bout following 2 stoppage losses in his last 3 bouts, including a loss last December in a sensational bout against Yuki Beppu. Fuji is no world beater but he could be the right person at the right time here.
 
Although it's not the main event the more interesting bout on this card will see JBA Youth Super Bantamweight champion Toshiki Shimomachi (11-1-2, 7) defending his belt against unbeaten challenger Hiroki Hanabusa (8-0-3, 3). The hope was to get this bout sorted earlier in the year but due to what's been going on in the world it was delayed. Despite the delay we're really looking looking forward to this one and expect a very, very good, hotly contested bout, though one where the champion probably has the slight edge. Our in depth previous of this bout can be read here Shimomachi takes on Hanabusa in Youth title defense!
 
Another bout on this card worthy of note is a contest between Jinki Maeda (4-0, 2) and Arashi Iimi (7-2, 7). The unbeaten Maeda won the Rookie of the Year last year, when he defeated Kyonosuke Kameda in the final, and he will be looking to build on that success here. Interestingly the hard hitting Iimi lost in a Rookie of the Year final back in 2017 against the previously mentioned Toshiki Shimomachi. On paper this should bhe a very, very good test for Maeda, and see what his chin is like.
 
This show was also supposed to feature a contest between former Japanese Super Flyweight champion Takayuki Okumoto (23-9-4, 11) and once beaten prospect Tulio Kuwabata (3-1, 2). Sadly however this bout was cancelled when the "Osakan gym cluster" was discovered, leading some suspicion to it being an issue at the Mutoh Gym, where Kuwabata trains. This meant that for health and safety a number of bouts involving fighters from a number of Osaka gyms were cancelled, including this bout.
 
Arena Tachikawa Tachihi , Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
In Tokyo we get another small card, featuring a total of 6 bouts, two of which involve a Japanese ranked fighter.
 
The main event of the show will see Japanese and WBO Asia Pacific ranked Minimumweight Hizuki Saso (12-6-1, 4) take on Yuni Takada (8-5-1, 3). Coming in to this Saso has won 6 of his last 7 and built a bit of moment, despite a loss last year to Rikito Shiba. On the other hand Takada has lost 3 of his last 5 and is struggling for any traction in his career, with another loss expected here.
 
The other ranked fighter on this show is Japanese ranked Lightweight Shinnosuke Saito (6-3, 2), who takes on Yuji Hashimoto (6-4, 4). Coming in to this Saito has the momentum, having won Rookie of the Year in 2019, but this is a step up for him and his first 6 rounder. On paper Hashimoto likely doesn't look much of a threat, but he has actually gone 6-1 in his last 7, albeit against very low level competition. Both men will be coming into this one hungry, and it could end up being a surprisingly good bout.
 
Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan
The third Japanese card comes from Kariya and is a 6 bout Central Japan Rookie of the Year show.
 
From the 6 bouts on this card the one that has us most interested is a bout between unbeaten youngsters Rikiya Nakamura (2-0, 2) and Aito Takabatake (3-0), who clash in a bout at 140lbs. Strangely it appears boxrec have got Takabatake listed with a loss, though we have confirmed that he did actually win his September 2018 bout against Hitoka Kitagawa. This should be a genuine highlight for the show and hopefully both men do go on to have promising careers in the years to come.
 
Daesan Gymnasium, Daegu, South Korea
As well as the Japanese action we're also set to get some action from Korea thanks to a KBA show in Daegu. The card is certainly nothing special and it's a very low profile effort.
 
Although it's a very poor card the main event of the show does have some significance, as Hyeon Oh Lee (3-4-1) and Chul Hyun Lim (5-16-2, 3) battle for a KBA ranking at Super Bantamweight. Neither man is expected to go far in the sport, Lee is a 27 year old who has won just 1 of his last 5 whilst Lim is a 39 year old who's last win came in 2010. If we're being this is a very weak main event for a very weak card. The sort of thing we expect when we think of the KBA, sadly.

Kariya, Japan
On Tuesday the focus goes to Kariya for a small, yet notable, card being put on by Kiyoshi Hatanaka and the Hatanaka Gym. The card isn't huge, but does feature two unbeaten Japanese prospects, both worthy of attention.
 
The most notable of those is the WBC Youth Flyweight champion Kento Hatanaka (10-0, 9), who will be defending his title against Filipino challenger Roland Jay Biendima (15-5-1, 8). Last time out we saw Hatanaka getting a serious gut check as he went in with Jaysever Abcede, going the distance for the first time and being dropped for the first time. We expect a more polished performance this time around from the second generation fighter, however it does feel like his team are just taking their foot off the gas, just slightly, with this fight. As for the challenger he is very much coming to win, but will be regarded as a clear under-dog. Notably this will be his second fighter in Japan, where he came close to scoring a win against Taiyo Inoue.
 
For fans wanting to watch the main event this will be available online, for free, through CBC's High Five WEB youtube channel, and can be watched live all over the globe, here.
 
The other is Hiroki Hanabusa (7-0-3, 2), who looks to kick off his 2020 with a bout against Thai visitor Sorawit Bamrungrai (6-2, 3). The talented Hanabusa is only 21 years old but has already fought on foreign soil, gone the distance in a couple of 8 rounders and earned a Japanese ranking. As for the Thai Sorawit, also known as Petchtae Petchyindee, he has been stopped in both of his losses and has yet to score a win of any note.