 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
On May 14th Suruga Danji Promotions are set to put on a really interesting card at Korakuen Hall, with a number of touted hopefuls and a number of notable veterans in action. The card isn’t a huge show, but it is one that nicely mixes notable domestic names and very bright prospects. The main event of the show will see former Japanese Super Bantamweight champion Ryoichi Tamura (15-8-1, 7) take on Asato Mori (9-4, 5) in an 8 rounder. On paper Tamura should be strongly favoured, given his more notable career, at a higher level and his former status as a domestic champion. He is however now 36, had a style that doesn’t make for long careers, and has lost 3 of his last 4. In his prime Tamura was a must watch fighter, with an incredible work rate, toughness and tenacity, but a lot of what made him great to watch has started to fade with age and he’s looked like an “old” fighter for a few years now. Mori on the other hand is 27 has won his last 4 and seems to be coming into his prime. If Mori uses his youth he should be able to pick up the win here, but Tamura will pressure, press and make life very difficult, and if Mori stands and trades this could be very interesting. The other notable Japanese veteran on this card is former world title challenger Shingo Wake (30-8-2, 21), who looks to build on a recent win over Jose Velasquez as he takes on Thai visitor Prathip Chinram (8-5, 3). At his best Wake was a sharp shooting southpaw, with great timing, good counter punching and real toughness, with that toughness on show in his notable loss to Yonatan Guzman. Sadly though at 36 his career is also coming to an end, he has lost some of that sharp punching ability, has taken a lot of punishment and although still a talented boxer is very much a faded force. As for Chinram he really isn’t expected to offer much at all, and will be in Japan for his 5th bout there, where he has been stopped in his previous 4, in fact all 4 bouts combined lasted just 11 rounds, and we expect this to be over early as well. The most notable prospect on this card is the once beaten Rentaro Kimura (7-1, 3) , who turned professional with a lot of fanfare, and looked like he was going to be a nailed on star, but injuries and a loss have really slowed his progress, and there is talk that his injuries may well force him into an early retirement. The 26 year old southpaw will be fighting for just the third time since a 2022 loss to Jinki Maeda, as he takes on Filipino Jess Rhey Waminal (16-10-1, 9). The talented Kimura really does look exception al at times, with great hand speed, shot selection and some of the best footwork in Japan, but it appears that he has a lack of fight ending power, likely due to repeated hand injuries, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him needing to go rounds with Waminal here. The Filipino has lost his last two, and was taken out in a round by Mikito Nakano in January, though has typically been a tough fighter who comes to win and has solid power on his shots. This should be a decent test for Kimura, though we do wonder just how much Waminal has left in the tank. Arguably the most interesting matchup on the card will see Kaishu Harada (4-0, 2) take on WBO Asia Pacific and OPBF ranked Filipino Rhonvex Capuloy (11-2-2, 8), in a really good looking 8 rounder. The 23 year old Harada was a solid amateur, going 49-14 (4), winning one national tournament and coming runner up in the All Japan Championships, and has impressed since turning professional. He has barely lost a round in the pros and scored good wins over Sukpraserd Ponpitak and Claudevan Sese. Capuloy on the other hand is a heavy handed Filipino, who was stopped early in his career, but appears to have matured since then and was last seen fighting to a technical draw in South Korea against ZhiGang Zhang. The visitor should give the local novice a chin check, and make him work for a win, though it does seem like Harada should have tools needed to take the victory and move into the regional rankings. In a good looking all Japanese bout we’ll see the light punching Takumi Uematsu (5-0) take on Ryo Hoshino (6-2-2, 2), in what looks likely to be a very technical 6 round match up. Uematsu is 28 and has only lost 1 or 2 rounds during his career so far, and is clearly a promising fighter, though really does lack power and that could hold him back at the upper echelons of the domestic scene. Hoshino on the other hand is win-less in his last 3, and is now looking for a win to get his career back on track, as he's now around 18 months removed from a win.
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 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesday we get the next show from Shisei Promotions, and whilst it's not a huge card it does feature a number of interesting match ups including a mouth watering regional title bout, a pair of well matched Japan Vs Philippines bouts, and the debut of someone worth keeping an eye on. We'll start with the interesting debut, as 25 year old Toshihiro Suzuki (0-0) kicks off his highly anticipated professional boxing career, and takes on Thai visitor Pornthep Wadngam (4-2, 3). As an amateur Suzuki went 82-22, won bronze at the Youth Championships and silver at the Nanjing Youth Olympics, and the expectations on his shoulders are huge given his success in the unpaid ranks. As for the visitor, this will be his first bout outside of Thailand, and should be regarded as a massive step up from the competition he's been facing at home. In an interesting match up between Japan and the Philippines we'll see the criminally under-rated Ryo Nakai (4-1-1, 2) take on Jess Rhey Waminal (14-5-1, 8), who needs a win right now. Nakai is one of the most under-rated hopefuls in Japan and has been really unlucky in his career so far, though has the tools to make a mark well above domestic level in the years to come. As for Waminal, the Filipino has struggled recently, losing his last 2, and 3 of his last 4, though he has been fighting at a very good level with losses coming to Pete Apolinar and Zhong Liu among others. Waminal is dangerous, despite recent form, whilst Nakai will know this is a chance to get some well over-due respect for his ability. In another Japan Vs Philippines bout we'll see 24 year old Japanese hopeful Ryuto Owan (8-1, 6) take on Filipino veteran Mark Anthony Geraldo (38-10-3, 19). Coming in to this Owan has stopped his last 3, and looked to have developed his man strength following a 2018 loss to Tetsu Araki. He looks to be heading places, and fighting out of the Shisei gym he is certainly training alongside top names. As for Geraldo the Filipino has been around the scene for years, and has shared the ring with a genuine who's who. He lost last time out to Carl Jammes Martin, but did give Martin a really good test over 12 rounds, and we're expecting something similar here for Owan. In the main event we'll see Yoshimitsu Kimura (13-2-1, 8) faces former foe Kanehiro Nakagawa (11-6, 5) for the WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight title. The talented Kimura is looking to build on a big win last time out against Kosuke Saka, and put some disappointment behind him, following a bout with Samir Ziani falling through. He will enter as the favourite, and be looking for a repeat of a previous win over Nakagawa. As for Nakagawa he really built himself following that loss to Kimura, and has gone 7-1 since that defeat, and will feel full of confidence as he seeks revenge. The bout might not be a huge one, but it's one that has the potential to be something a little bit special, and a real war, given the mentalities of the two men involved. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Kimura and Nakagawa battle for regional title! The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines
The biggest show for Asian fight fans this Saturday comes from the Philippines, where fans get a genuinely great looking card. The best bout on this card will see former Filipino amateur stand out Charly Suarez (9-0, 6) take on the once beaten Tomjune Mangubat (15-2-1, 12), in a bout for the WBA Asia Super Featherweight title. Of the two men there is no doubting that Saurez is the more talented, and the one with the bigger reputation, however he is now 33 and it seems he could end up aging out of the sport before ever landing a massive fight, and getting a chance to show what he's really capable of. Aged 24 Mangubat is an exciting hopeful, who has won his last 4, following a thrilling loss in Vietnam to Jong Seon Kang in a very over-looked 2019 war. This is a step up for Mangubat, but he'll know a win here puts him in the mix for some interesting fights later in the year. Another really interesting match up on this card will see GAB Super Bantamweight champion Carl Jammes Martin (18-0, 15) look to add to his title collection, as he takes on Ronnie Baldonado (15-2-1, 9) in a bout for the WBA Asia title. Martin has long been seen as a future star for the Philippines and is one of the countries most highly regarded prospects, despite still only being 22 years old. He's exciting, aggressive and explosive, but will be expected to work incredibly hard to win here as he takes on the solid, though naturally smaller, Baldonado. Notably Baldonado has mixed with good company, with his 2018 loss to Kosei Tanaka standing out, but will be up against a naturally much bigger and stronger man. A third title bout on this show will see GAB Flyweight champion Bienvenido Ligas (13-2-2, 9) and defending his title against Roland Jay Biendima (15-10-1, 8), in a bout that looks like a mismatch, but should be more competitive than the records of the men suggest. Ligas is a genuine talent, but has struggled in recent fights, fighting to a draw with Miel Fajardo and losing to April Jay Aben in his last two fight, and needs a solid win here to get things back in track. Biendima on the other hand has lost his last 5, but has mixed at a very good level, with those losses to Kento Hatanaka, Christian Araneta, Jade Bornea Esneth Domingo and Aston Palicte. We suspect this one will end up being the stealing bout, and is a real test for the champion. One of the most notable names on this card will be former world title challenger Michael Dasmarinas (30-3-2, 20), who will be fighting for the second time since losing in 2021 to Naoya Inoue. The talented Dasmarinas will be in what should be a very, very easy bout here as he takes on the limited Danny Tampipi (9-14-2, 5), who has shown himself to be tough, but very limited. Also on this card is an interesting match up between Jess Rhey Waminal (14-4-1, 8) and the big punching Jon Jon Estrada (14-8-1, 13), which is a genuinely tough one to call, and a stay busy bout for the criminally under-rated Richard Pumicpic (22-12-2, 7), who faces Pablito Canada (7-20-4, 1) in what should be little more than a straight forward win for Pumicpic. Saigon Sports Club, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Staying in Asia, there is also set to be an interesting show in Vietnam, where we see a regional title fight, along with a couple of local prospects in interesting fights against hard hitting visitors. The main event will be a battle of unbeaten men, as 29 year old local hopeful Huu Toan Le (3-0, 2) takes on 19 year old Thai fighter Kitidech Hirunsuk (8-0, 5) for the WBA Asia Minimumweight title. The unbeaten Lee debuted in 2019 and has had his last two fights on the road, fighting in Thailand and the Philippines, against very low level foes, with the most recent of those coming way back in 2020. As for Hirunsuk the teenager debuted in 2020 and fought as recently as February, picking up his 8th win in just 15 months. Notably the Thai has scored 5 wins in just the first 3 rounds, and will be looking to set a fast start here, in what is a notable step up for both men. Talking about stepping up, that's also the case for 23 year old local Hong Dat Vo (1-0, 1), who takes on in form Thai puncher Jirawat Thammachot (6-2, 6). The unbeaten Vo made his debut in 2019, stopping Ramly Pasaribu, but then vanished from the pro-ranks, and will be looking to make up for lost time in the near future. This is a great chance for him to make up for almost 3 years of lost time, but it's a step up that comes up with genuine risk. Thammachot made his debut in 2020 and lost his first two bouts to highly regarded local fighters, but has bounced back with 6 straight wins, albeit against incredibly poor opponents. In a battle of teenagers we'll see Arvin Jhon Paciones (0-0) make his debut against Adisak Ketpiam (7-2, 6). Paciones is a 17 year old Vietnam based Filipino fighter who will be looking to kick his career off here in a 6 rounder, which always catching the attention no matter how old a fighter is. Ketpiam on the other hand is an 18 year Thai who debuted in 2018 against current world champion Panya Pradabsri, losing in 5 rounds, but has rebuilt and shown some impressive power, albeit against very poor local opponents. It's an interesting match up and one that features two youngsters who aren't afraid to pick up losses early in their careers. Rumours International, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia Over in Australia we'll see some we'll also see an Asian fighter in action. The Asian in question will be Australian based Filipino veteran Jack Asis (38-24-5, 19), in what will be his 68th professional bout. The 38 year old, dubbed "The Assassin", hasn't had his opponent named at the time of writing, but with 4 straight losses, 3 by TKO, the hope is that this will be an easy one for him, and a chance for him to bow out on a win, rather than another painful loss. Cathedral Room at St. Nicholas, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Over in the US 30 year old Basyzbek Baratov (5-1-2, 1), from Kyrgyzstan, will be taking a notable step up in class to take on Alexander Castellano (6-1, 2) over 8 rounds. To date Baratov's opponents have had a combined record of 6-3, with 3 of his 8 foes being debutants. It's worth noting that Baratov isn't the only one stepping up here, with Castellano fighting his only his second opponent with more wins than losses, and he lost the last time he faced an opponent like that. It's an interesting one, and a hard one to predict, but it's clear that neither of these men have the tools or ambition to go too far in the sport.  Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California, USA
The biggest bout involving an Asian fight this coming Saturday is a bit of an unexpected one as Mongolian fighter Tugstsogt Nyambayar (12-1, 9) took a short notice chance to face unbeaten American Chris Colbert (15-0, 6), for Colbert's WBA interim Super Featherweight title. Originally Colbert had been set to face Yuriorkis Gamboa, but Gamboa had to pull out due to injury with Nyambayar replacing him. The Mongolian will be moving up in weight for this bout, but he will likely be aware that he's also being over-looked, and has nothing to lose here. He'll be hungry to claim a "world title", even a WBA interim belt, and it would open big doors for him. Colbert on the other hand looks like one of the future stars of American boxing, and a good performance by him could open the doors to some potentially huge fights at 130lbs down the line. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan As well as the great fight in California, it's also a busy day through Asia this Saturday, with the most meaningful single bout coming from Korakuen Hall, in the main event of a Dynamic Glove show. That main event will see former WBO Super Featherweight champion Masayuki Ito (26-3-1, 14) take on former Japanese Light Welterweight champion Valentine Hosokawa (25-8-3, 12) in a bout at Lightweight. Coming in to this both men will feel they need to win. Ito was beaten last December, losing a close decision to Hironori Mishiro, and has lost 2 of his last 3, including a loss to Jamel Herring in 2019. He really needs a big win to get his career back on track. The 40 year old Hosokawa on the other hand was last seen losing to triple crown Lightweight champion Shuichiro Yoshino and he will be hoping that a win over Ito will secure him one more shot at a title. This should be a great mix of skills, excitement, and under-rated power from both men. It just really is a shame the rest of the card is rather weak on paper. IPI Tingub Gym, Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines As well as the card in Japan we have more action across Asia with shows in the Philippines and Korea. Of those shows it's the Filipino show which is the much more interesting and features a number of very notable fighters. The main event here will see the once beaten Pete Apolinar (14-1, 8) battle against the regularly entertaining Jess Rhey Waminal (14-3-1, 8) in a bout for the OPBF Silver Featherweight title. Coming in to this both men are 26, but that's almost where the similarities end. Apolinar has been busy over the last 12 months, with 3 fights since October 2020, and has put his sole loss well behind him, winning his last 9. Waminal on the other hand hasn't fought since November 2019 and has lost 2 of his last 5. Regardless Waminal is a live opponent and will be here looking for the win. In a truly fantastic match up we'll see Mark Vicelles (13-0-1, 7) take on Jerven Mama (12-0-1, 7) in a fantastic bout between unbeaten fighters. This is almost as good as it gets for All-Filipino bouts. The 25 year old Vicelles is world ranked and is looking to build on two wins in the last 12 months, but the southpaw is certainly not going to have things all his own way here. Aged 24 Mama is the slightly younger man and the slightly taller man, but will need to rely on more than those two small advantages. We genuinely wouldn't be surprised if this stole the show here. In a likely mismatch we'll see the fringe world class Christian Araneta (19-2, 15) take on veteran puncher Richard Claveras (19-7-2, 16). On paper this isn't an awful match up, but it's hard to imagine Araneta losing. In fact it seems to be a clever bit of match making to get Araneta a win after his controversial decision loss to Sivenathi Nontshinga back in April. Claveras has the power and aggression to make this interesting, if he lands, but that's a big if. On paper we're also set to get a mismatch between Tomjune Mangubat (13-2-1, 11) and Ernie Sanchez (19-15-1, 10), however this might be a lot tougher than it looks on paper. Sanchez, at his best, is a very upset minded fighter, with under-rated power, very high level experience, and the ability to take out opponents if they make a mistake. Mangubat should be favoured, but he'll need to make sure not to take liberties with Sanchez, or he could be made to pay. Urdaneta Cultural Sports Complex, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan, Philippines A second Filipino card will be coming from Urdaneta City, and this is a much less interesting event than the one in Cebu. The star of the card here is the unbeaten Charly Suarez (6-0, 5), who will be expected to pick up an easy win as he takes on the limited, but experienced, Eduardo Mancito (18-11-2, 9). Suarez is one of the best natural talented in the Philippines, but the 32 year old now needs to step up, massively, and sadly for him it seems unlikely he'll be able to get the competition he needs to have a genuinely meaningful somewhere down the line. Mancito is a good, solid stalwart of Filipino boxing, but should be very clearly out of his depth here. Another noteworthy name on this card is the upset minded, and heavy handed, Jhunriel Ramonal (17-8-6, 10), who looks set to shake some ring rust as he takes on the very limited Landy Cris Leon (13-22-5, 6). Sadly for Ramonal, who had such much momentum at the end of 2019, his career hit a brick wall due to the Covid19 pandemic and he's not fought since scoring a brutal KO win over Yusaku Kuga at the very end of 2019. He should pick up an easy win here, though we suspect he might want to get a few rounds before taking Leon out. DND Boxing Gymnasium, Hwaseong, South Korea On a KBM show in Hwaseong we'll see an international title fight as Min Ho Jung (10-3-2, 1) clashes with Hwang Kook Je (6-2-2, 2) in a bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council silver Welterweight title, which is currently vacant. Coming in to this the 27 year old Jung will be the favourite, given his better record and the fact he's the slightly bigger man, but he's lost 2 of his last 3 and is really struggling for form coming in to this one. Je on the other hand has stopped two of his last 3 and was more active in 2020. Although this isn't for a major title the bout is still a pretty interesting one and should provide great entertaining for fans at the DND Boxing Gymnasium Songwon University, Nam-Gu, Gwangju, South Korea The card in Hwaseong isn't the only one in Korea this Saturday as we'll also be getting action from Gwangju, thanks to KBA who show case one of the most exciting talents in Korea in what appears to be a mismatch. The exciting local headlining the event is the unbeaten Jong Seon Kang (12-0-2, 6), who will be facing John Ray Logatiman (6-9-2, 2), who is a late replacement on this show. Originally Kang was supposed to defend his WBO Oriental Featherweight title but his original opponent was injured and has had to be replaced. As well as the chance to see Kang we'll also see Jung Woo Kim (4-3-1, 2) defending his KBA Welterweight title in the co-feature bout.  This coming Saturday isn't one of the busiest days of the year so far, but it's certainly an a day worthy of making a note of, even if it is for just one bout in the US.
California, USA That US bout will take place in California and will see WBA Featherweight champion Can Xu (17-2, 3) make his second defense, as he goes up against unbeaten challenger Manny Robles III (18-0, 8), in what should be a very fun fight. Xu is all aggression, as we've seen in the past, and whilst he's technically a rough around the edges fighter he has amazing stamina, will to win and work rate. His pressure is incessant and although his punches aren't hard on a punch by punch basis their is simply so many of them. He's also amazingly tough and is a very hard man to back up. Robles is a much more technically sound fighter, he's the cuter guy, the more skilled and smart man. However Robles is also the type to get dragged into a war, and if he can't quell those urges here, then he'll end up in the wrong type of fight. This is a test of Robles' mentality in the ring, as much as anything, and we're expecting his machismo to kick in. A full preview of this bout can be read here Xu returns to US to face unbeaten challenger Robles! Davao del Norte, Philippines In the Philippines we get a small show, headlined by the often fun to watch Jess Rhey Waminal (13-3-1, 8) taking on the unbeaten Sunil Siwach (5-0-1, 2). The under-rated Waminal is better than his record suggests, and he's perhaps unlucky to have suffered his most recent losses which were both very close decisions. Siwach on the other hand is an Indian fighter making his international debut, and stepping up massively. We really can't see anything but a win for the Filipino here. New South Wales, Australia In New South Wales we get a trio of low level bouts featuring Thai journeyman and unbeaten fighters. One of those bouts will see unbeaten Chilean hopeful Andres Campos (6-0, 2) take on professional loser Worawatchai Boonjan (14-24-2,13), another will see unbeaten local Josh Humberdross (2-0) take on Gerttipong Kumsahwat (3-4, 3), who was stopped a round by Ginjiro Shigeoka, and the debuting Elli-Bliss Reynolds (0-0) will be up against the win-less Ratsadaporn Khiaosopa (0-13). Not a great card, but one with some, albeit very minor, Thai interest  Seoul, South Korea
The biggest show this coming Sunday comes from Seoul where the KBF put on a title double header, which also involves one of the hopes of Korean boxing. The main event will see In Duck Seo (10-1-2, 6) and Heuk San Lee (9-0-2, 4), battling for the KBF Welterweight title. For Seo this will be his first defense of the title whilst Lee looks to claim the KBF title, adding to a previous reign as the BoxingM Light Middleweight champion. This could be a really, really good fight. The second KBF title fight will take place at Light Middleweight, with Dong Woo Kim (5-2, 3) taking on Tae Young Suh (4-0-1). This is the biggest bout for both men so far and will see the winner really get a big win on their record, at least in terms of the domestic scene, but it's hard to imagine either man making a mark above domestic level, at least any time soon. Another notable fight sees the once very highly regarded Ye Joon Kim (16-1-2, 8) take on Muaty Thai fighter, turned boxer, Anocha Phuangkaew (2-0, 2). The Thai is said to be 45-5 in Muay Thai and could prove to be a very dangerous opponent for the unorthodox Kim, who will be fighting for the second time since ending a 2 year break from the ring. Pattaya, Thailand In Thailand fans will get a small card in Pattaya. One of the bouts on that card will see Thai based, Armenian born Russian Arest Saakyan (2-0) attempt to extend his unbeaten run as he takes on the debuting Boonyarit Boonyai (0-0). Also pencilled in for this card is Thai based British fighter Michael Alan Flannery (1-0, 1), who looks to build on his debut win back in January. Misamis Oriental, Philippines It is worth noting that a Filipino show was announced with former OPBF champion Mark John Yap (29-13, 14), Jess Rhey Waminal (12-2-1, 7) and Marco John Rementizo (9-3, 6) all announced for the show. Sadly details of this card sort of vanished and it's unclear if the show is going to take place, and if so who is actually going to be in action. All 3 of the fighters mentioned are fantastic and we really the show does take place, but the lack of noise from those involved and lack of details would suggest that the opponent would be very late notice fighters. There isn't much action this coming Friday but there are a number of Asian prospects in action.
Alberta, Canada The most notable of those prospects is the very talented and very exciting Canadian based Kazakh Sadriddin Akhmedov (3-0, 3), who takes a massive step up in class to take on Bruno Leonardo Romay (21-5, 18). The 20 year old Akhmedov, who is fighting out of Quebec, was a sensational amateur at youth level and already appears to be on the fast track in the professional ranks, thats despite only making his debut this past April. Whilst this is a big step up it does seem like Akhmedov's team are confident and his next bout is pencilled in for October. Argentinian 30 year old Romay is heavy handed and tough, and should pose a very serious threat to Akhmedov. Romay has only been stopped once in 26 bouts, and that was all the way back in his 4th bout, since then he has faced mostly limited opposition, but was able to go 10 rounds with Zhankosh Turarov last September. Chelyabinsk, Russia As well as Akhmedov's fight in Canada there will also be a couple of bouts of note in Russia. For us the most interesting bout will see Akzhol Sulaimanbek Uulu (11-0, 5) take on Mirzhan Zhaxylykov (10-3, 4). Uulu, originally from Kyrgyzstan though now based in Russia, has been slowly stepping up the quality of his opposition though was pushed all the way last time out by Leonardo Padilla which perhaps showed his team that he needs a step backwards. Kazakh foe Zhaxylykov hasn't fought in almost 18 months, and was stopped in his last 2 bouts, so he shouldn't serve as much of a test for Uulu. A more promising Kazakh on thus card will be Stanislav Kalitskiy (4-0, 3). Sadly however he hasn't had his opponent for the card announced at the time of writing. Busan, South Korea In Asia it's self there will be a low key card in Busan, featuring a couple of title fights. One of those title fights will see former OPBF title challenger Jin Wook Lim (10-5-5, 3) take on Filipino visitor Jess Rhey Waminal (11-2-1, 6) in a bout for the vacant WBA Asia Bantamweight title. Both men have come up short against their most notable opponents, with Lim losing to the likes of Shohei Kawashima and Shun Kubo whilst Waminal has lost to Ben Mananquil and Carlo Demecillo, however they should make for a very interesting match up together. The second title bout will see big punching Middleweight hopeful Sung Jae Jo (6-0, 5) take on Jong Min Bang (3-7-1) in a bout for the vacant Korean Middleweight title. The 23 year old Jo has shown promise and has been moved relatively well for a Korean domestic level fighter, and should be strongly favoured here. Unfortunately Bang has been stopped in his last 3, and should pose no real threat to the rising youngster. Another bout on this card will see 31 year old Tae San Kil (5-0, 3) battle against Thai visitor Chaiwat Mueanphong (4-2, 2) in a bout scheduled for 6 rounds. It's hard to see anything but a win for the unbeaten man, though hopefully this will open doors to more meaningful bouts in the near future.  California, USA
The real show of note for us this weekend comes from Carson California in what is arguably the best card of the last few years. It's not stacked with 50-50 bouts, though two bouts could well fit into that category, but it is stacked with talent with potentially the top 5 fighters at Super Flyweight all in action with a trio of bouts that have a logical reason to be on the same show. This is a card which has had thought behind it, and promises so much. It's one of those rare card where if one bout turns out to be a disappointment, for example an early technical draw, there is still enough for the card to be remembered fondly. The main event of the card is a rematch of one of the best fights of the year, as Thailand's Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (43-4-1, 29) takes on Nicaraguan great Roman Gonzalez (46-1, 38). Their first bout saw Srisaket drop Gonzalez in the first round en route to a close, and disputed, decision over the previously unbeaten Gonzlez. Srisaket will be looking to repeat the victory and make the first defence of his second reign of the WBC Super Flyweight title. Gonzalez will be seeking revenge for his first, and only, loss and looking to reclaim the title that he lost to the Thai back in March. A second world title fight on this card will see Japanese sensation Naoya Inoue (13-0, 11) defending the WBO Super Flyweight title against Antonio Nieves (17-1-2, 9), in what is Inoue's US debut. The extremely talented Japanese youngster is viewed by many as one of the best natural talents in the sport, and will know that this is his chance to show the world just how good he is in front of an audience of fans from around the globe. Although the huge under-dog Nieves is coming into the bout confident, and knows that a win here really puts him on the boxing map. The challenger is a bit of an unknown, and this opportunity is huge, but it's a huge step up in class for him. Interestingly a former Gonzalez foe is part of the under-card here, with Brian Viloria (37-5-0-2, 22) taking on Miguel Cartagena (15-3-1, 6), who is known in Asian circles for his win over Jobert Alvarez and his nasty technical draw with Toshiyuki Igarashi, from this past April. The 25 year old American is tough, aggressive and could be a genuine handful for the 36 year old Viloria, who has fought just once since his October 2015 loss to Gonzalez. At his best Viloria would be a huge favourite, but this bout could be extremely tough for the veteran. Also on this card will be the unbeaten Nick Frese (5-0, 5), who faces Nam Phan (3-2-1, 2). Dutch born Thai based Frese will be fighting outside of Asia for the first time and will be hoping to show his skills, and pick up another quick win. The unbeaten man us pencilled in to fight again in October and has been ultra busy this year, but has also been destructive racking up a combined 10 rounds from his 5 bouts. Nam Phan, who is an American based American, hasn't fought in will over a year and is 10 years removed from his last win, but the bout really is supposed to just showcase Frese. As well as the bouts mentioned the card will feature an all-Mexican bout, back at Super Flyweight, as Juan Francisco Estrada (35-2, 25) takes on Carlos Cuadras (36-1-1, 27), with the winner set to become the mandatory for the Srisaket Vs Gonzalez winner. Astana, Kazakhstan A second notable show packed with Asian fighters comes in Central Asian country Kazakhstan,where we get a number of notable and unbeaten Kazakh's in action, against opponents who look very solid on paper. The main event of the card will see the world ranked Kanat Islam (24-0, 19) take on Brandon Cook (18-0, 11) in a really mouth watering match up. The unbeaten 32 year old Islam is slowly edging towards a world title fight, and is regarded as one of the notable Kazakh's in the professional ranks so far, but his career has been a slow burning and he's been a professional for close to 5 years with out yet really making a big splash. Aged 31 Cook has also been a bit of a slow burner as a professional, though his win in January against Steven Butler did get him some international attention, due to a post fight incident which saw Cook being hit with an item thrown at him. This really is a must win for both, and who ever loses will find it very hard to rebuild at this stage. Another good looking bout towards the top of the card will see the very promising Zhankosh Turarov (21-0, 15) battle with Argentinian puncher Bruno Leonardo Romay (21-4, 18). Although less well known than Islam we have got high hopes for Turarov, who is 26 and has shown real flashes of being a genuine prospect. Romay will be hoping to make the most of his power, but this is a big step up for the South American, who's fighting in Asia for the first time. Arguably the most notable prospect on this card is also the least experienced, as a professional. That's former amateur star Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (1-0, 1), who looks to impress in his second bout as he takes on Carmelito De Jesus (18-5, 15). We saw Alimkhanuly really shine in the amateurs, winning World and Asian championship gold in 2013 and reach the quarter finals of the 2016 Olympics. On his professional debut the Kazakh destroyed Milton Nunez and we're expecting a similar performance here. De Jesus, from Brazil, has scored wins on the road before, stopping Italian Stefano Castellucci, and will be there hunting the upset but he'll likely have little success against the Kazakh sensation. Another notable prospect is Nursultan Zhanabayev (2-0, 1), who made his debut last year in China and has already competed in a pair of 10 rounders. His upcoming bout will see him take on the heavy handed Brazilian Alex Sandro Duarte (13-1-1, 10). Although Duarte has a nice record on paper he has lost to his most notable foe to date, and we expect another set back for him here. Other hopefuls on this card include Ali Akhmedov (8-0, 6), who was last seen stopping the unbeaten Curtis Hill Jr, battling against Justin Thomas (18-2, 7), and Aidos Yerbossynuly (6-0, 5), who's fighting for the first time since going the distance with Devin Butcher, who will look to shine against the more experienced Jonathan Geronimo Barbadillo (17-4-1, 14). Cotabato del Sur, Philippines In the Philippines we have a pretty notable show. One of the most notable bouts on the show will see Ben Mananquil (14-1-2, 3) battle against Jess Rhey Waminal (11-1-1, 6) in a bout between talented and once beaten fighters., looking to claim the interim OPBF Bantamweight title. Of the two men Mananquil is the more proven man, and he's unlucky not to have a stoppage win over Kwanpichit OnsongchaiGym to go along with his wins over Mateo Handig and Glenn Porras. Although less well known Waminal can't be over-looked and has scored notable wins over Joe Tejones and Gerpaul Valero. This isn't going to be a true OPBF title level fight, but the reality is that it is still a brilliant match up, with both fighters looking to go in there and prove they are the better fighter. A less exciting looking bout will see veterans collide as Eden Sonsona (36-7-2, 13) takes on Jaime Barcelona (39-61-1, 10). The talented Sonsona is an upset minded fighter, as we saw in 2015 when he stopped Adrian Estrella in 2 rounds, but will be the favourite here against a man who really is just a journeyman, but a damned tough one who has only been stopped 5 times in 101 bouts. Although Sonsona will be the favourite it is worth noting that he only just took a narrow decision over Barcelona last December, and this could be another hotly contested bout, despite the hugely different looking records. A really good match up on this card will see unbeaten Filipino prospect Jade Bornea (8-0, 5) taking on once beaten Thai Kongfah CP Freshmart (19-1, 11) in a mouth watering match up for the IBF Youth Super Flyweight title. The Filipino prospect was an amateur stand out before turning professional in 2014. He's tipped to go a long way but this is a big step up in class for the 22 year old Pinoy. For Kongfah this will be his most significant fight since he faced a then unknown Daigo Higa back in 2015, when Higa stopped the Thai in a 7 round thriller! This could be a coming out party for Bornea or a chance for Kongfah to climb back up the rankings, a great match up! In a mismatch worthy of noting we'll see the world class Randy Petalcorin (26-2-1, 19) take on veteran Jetly Purisima (21-23-4, 6). The bout shouldn't be competitive,with Petalcorin being better than Purisima in every way, but it does give the talented “Razor” a chance to shake some ring rust after more than 6 months of inactivity. Petalcorin is a natural talent and should be fighting at world level so hopefully his team will move him in that direction next year, rather than keep him in there with horribly over-matched opponents, like Purisima. There will also be two promising novice prospects on this card in low key bouts. One of those is Mark Antonio (2-0, 2), who will look to keep his stoppage run alive as he takes on Michael Padayag (3-8-1) in what should be a straight forward win and Dave Apolinario (2-0, 1), who will be strongly favoured to over-come Rudy Salaton (0-1). Negros Occidental, Philippines
This coming Wednesday there will be a small profile show in the Philippines. The main event of the card will be a 10 rounder that pits Jess Rhey Waminal (10-1-1, 6) against the highly experienced, and very streaky, Gerpaul Valero (21-18-4, 15). Coming in to this Waminal is on a nice run, having won his last 4 bouts, but they haven't come against fighters as heavy handed, or as experienced as Valero. On paper Valero is a journeyman, however since the start of 2011 he has gone 20-5-1 (15) and is certainly not as bad as his record suggests. This could be a very interesting match up. In a supporting bout Lorenz Ladrada (4-0, 2) will risk his unbeaten record against Lenmar Presillas (2-4, 1). The 19 year old Ladrada will be looking to keep his run going, and he should manage that given that Presillas has lost his last 4 bouts in a row and is more than a year removed from his last win. |
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