 Central Gym, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
This coming Tuesday we have two shows in Japan, though one of those is certainly more notable than the other, with the one from Kobe being a much bigger one and much more interesting, with 3 unbeaten and touted prospects in action and a very highly regarded debutant, than one in Tokyo. The Kobe show, from Shinsei Promotions, The main event will see the really promising and exciting Sento Ito (3-0, 2) take a major step up in class as he takes on Ranelio Quizo (11-6-1, 3), in what will be Ito’s first 10 rounder. Ito has impressed since debuting, just over a year ago, and looked like he has all the talent to go to the top back in May, when he took a wide decision over Alvin Camique, and it's clear his team are now preparing him for a regional title fight, which is no surprise given he has rankings with both the OPBF and WBO AP. He’s heavy handed, aggressive, smart, calculated, has shown good stamina and at just 19 years old seems to be a fantastic prospect and a future champion. As for Quizo, the Filipino is 26 years old, experienced but also someone struggling for form, with losses in 4 of his last 6, including losing to debutants Jong Hun Shin and Otgonbayar Enkhtuvshin, both in South Korea. Despite those losses he is no push over and showed against Sang Heon Oh last year that he does travel to win, and will not be looking to make up the numbers against Ito. This should be a good workout for Ito, but a win for the Japanese youngster. A second very highly touted prospect on this card is Hiroki Horiike (5-0, 3), who recently claimed the OPBF Silver title at 140lbs, who takes on Korean visitor Young Bin Song (8-1, 3). Horiike, has shown a lot to like already, has scored very good wins over LeQuan Wang and Yeerlan Nuerlanbieke and has international experience, with bouts in both the Philippines and Thailand. Although very much a work in progress the 140lb hopeful is only 23 and is already one to watch with some very well polished skills. As for Song the Korean 28 year old has a good looking record, but has been picking up most of his wins on the relatively weak Korean domestic scene scene, with his biggest win coming back in 2023 against George Tachibana, with that being a razor thin decision, and his most recent bout being a loss in Thailand to Avzalbek Kuranbaev. Notably he has fought at 154lbs and 147lbs and the thought process seems to be that he is physically a test for Horiike, rather than a test of Horiike's boxing skills, due to the fact he is the naturally heavier man. In a female bout, unbeaten 30 year old Ayumi Shuzui (3-0, 1) looks to move her career along as she takes on 22 year old Riho Yoshida (5-2-1, 1). At the age of 30 it is now time for Shuzui to kick on, even though she only debuted back in June 2024, so far her competition has been at a very low level, and this is a major step up for her. As for Yoshida, she is still a boxing baby, but in 8 fights she has proven that she has the potential to go places, losing only in bouts for regional titles, and both were close, one to Nao Ugawa and one to Honoka Kano. For Shuzui the bout really is a step up and a chance to fast track her approach to a title fight, whilst Yoshida knows a win here keeps her in the mix for another title fight, and we can’t help but think, sooner or later, she will indeed pick up some belts, she’s too good at such a young age not to. Talking about young female fighters who will win titles, we can’t help but be really excited for the debuting 18 year old Shiori Yotsumoto (0-0), who takes on Thai youngster Kullathida Kueasanor (8-4, 3). As an amateur Yostumoto she went 24-3 (14), won high tournaments for fun, an Asian Championship bronze medal and impressed at the Junior Olympic Cup. She might well be the most promising teenager in Japan right now, and there are huge expectations on her for the future, with her amateur pedigree and power being particularly notable. As for Kueasanor, who is also 18, she is well travelled, with bouts in Japan, Philippines and South Korea, as well as her homeland, but has notably lost in her 3 bouts away from home. Despite those setbacks, she hasn't been matched softly on her travels, with losses to ye Kyeng Seo, Wenie Cline Verano and Nanano Suzuki. Sadly for the Thai this is likely to be another road loss as she takes on someone who really does have the potential to be a huge deal over the coming decade or so. Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo, Japan event Over in Tokyo we have a card which is mostly 4 rounders, however there is one exception, as Junya Nagashima (5-3, 1) clashes with Kazuki Sato (4-1, 1) in a 6 rounder. The 32 year old Nagashima is fighting for the first time since a narrow win in November 2023 against Toshiki Unno, in what was his second bout since 2020, showing that over recent years he has had a very stop start career. In fact 6 of his 9 bouts came in his first 20 months. At his best he had mixed results against low level competition, and we can’t see him progressing much above this level. As for Sato, he is someone who has shown some form and some ambition. He debuted in 2023 and scored his biggest win to date last time out, stopping Taro Mochizuki. Sadly he was stopped just a fight earlier, but he is looking to rebuild from his loss, and will be looking to build some momentum with this bout. The event will also feature a sparring tournament involving future world title challenger Jin Sasaki (19-1-1, 17), ahead of his WBO world title fight in June against world champion Brian Norman Jr (27-0, 21).
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 Ariake Arena, Koto-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
The end of 2024 was a disappointing one for fans of big Japanese shows, with two major changes to the scheduled plans for late December. The biggest of those saw a card scheduled for December 24th being postponed, thankfully that was just pushed back a month, and we were set to get the same card this coming Friday. We say we were set, but that was before two issues arose afterwards. The main event was supposed to see Undisputed Super Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25) take on IBF mandatory challenger Sam Goodman (19-0, 8). This was the bout that forced the show to be pushed back a month originally, with Goodman suffering a cut in his final sparring session. Sadly Goodman suffered another cut before the rescheduled date and was replaced at short notice, by reserve fighter Ye Joon Kim (21-2-2, 13) from South Korea. Goodman would have been a mandatory, though his pull out, under 2 weeks from the show, leaves the mandatory situation unclear at the time of writing, and whilst his replacement is a huge downgrade we’re glad to see Inoue back in the ring, especially after issues in the past that have kept him out of the ring. With the plan being for Inoue to fight 4 times this year, we suspect many will forget this fight at the end of the year, however a fighter being active is a good thing, and one weak opponent, on 2 weeks notice, is better than not fighting at all. Although a win over Kim is rather meaningless for Inoue’s legacy, wins against then unified champions Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales, Luis Nery and TJ Doheny already have him a cut above the rest at 122lbs, and with a mandatory against Murodjon Akhmadaliev planned for later in the year it’s clear this will be little more than a tune up and stay busy before facing “MJ”. Sadly the main event wasn’t the only bout which was taken over by injury issues, with a planned WBO Bantamweight world title defense between unbeaten champion Yoshiki Takei (10-0, 8) and Thai challenger Yuttapong Tongdee (15-0, 9) being cancelled when Takei was injured in training. This leaves a good card, looking a bit weak overall, though the rest of the show is good for what it is, the two main bouts being affected by injuries have damaged this card massively. Thankfully we do get some of the planned bouts, with one of those being the next defense for unified regional Welterweight champion Jin Sasaki (18-1-1, 17), who defends his WBO Asia Pacific and OPBF titles against the rugged Shoki Sakai (29-14-3, 15), in what could end up being a very interesting bout. Sasaki is someone who has a genuine aura about him and oozes star power, with a compelling look, an exciting style, frightening power, and the sort of flaws that make him vulnerable and make his bouts musty watch. Sakai on the other hand is flawed, but tough, rugged, strong and comes forward. Technically he’s very flawed, he’s easy to hit, slow, and lacks power, but his toughness and will to win could drag Sasaki into deep waters, or he could find himself up against someone who simply has too much power. Potentially the best bout on the card, given the alterations to the card, will not be a title fight, but will see champions facing off, as Japanese Super Featherweight champion Tsubasa Narai (14-2, 10) takes on WBO Asia Pacific champion Kai Watanabe (13-1-1, 7), though the bout will be above the championship limit and neither man will be risking their titles. Both of these men have power, both are skilled and both are looking to launch themselves beyond regional level, and into the mix at world level. Narai has won his last 6, since losing in 2022 to Kosuke Saka. The run hasn't been a who's who, but has included notable wins against domestic fighters like Hiro Ichimichi, Soreiki Taichi, Yuna Hara and Kanta Fukui, good wins, but none that will propel him to mixing on the fringes of world level. Instead he needs to score a few more wins against international level fighters. As for Watanabe the 22 year old is talented, though did frustrate in some recent bouts, including razor thin wins over Shinsei Otani and Shunpei Ohata. Those struggles were however easy to forget when he blasted out Toshihiro Suzuki back in August, in a sensational performance that really boosted his standing. Like Narai he’s a few wins short of being in the world title mix, but a win here really would set him up for a huge year. In a Japanese title fight, Super Bantamweight champion Toshiki Shimomachi (19-1-3, 12) will defend his title against Misaki Hirano (11-1, 4). There had been some mention of Shimomachi being a potential reserve opponent for Goodman, in the main event, but it never looked on with Shimomachi knowing he isn’t ready for world level. Despite that he’s not far off getting into the regional title mix, and a win over Hirano may well be one of his final at domestic level. He’s a talented fighter, who was given an excellent test last time out, by Ryuya Tsugawa. He's talented, and could mix at world level after Inoue leaves the division, but the 28 year old Southpaw from Osaka is still very much a work in progress. As for Hirano, the challenger is on a 10 fight winning streak, including the 2021 All Japan Rookie of the Year, but his competition hasn't been close to the top of the domestic tree, with his most meaningful win coming in December 2023 against Ryo Suwa. This is a massive step up for him, and it’s hard to see him giving Shimomachi too much of a test, but he will be hungry and will know this is a chance to impress on a major card, shown globally. We have another title bout on this show, as WBO Asia Pacific Minimumweight champion Goki Kobayashi (8-1, 5) defends against former Japanese champion Yuni Takada (15-8-3, 6). On paper this doesn’t look like a really tough defense for Kobayashi, however paper doesn’t tell us much of the story here. Kobayashi was put on the fast track from the off and the 25 year old is now enjoying his second reign with the WBO Asia Pacific title, which he originally won in his 5th bout, before losing it in his second defense, then regained it a fight later, with this being his second defense of his second reign. He’s talented, has good power, and has had tough seasoning since his debut in 2021. As for Takada, who actually gave up the Japanese title to actively chase this bout, and Kobayashi’s title, he’s only 26 but very much a battled hardened 26 year old, who debuted in 2015 and was stopped twice in his first 4 bouts, and 4 times in his first 14. He's not been stopped since 2019 however, and has gone 7-2-2 since then, whilst winning his last 7 in a row winning the Japanese title along the way, and recorded 4 defense. Given his form, his pursuit of this bout, and his experience Takada, whilst the very clear under-dog, is very much a live under-dog here, in what is a brilliant bout at 105lbs.  Ariake Arena, Koto-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesday attention turns to Tokyo for the next stacked card from Hideyuki Ohashi, who gives us one of the strongest cards of the year. The show isn’t headlined by a 50-50 bout, in fact the headline bout is widely regarded as a mismatch, but the rest of the card is undeniably strong and packed with great bouts, whilst the headline bout features one of the sports most notable names. That main event will see unified Super Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24) take on former IBF champion TJ Doheny (26-4, 19), in what both men have been predicting will be an explosive contest. On paper this is a mismatch, as Inoue, one of the best fighters in the sport, faces off with a 37 year old who is 5-4 in his last 9, dating back 5 years. In reality however it appears Inoue and his team are looking at it very differently, and want to make sure the Monster is still sharp after his big win over Luis Nery at Tokyo Dome, which they hope won’t be the start of the end for him. As for Doheny, his 5-4 record in his last 9 lacks context, that includes 3 straight TKO wins in Japan, including a win over Inoue's stablemate Kazuki Nakajima, and a win over Inoue's sparring partner Japhetlee Llamido, all on shows promoted by Inoue's promoter. A second world title will see WBO Bantamweight champion Yoshiki Takei (9-0, 8) make his first defense as he takes on former WBC Flyweight champion Daigo Higa (21-2-1, 19) in a bout that promises to be violent. Takei, a former K1 world champion who transitioned to boxing from Kick boxing and has had rapid success, was given a real gut check last time out when he barely survived the final round against Jason Moloney, but coming through that torrid 12th round will do him the world of good, especially given he had had just 26 professional rounds before then. As for Higa, he looked a genuine beast at Flyweight, but has been unable to make a major mark at Bantamweight. Despite going 6-1-1 (4) at 118lbs he hasn’t looked close to the force he once was, and was almost upset in 2022 by Froilan Saludar. Higa needs a win to keep his career alive, whilst Takei will be looking to score a win to establish his reign. Given the styles of the two men this promises to be one of, if not the, highlight of the show. In a world title eliminator at 140lbs, we’ll see 41 year old Venezuelan veteran Ismael Barroso (25-4-2, 23) take on unbeaten Japanese hopeful Andy Hiraoka (23-0, 18). Barroso, the current “interim” champion has had a long and wonderful career that has seen him fight around the globe and score a number of major upsets whilst facing a who’s who of the sport between 135 and 140. Through his career he has always been a flawed but brutal puncher, beating the likes of Kevin Mitchell, Yves Ulysse Jr, Fernando David Saucedo and most recently Ohara Davies. He has also come up short against the likes of Anthony Crolla, Isa Chaniev, Botirzhon Akhmedov and Rolando Romero, albeit in controversial fashion. Hiraoka has long looked like a potential contender on the world stage, but is still a flawed fighter who relies more on his athletic ability than his boxing skills, though we have seen him develop as a boxer fight by fight. This is a huge step up for him, and if he overlooks the power of Barroso he could be in trouble, though he does possess size, reach, youth and speed advantages over the veteran and should have the tools to beat Barroso, though he will need to be on point here. Former Hiraoka opponent Jin Sasaki (17-1-1, 16) [佐々木尽] is also on the card, as he looks to defend his OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific Welterweight titles against Australian challenger Qamil Balla (15-1-1, 8), in what could be another sensational bout. Sasaki, a 23 year old with brutal power who oozes star potential and charisma, is one of the hottest fighters in Japan and by far their best hope at Welterweight right now. His 19 career bouts have only lasted a combined 68 rounds, and he has only had bouts go the distance twice, once in a 4 round win and once in a 6 round draw. He’s brutal with his shots, but can be seen as lazy and does have work to do if he intends to reach the top. As for Balla the Australian challenger has won his last 4, since losing to George Kambosos in 2017, has never been stopped and does have enough power to keep regional opponents honest. Sadly Balla has been out of the ring for over a year, and has only had 4 bouts since the Kambosos loss in May 2017, but will have been doing all he can to get ready for the biggest opportunity of his career. In a domestic level bout we’ll see Toshiki Shimomachi (18-1-3, 12) make his third defense of the Japanese Super Bantamweight title as he faces dangerous young challenger Ryuya Tsugawa (13-1, 9). Shimomachi has long been on our radar, winning the 2017 All Japan Rookie of the Year, claiming the Japanese Youth title in 2019 and then the Japanese title in June 2023. He’s defensively slippery, a sharp shooter, with solid power, but also has determination and heart, as he showed in his 2023 war with Toshiya Ishii, in what was a genuine FOTY contender. As for Tsugawa the 23 year old suffered his sole loss in November 2018, when he losed a razor thin decision to Yusei Fujikawa, but has gone 9-0 (8) since then. Whilst that form looks good it needs to be noted that he won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2019, the Youth title in 2024 and has notched notable wins as opposed to just padding out his record. He is a very live and very dangerous challenger here in what should be a really good domestic title bout.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Thursday fight fans at Korakuen Hall are in for a treat, as we get a title triple header and several supporting bouts featuring hopeful novices looking to get their career back on track. The main event of the card will be a regional unification bout, as rising Japanese sensation Jin Sasaki (16-1-1, 15) takes on under-rated Filipino Joe Noynay (23-3-2, 11) in a bout to unify the WBO Asia Pacific, held by Sasaki, and the currently vacant OPBF Welterweight titles. The exciting and enigmatic Sasaki is quickly becoming one of the most “must watch” fighters on the planet, with explosive power, fast hands and questionable defense. Since his 2021 loss, to Andy Hiraoka, he has gone 5-0-1 (5) stopping the likes of Marcus Smith, Ryota Toyoshima and Keita Obara, he has also won the WBO Asia Pacific title, and made 2 defenses of the belt. Noynay has long been a thorn in the side of Japanese fighters, and is an upset minded fighter who has scored notable wins on the road against Kosuke Saka, Satoshi Shimizu and Liam Wilson. Although upset minded Noynay has long been his own worst enemy, and really isn’t a natural Welterweight, and will be giving away size and strength against Sasaki here. Despite that he’s tough, he comes to fight and will certainly be there to upset the highly fancied Sasaki. Another unification bout on this show will see WBO Asia Pacific female Minimumweight champion Mayumi Nakano (6-1, 3) take on JBC champion Marina Loreto (6-0-2), to unify the straps. Nakano is the bigger puncher of the two and has won 6 in a row, following a loss on her debut. Despite only having 7 bouts to her name, she does have two decent wins, beating both Kaori Nagai and Riyuna Yoshikawa. As for the unbeaten Loreto, who won the title last year, with a win over Sarasa Ichimura, this will be her second defense, following a split decision draw against Sayo Segawa. Notably this will be Loreto’s first 8 rounder, and it’ll be interesting to see how she copes with the longer distance, having only competed in 4 and 6 rounders. In another title bout we’ll see the once beaten Ryuya Tsugawa (12-1, 8) take on Shodai Morita (6-2, 3) in a bout for the JBC Youth Super Bantamweight title, which Tsugawa will be defending for the first time. The 23 year old Tsugawa has developed into a nasty fighter, winning 8 in a row since his sole loss in 2018 against Yusei Fujikawa, and has scored 7 stoppages in that run. Notably he has been impressing not just on the domestic scene, winning the 2019 Rookie of the Year and the Japanese Youth title, but also beating visiting fighters like Jhunrille Castino and Prince Andrew Laurio. Morita on the other hand has had mixed results, losing 2 of his last 6, though he has never been stopped and will know that a win here could see him make up for lost time. Morita will be the under-dog, but Tsugawa certainly can’t overlook him here. In a non-title fight we’ll see once beaten puncher Kaiji Nakajima (5-1, 4) look to bounce back from a loss in February, as he takes on Thai visitor Surasak Chumkaew (2-1, 1). Nakajima lost his unbeaten record when he was stopped by Eikichi Kawamura, and will be looking to show that that loss won’t slow his ascent through the ranks, as he continues to make his mark on the domestic scene and move into the 8 round distance for the first time. Chumkaew is a 26 year old who actually debuted in an 8 rounder, which he lost, before bouncing back with 2 wins in scheduled 6 rounders. Notably this will be his first bout outside of the Singmanassak Muaythai School, and he will clearly be the under-dog in his first bout on foreign soil. Also on this card is the once touted Ryutaro Nakagaki (3-2-2, 2), who looks to get his career back on track after back to back losses. The talented Nakagaki, who hasn’t yet adapted to the pros in the way some had hoped, will be up against rugged Thai veteran Lerdchai Chaiyawed (13-12, 8). Nakagaki is highly skilled, an excellent movement, and someone with a very strong amateur background, but needs rounds and a real test. We don’t expect Chaiyawed to test him, but we do expect the tough Thai will help Nakagaki get some much needed rounds and learn a few things in this 8 rounder.  Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, USA
The most notably bout with an Asian fighter in this weekend comes from the US where WBC Featherweight champion Mark Magsayo (24-0, 16) takes on mandatory challenger Rey Vargas (35-0, 22). For Magsayo the bout will be his first defense, following his upset win against Gary Russell Jr earlier this year, and he'll obviously be wanting to hand over the title so soon after winning it, however he is in with a really awkward, tough and talented challenger. Of the two men Vargas is the more skilled, the more natural boxer, and the one who has the more proven resume, however this is only his second bout since coming back to the sport following a broken leg, and if Magsayo is going to beat him, this is probably the best time to face him. Whilst Vargas is the more talented it's fair to say that Magsayo has shown a real will to win in recent bouts, and he has dug deep in wins over Rigoberto Hermosillo and Julio Ceja, and it's hard to ever write him off after the win over Ceja. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Magsayo faces Vargas in first defense of WBC title O2 Arena, Greenwich, London, United Kingdom Staying outside of Asia for a little longer, we're also set to see the rematch between Israil Madrimov (8-0, 6) and Michel Soro (35-3-1, 24), who had a very controversial bout last year, with Madimov stopping Soro after the bell to end round 9. The bout, a WBA world title eliminator at 154lbs, left a sour taste and rather than letting the controversy stand the two men arranged this rematch, which actually serves both men well given the current state of the division. For Soro the bout is a chance to avenge his loss, and move towards another world title fight which given he's now 34 would likely be his last major bout. As for Madrimov the bout gives him a chance to get some more valuable rounds behind him, and if he wins he will be better prepared to face the top men in the division, though we suspect he would still be the clear under-dog against Jermell Charlo. Esforta Arena Hachioji, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan In Japan we have the next show from Hachioji Nakaya Gym. The show isn't a huge one, but does have 3 very solid domestic type bouts on it. The main event will see the hard hitting Jin Sasaki (12-1, 11) take on 2021 All Japan Rookie of the Year Kotaro Sekine (3-0, 3) in a very exciting 8 rounder. For Sasaki, who is one of the most fan friendly fighters in Japan, the bout will be his second since losing to Andy Hiraoka in a Japanese and WBO Asia Pacific title fight in October, and he will know the pressure is on him to perform in front of local fans in his home town of Hachioji. As for Sekine this is a massive step for a man who has only had 5 career rounds, but a win here would boost his standing in the sport, and move to within touching distance of a title fight. We do not expect this one to last long, but do expect a lot of fireworks. On the subject of title bouts, the card has one of those as Hyoga Taniguchi (5-3-2, 1) clashes with Seika Fukuda (6-3, 1) for the Japanese Youth Super Featherweight title. Unlike the main event, neither of these men are big punchers, but the two youngsters are exciting, they like to throw a lot, and in many ways it feels like the styles should gel to give us a very, very fun action fight. Taniguchi will be the favourite, as like Sasaki he's from Hachioji City, but Fukuda will not be looking to make up the numbers and will be a very, very live under-dog. Our preview of this bout can be read here Taniguchi and Fukuda battle for Youth title One other bout of note on this card is the rubber match between Yuni Takada (8-8-3, 3) and Shunsuke Isa (9-4-1, 1), who have had two incredibly close bouts in recent years. The first of those saw Takada pick up a close unanimous decision in 2019 with Isa beating Takada by split decision last year, to win the Japanese Youth Minimumweight title. Given how close and competitive their previous meetings were we expect another hotly contested bout here between two exciting, speedy and aggressive fighters. House of Warriors Boxing Academy, New Delhi, India Also in Asia will be a small card in India. Sadly the most notable bouts on this card are very, very clear mismatches. One of those mismatches will see rising Indian hopeful Shiva (14-3-1, 7) battle against 21 year old novice Arun Sharma (3-4, 3). Coming into this Sharma has lost his last 3 bouts, including one in June, and he is clearly up against it here. Shiva on the other hand is unbeaten in his last 9, going 8-0-1, and should be too skilled, too experienced and too good for his foe. The other notable mismatch will see unbeaten 24 year old Mahesh (7-0, 5) take on struggling 17 year old Sumit Kumar (1-2) in a 6 rounder. Mahesh might not be a world beater, but he's one of the more promising Indian fighters, and this looks like a bit of record padding for him here, though Kumar has never been stopped and may be able to take Mahesh a few rounds here.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Friday we get the next Ohashi promoted show, and it's a really good one, with an excellent main event, and 3 very noteworthy supporting bouts. The main event is a very anticipated WBO Minimumweight world title bout, which will see Masataka Taniguchi (15-3, 10) make his first defense of the title he won late last year, and take on the hard hitting Kai Ishizawa (10-1, 9), in the second bout between the two men. These two fought back in 2019, with Taniguchi taking a hard fought but clear win over Ishizawa. Since that first bout Taniguchi has gone 3-0 (3) and won the Japanese and WBO title, with his biggest wins so far coming last year when he stopped Wilfredo Mendez for the WBO title. As for Ishizawa he has gone 4-0 (3) since losing to Taniguchi, with his most notable win coming last time out when he stopped Katsuki Mori for the Japanese title. Given how good their first bout was, and the styles the two men employee, this should be a genuinely excellent bout and an action bout between two men who each really want to prove a point. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Taniguchi seeks first WBO title defense in rematch against Ishizawa! In the chief support bout we'll see the fast rising Yoshiki Takei (3-0, 3) take part in his 4th professional boxing bout, as he takes a huge step up and battles against Shingo Kawamura (15-8-4, 8). So far Takei, who first made his name as a kick boxer, has taken out his first 3 opponents inside the opening round. He was a very, very good kick boxer, and is now looking like one of the most dangerous prospects in Japanese boxing, with brutal power, very good technique and a significant amount of combat sport experience. Kawamura on the other hand is an experienced 31 year old who has twice challenged for OPBF titles, being stopped by Satoshi Shimizu in 4 rounds and Hiroaki Teshigawara in 6 rounds. Given Takei's power this could be over quickly, though if Kawamura can see out the first few rounds this could get interesting. Another unbeaten prospect on this card is third generation fighter Keisuke Matsumoto (4-0, 4), who takes a notable step up in class as he battles Morihisa Iju (11-5, 9). The talented Matsumoto, who has had his name circulated in Japanese boxing circles since he was competing in the Under 15 tournaments, did look shaky at times early in his career, but has progressed nicely in his last two bouts, and appears to be developing really well, likely why his team have stepped him up in such a notable fashion here. Aged 33 Iju is no world beater in the making, but he has respectable power, and is tough, having not been stopped since his 6th bout. Iju has been inactive recently, and has lost his last 3, but is rugged, and a genuinely good test for the 22 year old Matsumoto at this point in the youngster's career. Also on this card is a potential shoot out, as the hard hitting, yet frustrating, Jin Sasaki (11-1, 10) takes on Marcus Smith (7-1-1, 7) in an 8 round Welterweight bout. An 8 round bout that really isn't expected to go the distance. The 20 year old Sasaki started his career 11-0 (10) before losing last time out against Andy Hiraoka in a in a bout for the WBO Asia Asia Pacific and Japanese Light Welterweight title, with Sasaki missing weight as well as looking lacklustre through the bout. The result was a disappointing one, for one of the most fan-friendly young prospects in Japan. Here he is moving up in weight but is up against a naturally bigger fight who's also a puncher. Smith, a Japanese based American born fighter, has shown nasty power of his own, and has also shown a good chin, going 8 rounds with Koki Inoue in 2018. Sadly Smith has been out of the ring for over 2 years, but he will come into this knowing it's a huge opportunity for him to make up for lost time against a popular young banger. Echo Arena, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom As well as the interesting show in Japan we are also set to see WBO Bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero (31-4, 21) make his long awaited mandatory title defense against English fighter Paul Butler (33-2, 15). This bout was supposed to take place in 2021 before Casimero had to pull out, on the week of the fight, due to illness. Butler had a chance to fight for the interim title, but turned it down, and as a result both men are now essentially forced into facing each other. If Casimero fails to fight he will be stripped and if Butler pulls out or misses weight he will miss out on being the mandatory challenger. In this right this will be a case of Casimero's wild power, and freakish ability to hurt fighters, against Butler's slippery technical, boxing. Sadly though it does feel like an under-whelming fight in one of the sports best divisions Our preview of this fight, which was done for the original date of the bout, can be read here Casimero defends WBO crown against Butler in mandatory defense  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesday attention turns to Japan, as Korakuen Hall hosts a show featuring two title bouts and the debut of an excellent youngster. The more notable of the two title bouts will see unbeaten youngsters collide as Andy Hiraoka (17-0, 12) takes on the hard hitting Jin Sasaki (11-0, 10) in a bout for the Japanese and WBP Asia Pacific Light Welterweight titles. We suspect plenty of international fans will be aware of Hiraoka, who has featured on several US cards due to a co-promotional deal with Top Rank, and of the two men he is the more polished and the experienced, however he has shown that he can be caught and he's only had 3 bouts in the last 27 months and we wonder if he will have some ring rust. Sasaki on the other hand is known by those who follow the Japanese scene, and will have seen him break out last year. He is a raw, crude, puncher, but he really does have dynamite in his hands, stopping his last 5 opponents in a combined 8 rounds, with 4 of those wins coming since the start of 2020. This one should be fire works, with both having very solid power, and having enough flaws for the other man to target. Our preview of this bout can be read here Hiraoka and Sasaki risk unbeaten records in double title fight! On the subject of fire works we're also expecting them in the other title fight, as OPBF Bantamweight champion Kazuki Nakajima (10-0-1, 8) takes on former champion Keita Kurihara (15-6, 13). Both of these men are very flawed in their own way, with Nakajima being very upright and stiff and Kurihara being slow of foot and open, but both men can seriously bang and throw almost all of their shots with nasty intent. The bout is less likely to be a boxing contest, and more of a fire fight, with one a single power shot needed to light the touch paper. Of the two men Nakajima is the more technically polished and "correct" fighter, but Kurihara is the more proven and battle hardened. This really could be an explosive, and short, encounter between two men looking to move onwards and upwards towards a potential world title fight. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Fireworks expected as Nakajima defends against Kurihara! In a supporting bout we'll see Japanese ranked Super Featherweight's clash as Katsunori Endo (7-3-1, 4) takes on veteran Ribo Takahata (16-9-1, 6). Aged Takahata is coming to the end of his career, and we wouldn't be surprised if he bowed out after this fight, win or lose. Whilst never a major star in Japan he has been a very good servant to Japanese boxing and his career really does get over-looked, as he has managed to perform at a good level at an age where most fighters retire. Aged 30 Endo is the much younger fighter, but also the man with a point to prove after a very disappointing draw last time out to Ken Koibuchi. This should be a solid fight, maybe not the most exciting, but certainly a competitive one. One other bout worthy of some attention is the debut of Kaiyu Toyoshima (0-0), who went 60-20 (15) in the amateurs, captained his University team and looked like a star in the making. He'll be up against Shohei Horii (3-6-2, 2), who was last seen losing to Toyoshima's Ohashi Gym stablemate Ryutaro Nakagaki last year. It's hard to imagine anything but a Toyoshima win, but this is a great chance for the youngster to settle into the pro ranks before bigger and better things down the line. Dhalpur Ground, India As well as the excellent show in Tokyo we also have a small card in India. The card really is a very, very limited one with the main event being a bout between Suraj (2-2, 1) and the win-less Nawid Mohammadi (0-1), who battle over 6 rounds. It's hard to complain about bouts like this headlining in places like India, where professional boxing is in it's infancy, but it's also hard to care too much about such low quality cards. Hopefully, in the coming years, shows will be headlines by meaningful bouts between established local talent, but that seems a very, very, very long way off.  This coming Saturday is a big day for fight fans in Hachioji, as they get two shows at the Fujimori Gym. One of the shows an East Japan Rookie of the Year card, whilst the other is headlined by a mouth watering Youth title fight, with serious implications for later in the year.
Fujimori Gym, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan The first of the two cards, set to begin at 11AM, is an East Japan Rookie of the Year show featuring 7 bouts across a variety of weights. As with all these Rookie of the Year shows the fighters involved are all novices. On paper the most interesting match up, at least in our eyes, is the Super Bantamweight bout between Ryusei Sasanoike (1-0) and Mizuki Isozaki (0-0). The 18 year old Sasanoike made his debut last December and will be looking to build on a victory in that bout. Isozaki on the other hand is a 29 year old debutant looking to kick off his career by avoiding a loss to a teenager. One other bout that looks oddly compelling is a Lightweight clash between Keigo Nagata (3-3-1, 1) and Tsuyoshi Kato (2-2). Unlike most on this show both men have suffered losses, but together they should make for an interesting bout. Kato has won his last 2, and is unbeaten since running into Jin Sasaki in 2019 whilst the 39 year old Nagata will be returning to the ring after 13 years out of action. This is certainly an interesting bout, without being one that will get much attention. Fujimori Gym, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan The second show is a much more notable one, featuring three bouts of genuine interest and will be streamed worldwide on YouTube, thanks to A-Sign boxing. The main event will see the hard hitting Jin Sasaki (10-0, 9) battle against Kaiki Yuba (7-0-2, 5) in a bout between unbeaten men, who are fighting for the JBC Youth Light Welterweight title and a shot at the JBC senior title, against Andy Hiraoka later in the year. Although 2020 was a bad year for most fighters it saw Sasaki putting himself on the map with a string of solid performances, including a beat down of Aso Ishiwaki, and he has all the momentum coming into this bout. He's heavy handed, dangerous and has that "star" appeal about him. Yuba on the other hand is the JBC Youth champion at 135lbs, moving up in weight for this bout, and is a second generation fighter looking to following in his father's, Tadashi Yuba, footsteps. Sadly Yuba has little momentum coming into this bout, and hasn't fought in almost 18 months, something that could be a problem against a fast starter like Sasaki. The only thing that seems undeniable here is that this should be a slugfest, for as long as it lasts! Our full preview of this bout can be read here Sasaki and Yuba face off in clash of Youth Champions One of the main undercard bouts here will see 2019 All Japan Rookie of the Year winner Hyoga Taniguchi (4-2-2, 1) take on the unbeaten Hiro Ichimichi (4-0-1, 3) in a 6 rounder at 130lbs. This isn't a huge bout, but it is good to see the technically skilled Taniguchi back in the ring after almost a year of inactive. Saying that it's worth noting that Ichimichi has also been out of the ring for close to a year and at 36 he can't afford to have a slip up here if he intends to have a bout of note in the future. Another under-card bout will see the usually fun to watch Ryugo Ushijima (4-2-2, 2) battle against Reiji Murata (4-3-1, 2). The 20 year old Ushijima is not a star in the making, but he's a good, TV friendly fighter who right now needs a win after going 1-2-2- in his last 5. He was easily outboxed last time out and really needs a good performance here. Aged 25 Murata is someone we've not seen much of, but he'll know this is a great opportunity to show what he can do on a show that's set to be streamed worldwide. KO Addiction Boxing & Fitness Center, Plant City, Florida, USA As well as the action in Japan we're also expecting to see unbeaten Chinese fighter Fanlong Meng (16-0, 10) to return to the ring for the first time in almost 2 years as he takes on Victor Fonseca Calderas (18-10-1, 14). Meng was supposed to get a world title fight in 2020, against Artur Beterbiev, but Covid and travel issues prevented that from happening, and instead saw him waste more than a year of his career. With that in mind we won't complain too much about him shaking some ring rust here, but his next fight needs to be a meaningful one! February 11th - Double header at Korakuen Hall! Big names in exhibitions at Yoyogi first gym!2/8/2021  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
It's fair to say that February is set to be a very, very quiet month with less action scheduled for the month than there was in January, also a super quiet month. Thankfully however this coming Thursday there is a notable show taking place at Korakuen Hall, and it's a genuinely exciting card with a Japanese Youth title fight and Japanese title fight both set for the show. Better than that, is the fact both of the title fights look very, very even and very interesting on paper.. The show only has 4 bouts on it in total. The most interesting of those will see Shinnosuke Kimoto (6-4, 2) take on Shota Ogasawara (5-3, 3) in a 6 round Super Bantamweight bout. Incidentally this is their second bout, but more about that in a moment. Coming in to this Kimoto is looking to rebound from a majority decision loss to talented youngster Tom Mizokoshi, a loss than ended a 2-fight winning run for him. As for Ogasawa he'll be fighting for the first time in over a year, following his loss in the 2019 All Japan Rookie of the Year. Although he lost last time out in a notable bout Ogasawara is better for a different loss, his thrilling 2019 loss to Ryugo Ushijima. As mentioned these two have fought before, with Ogasawara beating Kimoto back in 2017, in what was Kimoto's debut. Fair to say Kimoto will want revenge here! The first of the two title fights on the show will see Ryu Horikawa (3-0-1, 1) clash with Yudai Shigeoka (2-0, 1) in a sensational looking Japanese Youth Light Flyweight title fight, for the vacant title. The 20 year old Horikawa impressed in his 2019 debut and impressed even more in his second professional bout, when he beat Yuki Nakajima, though was unlucky in his third bout when he was controversially held to a draw in China against Xiang Li. Horikawa is a very skilled and quick boxer-mover and will be looking to make the most of his slick footwork here. On the other hand Shigeoka, the older brother of Ginjiro Shigeoka, looked promising on debut and sensational in his second bout, as he calmly outboxed OPBF Lito Dante over 6 rounds. Shigeoka looks the more imposing fighter, the physically stronger and more polished, but also the man with the slower footwork. This should be a genuinely fantastic match up, and a really high level bout between two sensational youngsters. Our preview of this bout can be read here Horikawa and Shigeoka battle for Youth crown in Tokyo! In the main event we'll see Japanese Featherweight champion Ryo Sagawa (10-1, 5) defend his belt against mandatory challenger Hinata Maruta (10-1-1, 8), in a bout that was originally scheduled for 2020 but was delayed due to Covid19. For Sagawa this will be his third defense since beating Reiya Abe for the vacant title in 2019 and he looks to continue an excellent 9 fight winning run which has seen him defeat Junki Sasaki, Ryo Matsumoto, Al Toyogon and the aforementioned Abe. The champion has looked fantastic in recent bouts, but there are question marks about his chin and durability. On the other hand Maruta, who turned professional with a lot of buzz, has failed to meet the expectations put on his young shoulders, however a win here would see that buzz return. Aged just 23 Maruta has the tools to go a very, very long way, but a 2017 loss to Hidenori Otake slowed his rise and a controversial draw against Ben Mananquil also slowed him down. Coming in this the challenger has won his last 3, and has shown a more aggressive side to his boxing than earlier in his career. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Sagawa and Maruta clash at last, in Japanese title bout! Yoyogi First Gym, Tokyo, Japan As well as the show at Korakuen Hall there will also be a special event at the Yoyogi 1st Gym in Tokyo. This however isn't one you'll find on Boxrec and is instead a charity event where we'll get 7 exhibition bouts, and nothing that will go down on a fighters record. Despite that it's something that is worth being aware of, in part due to the fighters featured on it, including several world champions, amateur standouts and genuine Japanese stars. One of those will be an potential dream bout as WBA "Super" and Ring Magazine Light Flyweight champion Hiroto Kyoguchi (14-0, 9) shares the ring with the now retired Akira Yaegashi (28-7, 16), who himself held the IBF Light Flyweight title along with titles at Minimumweight and Flyweight. It's a shame the careers of these two didn't over-lap as this is a brilliant match up. Another retired former world champion on this show will be former WBA Super Featherweight champion Takashi Uchiyama (24-2-1, 20) who will be in the ring with current Japanese national Super Featherweight champion Kosuke Saka (21-5, 18). Although Uchiyama would be strongly favoured to win, had the two men clashed for real, this could be an interesting exhibition, especially given that Uchiyama is in fantastic condition. A third former world champion included in the event is former WBO Flyweight champion Sho Kimura (19-3-2, 12) who will be battling with former K-1 fighter Yoshiki Takei (0-0), who makes his professional boxing debut in March. Whilst not the greatest match up it will be a chance to see what Takei brings as a boxer, and we always love seeing Sho Kimura in the ring. Former world title challenger Takeshi Inoue (17-1-1, 10) will be taking on amateur standout Yuito Moriwaki in one of several bouts between professional fighters and amateurs. Another of these will see 140lb hopeful Andy Hiraoka (16-0, 11) share the ring with Japanese Olympian Daisuke Narimatsu and the a third will see Japanese Youth champion Jin Sasaki (10-0, 9) [佐々木尽] face off with the very highly regarded Seon Okazawa. We've saved the best until last, and that's a bout between WBA "super" and IBF Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (20-0, 17) and former WBC Flyweight kingpin Daigo Higa (17-1-1, 17) [比嘉 大吾], in what should be a sensational exhibition bout over 3 rounds and something worthy of paying the hefty admission fee for. This is two big names, both in their primes, facing off in a bit of a dream fight, even if it is just an exhibition.  For those who want a late Christmas present, we have one of those for you this coming Saturday as Japan put on two shows and China also put on a show. One of those Japanese shows is a mouth watering card from Tokyo, which is set to be streamed live on the A-Sign YouTube channel whilst the second, from Aichi, will be shown on delay on Boxing Raise.
Christmas might be over, but the gifts keep coming! Sumida City Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan The more significant of the two shows is the Tokyo one, and it's a genuinely stacked domestic card that should give us a big of everything. The main event should be a fairly technical contest, the opening bouts should be competitive under-card bouts, and we get at least one, if not two, shoot outs on a genuinely fantastic show. The main event will see former WBO Super Featherweight champion Masayuki Ito (26-2-1, 14) take on current OPBF Super Featherweight champion Hironori Mishiro (9-0-1, 3). Mishiro won't be risking his title here, in a 10 round bout at Lightweight, but the winner will certainly see their standing improve, and we could end up seeing the winner being just a fight or two away from a potential world title fight. Ito is, of course, the more well known fighter and the more established but he has only fought once since losing the WBO title to Jamel Herring in May 2019, and since then he has had a bout cancelled and has had surgery. Mishiro on the other hand is bit of advanced novice, who has been fast tracked to an OPBF title and already has several wins of note to his name, and other here would really boost his standing in the sport. We expect this to be a tactical early on, but will, sooner or later, descend into more of an exciting back and forth war. Talking about wars we are really exciting about the Japanese Youth Light Welterweight title bout on this show, between Jin Sasaki (9-0, 8) and Aso Ishiwaki (8-2-1, 6), and this really should be a war. The hard hitting Sasaki has been creating a buzz with quick knockout and early wins, including a trio of success opening rounds wins, but Ishiwaki is the more proven man and a tough warrior. The 19 year old Sasaki really is a brutal boxer-puncher, and he's been swiping opponents aside with ease but has faced little in terms of competitive opposition. Ishiwaki has faced the much better competition, and has done so without much fuss, whilst creating a bit of an international following with his heart, energy, toughness and physical strength. This could be incredibly brutal war, and we do not expect it to go the scheduled 8 rounds. Our full preview of this one can be read here Sasaki and Ishiwaki clash for Youth Honours in potential Christmas Cracker! On the subject of bouts not going the distance we don't imagine the 8 rounder between Kai Chiba (12-1, 8) and Haruki Ishikawa (8-2, 6) will see the final bell either. The hard hitting Kai Chiba was one looked at as a future regional champion, but a 2018 loss to Brian Lobetania, in a major upset, slowed his rise and he has only really began to rediscover his form in recent bouts, have now scored 5 straight wins. Ishikawa on the other hand is an explosive, heavy handed and wild fighter who comes into the ring with a war monger attitude and may well be too aggressive for Chiba to cope with. Interestingly this bout was delayed from earlier in the year following a positive Covid19 test for Ishikawa. Former 2-time world title challenger Ryo Akaho (35-2-2, 23) looks to extend his current winning streak as he takes on youngster Yuto Nakamura (11-5-1, 8). The 34 year old Akaho has won his last 9 in a row though it does seem unlikely that he will land a third shot at a world title, following losses to Yota Sato and Pungluang Sor Singyu. At just 23 years old this is a great chance to Nakamura to show what he can do at a higher level following a short reign as the JBC Youth Super Flyweight champion. Sadly however it's hard to Imagine Nakamura coping with the power and strength of Akaho at Super Bantamweight. One other bout worthy of attention is the second bout in Japan of "reimported boxer" Shoki Sakai (24-11-2, 13), who made his name in Mexico and the US. The exciting and rugged Sakai will be up against Takeru Kobata (8-4-1, 3). This really should serve as little more than a showcase for Sakai who should be too good, too strong and too powerful. Despite being the under-dog Kobata has some momentum coming into this, on the back of a solid win over Change Hamashima back in February. Even with that in mind it would still be a huge ask for him to be competitive with Sakai here. Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan The other show, the one from Aichi, is easier to over-look but does promise a very exciting main event between one of the biggest punchers at 108lbs and, strangely, just a single supporting bout. The main event will see Japanese Light Flyweight champion Masamichi Yabuki (11-3, 11) making his first defense of the belt as he takes on veteran Toshimasa Ouchi (22-9-3, 8). The hard hitting Yabuki moved down to Light Flyweight last year, stopping Rikito Shiba in 4 rounds and then blasting out Tsuyoshi Sato inside a round this past July to claim the title. Originally he had made his mark at Flyweight, losing in the 2016 Rookie of the Year final to Junto Nakatani, but looks much more suited to the 108lb limit and could find himself fighting for a world title in 2021. Ouchi on the other hand is a 35 year old, potentially getting his last notable fight. Although no world beater Ouchi has shared the ring with some notable names, including going 12 rounds with Kenshiro Teraji in 2016, and facing Kenichi Horikawa, shin Ono and Ryoichi Taguchi earlier in his career. Ouchi is tough, but we do wonder what his 35 year old body will do when it's caught by the power of Yabuki. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Japanese champion Yabuki faces first challenger as he takes on Ouchi The only under-card bout scheduled for this show will see Teru Nobita (5-3-1, 2) face John Yano (5-6, 2). Nobita went through a run where he won 1 in 5, going 1-3-1, but did win last time out and will look to build on the momentum that December 2019 win over Kenshin Megumi. Yano on the other hand is a Japanese based Filipino who has stopped 2 of his last 3 and will be looking to show that power against Nobita. Potentially a much better bout than it looks on paper. TSSG Center, Qingdao, China As well as the action in Japan we also get a show from China, which is set to be one of their best of 2020. In a bout at 154lbs we'll see Tonghui Li (12-2, 6) take on Dacong Wang (7-1-1, 1) in a bout for the interim WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental title. This will be Li's third bout since a loss to Jung Kyoung Lee, and at 30 years old it really is now or never for him to move his career forward. For Wang this is a massive step up in weight, but he has momentum on his side and is riding an 8 fight unbeaten run, and a 6 fight winning run. On paper this looks interesting, though we suspect Li's power and higher level experience will prove to be the difference. The second bout of note will be an IBO International Lightweight title bout, pitting the unbeaten Ju Wu (9-0-2) against Xiao Tao Su (11-1, 6), with Wu looking to defend his minor IBO title for the first time. The talented Wu is the more skilled man and the naturally bigger fighter, but we do wonder how he will cope with Su's power, which has seen him score stoppages in his last 3. |
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