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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

​

Sumiyoshi SportsCenter, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
In Osaka we get a huge show, stacked with some of the best fighters in West Japan. In total the show has 7 genuinely noteworthy bouts, headlined by a world title bout and featuring former world champions, farmer world title challengers, former national champions and very highly regarded prospects, in what could be the best card in Osaka this year.

The main event will see IBF Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (9-0, 1) make his first defense, as he takes on unbeaten Thai challenger Anuchai Donsua (16-0, 7), in what appears to be something of a step back for the talented Nishida. The unbeaten Japanese fighter won the title back in back in May, as he took a well earned decision over Emmanuel Rodriguez, adding Rodriguez to a resume that also contains wins over Diago Higa, Shohei Omori and Christian Medina Jimenez. There was talk after that win of unification bouts, but they failed to materialise and instead Nishida is taking on an opponent without much of a profile, in what is certainly an underwhelming first defense for someone who showed he belonged at the top table of the division. Despite Donsua being underwhelming he’ll know all the pressure is on Nishida to not just win, but make a statement, and lay down his claim as being worthy of the attention of the other champions. The Thai, who made his debut in 2022, has never fought outside of Thailand, and has a mix of poor to decent wins on his record. The pick of the 16 are wins over Sukpraserd Ponpitak, Ricardo Sueno and Komgrich Nantapech, none of whom really serve as much of a measuring stick to world level. His other 13 wins have 17 recorded wins between. He’s taking a leap up, and will likely know that whilst the pressure isn’t on him to win, it is on him to have a good performance, as the odds are he won’t get another shot at this level, if he simply folds. A mismatch, at least from the resumes of the two men, but we are glad Nishida will fit in a first defense before the year is over.

In the chief support bout we have an excellent clash at 108lbs as OPBF champion Thanongsak Simsri (36-1, 33) takes on former WBO Minimumweight champion Masataka Taniguchi (19-4, 13), to decide the #2 IBF contender, and potentially land a shot at IBF champion Masamichi Yabuki. The once beaten Thai, who's only loss actually came to Yabuki back in 2022, has rebuilt his career brilliantly, scoring 12 wins in a row including winning the OPBF title earlier this year with a win over Miel Fajardo, and defending it against John Paul Gabunilas. His competition hasn't always been great, but he's stayed busy, rebuilt his confidence, and showed real maturity to overcome the dangerous Fajardo. Unlike most Thai’s Simsri has made a name for himself on the road, as well as at home, and is a regular to Japanese rings, with this being his 8th bout in Japan. As for Taniguchi, the 30 year old turned professional with a lot of expectations on his shoulders following a very good amateur career, however his career has been somewhat of a mixed bag. Close losses to Reiya Konishi and Tsubasa Koura left him sporting an 8-2 record with losses at both Japanese and OPBF title level. A third career loss, to Vic Saludar, in a WBO title fight left him 11-3, but since then he has gone 8-1 claimed the Japanese and WBO Minimumweight titles and bounced back from an upset loss in 2023 against Melvin Jerusalem, to become a notable contender at 108lbs, with a win here potentially securing him a chance to become a 2-weight world champion. Stylistically both are heavy handed, both can box and whilst Simsri is the faster man with better movement, we expect he’ll be dragged into a war here to give us a very exciting bout, especially in the second half of the contest.

In an interesting all-Japanese match up we’ll see unified WBO Asia Pacific and Japanese national Middleweight champion Riku Kunimoto (12-1, 6) defending his Regional, but not national, title against the hard hitting Kazuto Takesako (17-2-1, 15), in a rematch of what is Kunimoto’s only loss. The bout, which was originally scheduled as part of the now cancelled Prizefighter Japan tournament, where it would have been a semi-final bout, but the teams of the two men and the fighters themselves decided to go ahead with the bout, despite the tournament collapsing. Kunimoto is currently riding a 8 fight winning run, which has seen him winning the Japanese title, which he has defended numerous times since 2022, and unifying it with the WBO Asia Pacific title, which he won in March. He is skilled, but a long, long way below the top international fighters in the division. As for Takesako, he’s actually had mixed fortunes since stopping Kunimoto, inside a round back in 2021, going 4-2 since then. Takesako has suffered when he's faced international opponents, losing to both Meiirim Nursultanov and Tej Pratap Singh, with both losses coming in South Korea. It should be noted that he did beat Mark Dickinson in July, in the ill fated Prizefighter, but that bout seemed to say more about Dickinson’s lack of professional seasoning rather than anything about Takesako. Kunimoto is the better pure boxer, Kunimoto the bigger puncher, and with the history between the two men, this is expected to be a very intriguing contest, and winner will be the clear #1 in Japan at 160lbs.

Another title bout will see unbeaten Filipino Kenneth Llover (12-0, 7) face off with Japan’s Tulio Dekanarudo (8-2-2, 4) in a bout for the Interim OPBF Bantamweight title, with the full version of the belt having not been defended since Keita Kurihara reclaimed the title back in January. Llover has been quietly making a name for himself back at home, scoring solid wins against the likes of Chengcheng Yang, Edward Heno, James Pagaling and Benny Canete, however this will be his first bout outside of the Philippines, and we don't know how he will travel. Aged just 21 “The Lover Boy”, could be one of the best prospects in his Pearl of the Orient, but until we know he can do it on the road, it’s hard to get too excited. As for Dekanarudo the 28 year old Japanese fighter was tipped highly when he debuted in 2018, but a 2019 upset less to Ken Jordan show some of his flaws being shown, and he is 5-1-2 since then, with his second loss coming to Toshiki Shimomachi. He is good, but we’re not sure he has the durability at title level.

In a Japanese Youth title fight, also at Bantamweight, we’ll see Shunpei Kaneshiro (3-0, 2) seek his first defense of the title, as he takes on fellow unbeaten youngster Hyuga Gushiken (4-0, 3) in a mouth watering bout, and the sort of bout that has made the Japanese Youth title such a great title to follow. Kaneshiro won the title in July, when he stopped Daichi Hirai in 8 rounds. Despite only having 3 bouts, and 2 stoppages, to his name Kaneshiro has a surprising number of pro rounds, at 20, and has seen all 3 of his bouts enter the final round, allowing him to get extra ring time and test his stamina. As for Gushiken the 22 year old made his debut way back in 2021 and has just 11 rounds from his 4 bouts, with none going beyond the 4th round, so whilst he is technically more experienced, in terms of fights, he has significantly less ring time. Both of these fighters are southpaws though have different styles, with Kaneshiro being a very talented all rounder, particularly well suited at mid range, and Gushiken being a counter puncher. This will be really interesting to see how the styles of the two men gel, though it does feel like Gushiken is stepping up, for what will be his first bout outside of Okinawa.

In a really intriguing bout former Japanese Super Featherweight champion Yuna Hara (14-3-1, 8), who lost the national title earlier this year to Tsubasa Narai, will take on unbeaten, and fast rising, prospect Ryusuke Sunagawa (3-0, 2), who take sa huge leap up in class, in a Strongest Challenger bout. Prior to losing to Narai, in April, Hara had been riding an 8 fight winning streak including notable wins against Yamato Hata and Kosuke Saka, with 6 of the 8 wins coming inside the distance. He was dethroned in his second defense, and will be desperate to get back to winning ways here. As for Sunagawa, the former amateur standout made his debut in late 2022 and has been matched hard, with his last two wins coming against Seira Kishida and Narumi Yukawa. Despite those two wins coming against good domestic fighters, this is a huge leap up in class, but also a chance to announce himself on the domestic rankings, in a huge way. The winner of this will secure a shot at the Japanese title in next year’s Champion Carnival.

One other bout of some note will see former world title challenger Jeo Santisima (24-7, 20) take on 39 year old Japanese puncher Hiro Ichimichi (8-2-1, 6), in a bout that’s the least interesting of 7 bouts on the event. Santisima is best known for losing in 2020 against Emanuel Navarrete in a bout for the WBO Super Bantamweight title. Since that loss he has gone 5-4, but fought some very notable names, with losses to Joet Gonzalez, Toshiki Shimomachi, Hatato Tsutsumi and Kenji Fujita, and a notable win over Hiroshige Osawa. He is 1-3 in Japan, but has never been stopped and will be looking to score a stoppage of his own against Ichimichi. As for the local he is a natural Super Featherweight, who has proven to be dangerous on the domestic scene, but has fallen short against his best opponents so far, with Tsubasa Narai and Yudai Murakami both taking competitive decisions over him. Given his age Ichimichi will know he can’t afford another loss here if he wants to land a title fight, of any kind, and will also know this is a huge opportunity, against a former world title challenger on a really big show.

West Japan General Exhibition Center, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
Staying in Japan we also have a card in Fukuoka, albeit a much, much smaller and less notable one with only really one bout of any note set for it. That bout, the main event of the show, will see Shido Arai (7-5-1, 3) take on the JBC ranked, and heavy handed, Yoshiki Shimomura (7-1-1, 7). Arai, is a local to Kitakyushu, and will be hoping to draw a fan given his local links, however he has lost his only fight in the area which came in his debut back in 2009. Although no world beater he will almost certainly feel encouraged by the local fan base and is expected to make the most as he competes against a JBC ranked fighter for the second time in his career. Shimomura on the other hand is a destructive 25 year old, who won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2023, and will be seeking to get back to winning ways after a loss in South Korea in August, against Tae Sun Kim. Given that Arai has been stopped twice and Shimomura is heavy handed, it does feel like the match up isn’t a good one for Arai.

General Santos City, Cotabato del Sur, Philippines
Over in the Philippines, we get an interesting card in General Santos City.

The show is headlined by the once beaten Ali Canega (11-1-1, 7), who will be looking to record his second win since losing to Mikyo Watarai in February in Japan. In August he had an easy comeback fight, beating Pressl Tupas in 3 rounds, and now takes the logical step up as he takes on a better level of domestic foe in the form of Rimar Metuda (17-9-1, 11). Canega is a good fighter and someone we expect to see in and around the regional title scene over the next few years. As for Metuda the 30 year old is rugged, knows how to go rounds and survive even if he’s under-sized at 140lbs, but is a far cry from the Featherweight who started his career 10-0, going 7-9-1 since that original unbeaten run. Despite picking up a lot of losses recently he has been matched hard, with losses really coming on the road. He has lost in Russia to Mirzhan Zhaxylykov, Isa Chaniev and Ravshanbek Umurzakov, in China, to Aketelieke Jieensi and Ju Wu, and Thailand, to Phoobadin Yoohanngoh. At home however he has proven to be very good losing just to Gabby Simpo and Al Toyogon. On paper this looks like a bit of a one sided bout, but in reality Metuda will be up for this and could make life very tough for Canega.

Also in action on this show is the unbeaten Kevin Villanueva (5-0. 3), with “The Spider” seeking his 6th win as he takes on Carl Jeffrey Basil (6-2-1, 4). Villanueva has been moved smartly since making his debut in August 2023, with each bout being a step up in some way, from the previous one. This will be his second 8 rounder and on paper Basil looks to be his toughest test. Not only have his opponents been improving but he's also been busy and this will be his 4th bout of 2024. Basil, known as the "Ibaloi Warrior", was matched hard early in his career, losing 2 of his first 5 to Elmar Zamora and Lorenz Dumam-ag, both of whom are still unbeaten prospects, but has won his last 2, beating the unbeaten pairing of Kasty Flores and George Sedillo earlier this year, and he'll be wanting to take a third straight 0. Villanueva will understandably be favoured, but Basil is a live under-dog.

Ilagan, Isabela, Philippines
A second, less notable, Filipino show will be held in IIlagan, and is very much a small card, with only really one bout worthy of attention, and even that is one that looks like it a one sided mismatch, at least on paper.

That bout will see 30 year old Claudevan Sese (10-6-3, 4) seek his second win of the year, as he takes on the win some-lose some Alvin Medura (11-10, 7), who will be looking to avoid falling to an 11-11 record. Sese was unbeaten in his first 10, going 7-0-3, but had struggled since then, going 3-6-3, with 5 of the 6 losses coming on the road. Whilst he has mixed at a good level, he hasn't really been competitive in his step up bouts. As for Medura he has gone 1-5 in his last 6, and whilst he, like Sese, as come up short again his better foes, he does have some notable wins to name, including one over Mugcha Nakagawa, one over Ardin Diale and one from earlier this year against the previously unbeaten Bryan Ascano. On paper this is a mismatch, but Medura is better than his record suggests and is a live fighter here, as we’ve seen in his upsets in the past.

Itaewon Primary School, Seoul, South Korea
We also get a show in South Korea, which is small, but does have several noteworthy bouts on it.

The main event local veteran Joo Young Kim (17-2-3, 10) will face once beaten Korean based Uzbekistani fighter Dovrugbek Ibragimov (4-1, 2). The 34 year old Kim has had a frustrating career. He debuted in 2013, and drew 3 of his first 5 bouts, and was 6-3-2 after 11, but is now unbeaten since a 2017 loss to Ma Roo Jung, who also give Kim his first loss the previous year. He has now won 11 in a row, with solid wins against Joo Hun Kim and Doniyorbek Khaitaliev, but at 34 it feels his career, which has been stop-start at times, is going to be one that could, and probably should, have been better. As for Ibragimov, he’s unbeaten since being stopped by Obboskhon Yuldashev on debut, but has reeled off 4 low quality wins, the most notable of which being a 6 round decision over the 42 year old Mark Sales. Sadly his wins say little about him, and this should be regarded as a clear leap up in class for him

Also on this card is a brilliant matchup between unbeaten fighters, as Chinese fighter Tuohatasen Sailibieke (3-0, 2) takes on Uzbekistan’s Faryozbek Dustmatov (3-0, 2). Unbeaten 21 year old Sailibieke made his debut in China last year, with his last two bouts taking place on the road including a win in South Korea against Khusniddin Maraimov, who like Dustmatov was an unbeaten Korean based Uzbekistani fighter. Notably the win over Maraimov was the only time Sailibieke has had to go more than 3 rounds, and he only narrowly took the win there, with a split decision. Dustmatov, the younger brother of Hasanboy Dusmatov, Dustmatov is quickly making his mark on the Korean seen, and a win over Sang Heon Oh back in October showed that he has genuine potential, potential that we expect the 20 year old to prove again here.