 This coming Sunday is a solid day of action in Japan, with 3 shows across the country. None of them are “huge” but there is a card in Osaka that is much bigger than the other two, but all 3 have at least one bout of note on them.
Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Osaka, Japan Lets start with the aforementioned Osaka show, which really does stand out, with a Japanese title fight topping the card, a former world champion in a supporting bout and another supporting bout featuring a touted debutant. The main event will see Japanese Middleweight Riku Kunimoto (13-1, 7) take on Kazuki Kyohara (9-2-3, 4), in what will be the second bout between the two men. The talented Kunimoto, who avenged his only professional defeat late last year when he stopped Kazuto Takesako inside a round, is really running out of domestic competition. This is his 15th bout as a professional and marks his 4th rematch, and he’s gone 3-0 (2) in the others, and it;s a shame because he is a talent with a fun style, a sense of fragility and solid power. He perhaps needs to either look for a regional title, move up in weight or hope the likes of Kazusa Kawabuchi, Tsukuru Midorikawa and Issei Aramoto are willing to be rushed into domestic title fights. Kyohara is a much more experienced fighter than he was in the first bout with Kunimoto, with the two meeting back in 2021. Since their first bout he has gone 4-1-1, and scored 3 solid low level domestic wins, but this is a big step up and he would need a career best performance to overcome the champion. In the chief support bout we’ll see Kaito Yamasaki (9-1, 5) look to bounce back from his first loss, in a WBO Asia Pacific title fight against Subaru Murata, as he takes on former 2-time WBC Super Flyweight world champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (58-6-1, 47), who was once in the fringes of the pound for round list, but is now beginning to wind down his career at the age of 38. At his best Srisaket was a monster at 115lbs, with wins against Roman Gonzalez, Juan Francisco Estrrada, Jose Salgado and Yota Sato. Sadly however he is very much a faded force, despite winning 8 in a row since a 2022 loss to Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez. Those 8 wins have all come at a very low level against and this is a big step up from those opponents, and against a naturally much bigger man. Interestingly the bout also serves as his return to Japan the country where he debuted, against Akira Yaegashi, and fought 3 of his first 4 bouts. As for Yamasaki he is much younger, smaller, hungrier and his team will see this as a great chance to score a major scalp against a dangerous, but faded, legend. Yamasaki should be too big, but he can’t look to take too many early risks with Srisaket who can, and will, hurt him if he’s not careful. Also on this show is the debut of Keita Nakayama (0-0), as he takes on Korean visitor Ji Yong Kim (4-2-1, 1). The 22 year old Nakayama went 40-13 in the unpaid ranks, won the All Japan Championship and was a regular in the final stages of national and sub-national tournaments as an amateur. He’s the sort of prospect that those in the know get very excited about, and those at the Mutoh Gym are expecting huge things from. As for Kim this is his third bout in Japan in a little over a year. He went 6 rounds with Shunpei Kaneshiro and was stopped in 2 by Yuta Sakai a few months later. This bout should give us a fair idea of how Nakayama compares to both of those, with many feeling Sakai could be one of the very best prospects in Japan and Kaneshiro being a very solid, though not elite, level hopefully. Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan Over in Kariya we get a small card with two interesting bouts. The more interesting match will see the once beaten Daiki Kitsuki (5-1-2, 3) take on the hard hitting Kazunori Hirano (4-4-1, 4). Kitsuki suffered his first loss last time out, losing a technical decision to Ruito Tomora, and will be desperate to get back to winning ways here, and will be strongly favoured to do so. Hirano on the other hand is very dangerous, scoring all his wins inside the distance, but hasn't scored a win since December 2020, going 0-4-1 in his 5 bouts since then. Kitsuki should win, but we wouldn’t be surprised by him being given a chin check first. In a very even looking match up the hard hitting Seiya Akiyama (4-3, 4) will take on the once beaten Hiroki Hisamatsu (4-1, 1). Despite 3 losses, Akiyama is dangerous, with his power, and has won his last 2, both in the opening round, and will be confident that he can do the same again here. Hisamatsu,. who hasn't scored a stoppage since 2022, has won his last 2 bouts, but this is a step up for him, and will also be his first 6 rounder. Chres Gym, Kochi, Kochi, Japan In Kochi we get punchers colliding, as the unbeaten Ryo Ichihara (3-0, 3) takes on Shohei Otsuka (3-3, 3), in a bout between two men who have only heard the final bell twice in a combined 9 fights, and never in a fight they’ve won. In fact their combined 9 bouts have gone a combined 23 rounds, with their 6 wins going just 13 rounds. We expect bombs from the off here, and would be hugely surprised if this goes the scheduled distance.
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 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Saturday our attention turns to Korakuen Hall for a brilliant show under the WHO'S NEXT DYNAMIC GLOVE on U-NEXT banner. The show features a truly mouth watering domestic clash between unbeaten men for a regional title, a Japanese title eliminator and a bout for a former world champion who continues to rebuild after losing his title in 2022. The mouth watering main event will see the hard hitting Subaru Murata (7-0, 7) take on fellow unbeaten fighter Kaito Yamasaki (9-0, 5) in a bout for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Super Bantamweight title, which was vacated by TJ Doheny ahead of his recent bout with Naoya Inoue. Of the two men Murata is the more well known, with the Teiken man being tipped as a star from his days as an amateur. Unlike many Japanese fighters Murata debuted in the US, stopping Keven Monroy in Las Vegas and had 3 of his first 5 bouts Stateside, before taking the unbeaten records of Alex Santisima Jr and Bryan James Wild in his last two bouts, both in Tokyo. As for Yamasaki he’s a fighter based in West Japan, and as is typical with fighters from Osaka, he's not had the fan fare of top prospects from East Japan. Despite that he has carved out a solid career for himself so far, scoring solid wins over Koshin Takeshima, Carlo Demecillo and Toshiyuki Takahashi. It’s fair to say Murata will be the favourite here but Yamasaki is no push over, and is hungry to make a real statement in the biggest bout of his career, and a huge opportunity. Given the styles of the two men this will mix technical work, with aggressive work from both and should end up being a real treat for fans at Korakuen Hall. In a main supporting bout we’ll see Hiromasa Urakawa (10-2, 7) and Yudai Murakami (5-2) face off in a Japanese title eliminator. Of the two men Urakawa is the more dangerous, and in many ways the more proven. He won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2020, when the final was pushed to early 2021 due to Covid19, and has avenged one of his two losses, overcoming Shinnosuke Saito to avenge his first loss. His only other loss was a competitive decision loss to the brilliant Hironori Mishiro, around a year ago. Although his record isn't littered with top fighters, he did score a great win over Shigetoshi Kotari in April and is legitimately a nasty puncher, with really spiteful power. Murakami on the other hand is the more naturally skilled and technical fighter, who had a respectable amateur background. Murakami suffered a loss early in his career but bounced back with 3 wins, including notable ones of Junki Shirasaki and Narumi Yukawa, earning him a 2023 shot at the Japanese Lightweight title, which he lost to Shuma Nakazato. Since that loss he has bounced back with a single win, over Hiro Ichimichi. Thai really is likely to be a case of Murakami’s skill, defense and ring craft, against the power of Urakawa, which should make for a compelling contest. The other major bout on this card will see former IBF Super Featherweight champion Kenichi Ogawa (28-2-1-1, 19) take on Filipino visitor Alan Alberca (13-8, 8). This really is little more than a bout to shake some ring rust for Ogawa, who has been out of the ring for over a year. The heavy handed Ogawa is looking for his third win since losing the IBF title to Joe Cordina in June 2022, and he’ll be hoping for a much, much better performance than he had in his 10 round win over Marvin Esquierdo back in September 2023. At the age of 36 Ogawa Ogawa doesn't have any more time to waste and he'll be hoping to not just win here, but win impressively enough to secure one more world title shot before his career is over. As for Alberca this will be his second bout outside of his homeland and is the biggest bout of his career so far. He's proven himself a capable Filipino domestic level fighter, but really shouldn't be expected to do much more than ask a few questions of Ogawa, before ultimately being stopped by the hard hitting Japanese fighter.  Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
This coming Sunday we get a great show from Osaka, with a regional title bout headline the show, and an under-card stacked with young and emerging hopefuls. The main event is a genuinely mouth watering bout as Filipino fighter Jayson Vayson (11-1-1-1, 6) seeks his first defense of the WBO Asia Pacific Light Flyweight title, as he takes on the unbeaten Takeru Inoue (4-0, 2), who is taking a huge leap up in class. For Vayson this will be his third bout in Japan, where he lost to Seigo Yuri Akui in February 2023 before returning to stop Ryuya Yamanaka in December to win the title. He’s a criminally under-rated fighter who holds a draw against Rene Mark Cuarto as well as his win over Yamanaka. As for Inoue he debuted in 2022 and will be stepping up massively for this fight, with his best wins to date coming against Orlie Silvestre and Nanthanon Thongchai. A win here for Inoue would put him on the fast track to a world title shot, but it’s a huge ask, especially given his opposition so far. The chief support bout will see Japanese ranked Featherweight Kaito Yamasaki (7-0, 4) look to extend his winning run as he takes on unbeaten Thai fighter Jatuphon Raksapa (4-0). Whilst Yamasaki has shown a lot to like, it is worth noting that he was dropped last time out, Shoki Yamauchi, who he got up to stop in 3 rounds, and really does need to develop, a lot, before a potential title fight. He’s promising, but very much unproven at this point in time. As for the Thai visitor this will be his first bout outside of Thailand, and whilst most of his fights have been gym fights it is worth noting he has beaten 3 fighters with winning records, something of a rarity for a 4-0 Thai. We assume Raksapa has been selected for Yamasaki’s opponent here due to his lack of power, and we do worry that Yamasaki’s team are trying to cover up the potential crack seen against Yamauchi. Another good looking supporting bout will see the once beaten Riku Yamashita (6-1-1, 3) take on Otoya Inuzuka (6-0-1, 2). Stylistically this should be a lot of fun as Yamashita is regarded as an aggressive fighter, who loves getting up close, and is great fun to watch, whilst Inuzuka is more of a technical boxer, who likes to set things up with his jab and let combinations go. Notably, Yamashita has been out of the ring since August 2022, when he lost to Daichi Hirai, whilst Inuzuka will be looking to build on a December win over Shintari Nagai, and the inactivity could be the difference maker here. One other bout worthy of real attention is the debut of former amateur stand out Ryang Ho Han (0-0), who is making his debut against WBO Asia Pacific ranked Super Flyweight Surat Eaim ong (18-4-1, 13) from Thailand. Han went 52-19 in the amateurs, and is regarded as a brilliant prospect, who uses distance well and is really tall at the weight, which he will look to use to his advantage here. Eaim ong is a 17 year old who debuted back in 2021 and has been a busy fighter, but has lost the few times he's faced someone of some name value, such as Jon Jon Jet and Takahiro Tai. If Han is the fighter some in Osaka expect him to be, he should take a very easy win here, but given the Thai’s power, this could serve as a potential chin check. For fans wanting to watch this bout, it will be streamed live here.. Manolo Fortich Municipal Gymnasium, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, Philippines Over in the Philippines we have a small card, though one that features a heavy handed prospect, a former world champion and a clash between two unbeaten men. On paper the best of the bouts on this show will see punchers collide, as Jason Facularin (7-1, 7) takes on James Pagaling (8-2, 5). Facularin has bounced back well since his sole loss, a tragic bout with Kenneth Egano, and despite the passing of Egano following that fight Facularin hasn’t shown the often worried about mental scarring a fight can have after a tragedy, stopping 3 opponents since then. Pagaling on the other hand is very much in a faltering stage of his career, having suffered back to back losses to Kenneth Llover and Sho Ishida, both inside the distance. If Pagaling hasn’t got the heart for the game after those losses he’ll be suffering a third early loss here. The most notable name on this card, by far, is former IBF Minimumweight world champion Rene Mark Cuarto (21-5-2, 12), who looks to end a 2 fight losing streak, as he takes on limited domestic fighter Reymark Taday (11-20-1, 6). Cuarto, who has recently lost 3 of his last 4 and been stopped by both Ginjiro Shigeoka and Shokichi Iwata, is really in need of a win, and his team aren’t taking risks here to get him an easy, confidence builder. Taday has won just 1 of his last 10 and been stopped 6 times in those 10 bouts. If Cuerto loses again here, he really should hang them up, but it would be one of the biggest boxing surprises of the year for him to come up short against Taday. A third bout of note on this card will be a battle of unbeatens as Lourinz Biasong (2-0) takes on Jordan Atlao (2-0, 2). Biasong debuted last October and was most recently in the ring in January, edging past Kyota Watanabe, and so far there are question marks about his power. Atlao on the other hand has moved to 2-0, since debuting in December 2022, in just 3 rounds, but his opponents have been 0-8-1 between them and it's hard to know what he offers given his competition and the stop-start nature of his career so far. Thankfully this bout should answer some questions about both men. Indonesia Arena, Jakarta, Indonesia There is also a small, but notable, show in Jakarta. The card features a man who was once tipped as a big hope for Indonesia, though has fallen short of expectation, and someone who scored a very notable win on their debut, and could well be the next boxing hope for the country. The once touted star is Andika D'Golden Boy (19-2-1, 10), who was once linked to a fight with Hiroto Kyoguchi for the WBC Light Flyweight title. Sadly his career has faltered recently, and he is now without a win since 2021, and has gone 0-2-1 in his last 3, including a loss to Indonesian veteran Silem Serang (20-27-3, 2), with the two rematching in a bout for the WBC Asian Silver Flyweight title. The loss to Serang, last December, was one of the biggest upsets in recent memory for Indonesian boxing, and saw Serang end a run of 4 stoppage losses, whilst also being his third split decision win in as many bouts in Indonesia. It’s fair to say D’Golden Boy will be seeking revenge here, and another loss really will leave his career in tatters. As for Serang a win won’t change his career trajectory by much, but it would be notable for him to become the bogeyman for D’Golden Boy. The new potential hope for the country is Rahul Pinem (1-0, 1), who debuted last year with a win over the once touted Defry Palulu. He’ll be returning to the ring seeking regional honours, as he faces veteran Larry Siwu (31-14, 27) in a bout for the WBC Asian Silver Welterweight title. From what we understand Pinem is a former MMA fighter who has turned his hand to boxing, after appearing on a few One Pride MMA events, and also competing in some kick boxing events. If he wins here he will become the hope of Indonesian boxing, which has lacked a star in recent years. As for Siwu the 41 year old has been a stalwart for the Indonesian scene, and has mixed in good company across the region, facing a genuine who's who of Asian and Pacific fighters, but time is running down on his career. Pinem will be expected to win, but we suspect he will need to go rounds with Siwu here.  Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
The main show this coming Sunday comes from Osaka where we see one of the brightest hopefuls in Japan defending a regional title. The aforementioned hopeful is WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (5-0, 1), who looks to make his second defense as he takes on Filipino fighter Aljum Pelesio (11-1, 6). Nishida, who famously dethroned Daigo Higa, will be expected to win here and move on to bigger and better things in the new year. This is technically a step from his biggest bouts, wins over Higa and Shohei Omori, but the bout will serve a purpose and that's to keep him focused, even in bouts where he is the very, very clear favourite. As for Pelesio this is a massive step up, it's his first bout over 10 rounds and his first bout outside of the Philippines. Pelesio will know he has nothing to lose, and few are giving him a chance, but he will need a career best performance to even be semi competitive with the highly skilled Nishida. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here WBO Asia Pacific champion Nishida takes on Filipino challenger Pelesio In the chief support fight former amateur stand out Kaito Yamasaki (3-0, 1) looks to move to 4-0 as he takes on visiting Thai Adirek Meesrida (2-0, 2). The talented Yamasaki stepped up big time in May, when he beat Koshin Takeshima, and will be expected to pick up an easy win here. As for Meesrida the Thai debuted in July, scored his second win in August and is now looking for a third win in less than 4 months. Sadly for the visitor this is a massive step up in class, and also his first bout outside of Thailand. Meesrida's record suggests that he can punch a bit, and could chin check Yamasaki, but it would be a huge surprise to see him really testing Yamasaki. One other bout of note on this card will be the debut of former amateur stand out Takeru Inoue (0-0), who takes on Thai novice Piya Chaichot (1-0, 1). Inoue, no relation to the Ohashi promoted brothers, was a genuinely brilliant amateur on the Japanese scene and he went 56-14 in the unpaid ranks whilst also winning two domestic titles. There are a lot of expectations on the 24 year old and he is expected to shine here. As for Chaichot, who is just 18, he debuted in August with an opening round win, but this is a huge step up class for him here and it's hard to imagine him having the tools to cope with Inoue. Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines As well as the show in Japan there is also a card in the Philippines, with a fantastic main event, and a promising prospect competing on the under-card. The main event will see two notable Filipino Light Flyweights face off as Vince Paras (17-2-1, 15) meets Robert Paradero (18-2-1, 12), in what will be the second bout between the men who fought to a split decision draw in April. Paras is the more well known fighter, having fought for the IBF Minimumweight title in 2018, losing to Hiroto Kyoguchi. Sadly since that world title bout Paras has gone 4-1-1 and lacks a notable win, with a loss to Jonathan Taconing and the draw with Paradero. Aged just 23 he does have time on his side, but he does need to start notching notable wins, and a win over Paradero would certainly count there. As for Paradero he fought for the WBA "Regular" Minimumweight title, losing to Vic Saludar, and the "Super" title, losing to Knockout CP Freshmart, both in 2021. Those losses, and the draw with Paras, have been his last 3 bouts and he is now without a win in over 3 years. He desperately needs a victory, and whilst he is only 26 year he can ill afford another setback given his recent form. We expect this to be explosive, a little bit wild, and wouldn't be surprised to see this one ending early, despite the fact their first bout went 10 rounds just a few months ago. The under-card will see unbeaten hopeful Kenneth Llover (6-0, 4) look for his 7th win as he takes on domestic journeyman Jonathan Francisco (10-17-1, 4). It's hard to imagine anything but a win for Llover, with the real question not being who will win, but how long Francisco can last with the promising Llover. The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines
The most notable Asian card this coming Saturday comes from Paranaque City and is a rather interesting one, with a mix of emerging names, and established names, though sadly it does lack in terms of really good match ups. One of the most notable of the emerging hopefuls on the show is 23 year old Aljum Pelesio (10-1, 5), who we hope to see stepping up in class next year. Here is expected to get a confidence building win, as he takes on the very limited Bonjun Loperez (12-15-1, 6). Given that Pelesio lost in 2019, and has only fought once since that loss, it's hard to complain too much about a bout like this, which is clearly there for him to build his self belief and get some rounds, but we do hope we don't see too many bouts like this for the youngster. Another once beaten hopeful on this show is 22 year old Gary Tamayo (6-1, 3), who takes on 33 year old Danny Tampipi (9-15-2, 5). The bout is a good chance for Tamayo to get some rounds with a southpaw, who he should beat, and at this stage experience against difference will serve him well. Fingers crossed however 2023 will be the year when he steps up and takes on tougher tests. Arguably the most well matched of the youngsters on the show is 24 year old Bryan Tamayo (7-2-2, 2), who takes on former world title challenger Jetro Pabustan (30-9-6, 9). Although no world beater himself Tamayo showed he was certainly not a poor fighter last year, when he gave Arthur Villanueva a good work out, and he should be able to beat Pabustan here, and hopefully kick on with more fights against higher level domestic foes in the coming year or two. When it comes to more notable and well known fighters, this card will see Roland Jay Biendima (15-11-1, 8) in action against Powell Balaba (9-32-1, 5), in what should be an easy win of Biendima, and the always tricky Richard Pumicpic (22-12-3, 7), who takes on Edison Berwela (18-44-8, 6). These are both horrific mismatches, and are done as little more than to get Biendima a win, after 6 straight losses, and keep Pumicpic busy. Cavite, Philippines There is also a second Filipino card scheduled, this time in Cavite. This is a smaller show than the other Filipino show, though does feature a number of promising young hopefuls. The most notable of the hopefuls here is the once beaten John Mark Tihuk (6-1-2, 2), who looks to score his latest win as he takes on the limited Margarito Moya (9-11, 3). The 23 year old Tihuk has won his last 4, following a 2019 loss to Aljum Pelesio, and although still very much a young novice, is someone worth keeping an eye on. Sadly Moya has lost his last 9, all by stoppage, and it's hard to imagine him lasting 8 rounds with Tihuk here, despite the fact Tihuk isn't much of a puncher. Other prospects on this card include Kenneth Llover (4-0, 4), who faces Miller Alapormina (5-2-1, 3) in a pretty interesting test, and John Vincent Pangga (4-0, 2), who takes on Joel Taduran (8-11-2, 2). Neither of these are big bouts, but are a chance for the unbeaten man to tick along and continue their development with out too much fuss and attention. 176BOX, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan We're also set to see notable prospects in action in Japan, as Osaka plays host to a card with two promising and unbeaten Japanese fighters. On of the unbeaten fighters is former All Japan Rookie of the Year Sora Fukunaga (10-0, 5), who puts his unbeaten record on the line as he takes on all action warrior Kenya Yamashita (14-5, 11). The talented 24 year old Fukunaga struggled to build on his Rookie of the Year triumph, which came in February 2021, though a win here would seriously help move his career forward and boost his standing in the Japanese boxing world. The reason for that is the fact the 25 year old Yamashita, yes some how he's only 25, has long been a popular and exciting warrior who makes for good fights and does have a name that means something, despite numerous set backs in recent years. At one point Yamashita seemed like one to watch, with his youth, heavy hands, and aggression. This should be a genuinely exciting bout, but the size of Fukunaga should be the difference. The other prospect of note on the show is Kaito Yamasaki (2-0, 1), who takes a big step up to take on Koshin Takeshima (4-2-1, 3). The 23 year old Yamasaki made his name in the amateur ranks and is widely expected to move through the ranks and make a big name for himself in the future, with his combination of skills, power and amateur experience. Takeshima was tipped for big things himself, and won his first 4 bouts, but has now gone 0-2-1 in his last 3, and will know another loss here will leave him in a big hole if he ever intends to become a domestic title contender. This should be a bout with impressive skills on show, and over 8 rounds could be a hard one to call. Dawrpui Multipurpose Hall, Aizawl, India We also have a small show in India. Sadly more than half of this card are bouts between debutants, but there two men with some recorded bouts to their name. One of the men with some experience on this show is HC Lalramfela (2-0, 1), who scored two wins last year and will be looking to record his third one here, as he takes on Akoijam Naoton Meitei (0-0). The other fighter with some experience is C Lalhruaitluanga (2-0, 1), who seeks his third win as he takes on Laishram Ronalson Khuman (0-0). Sadly this is a step back for Lalhruaitluanga, who seemed to be moving his career forward. Although this show is hard to get excited about, it is a sign that Indian boxing is slowly putting down the foundations for it to build off, and that is certainly not a bad things, just a very slow process. Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada The most notable fighter competing in a bout outside of Asia here is Chinese Heavyweight Junlong Zhang (18-0, 18), with the infamous "Dragon King" making his international debut, and battling against Mexican fighter Guillermo Casas (10-2-1, 6). For years Zhang was a bit of a mystery man, with those mysteries becoming even more telling when bouts of his were reported exhibitions bouts, and then he seemed to vanish. He's now not had a recorded bout in almost 5 years, and it really is hard to know what the 40 year old has left in the tank, or whether he ever really had anything in the tank. As for Casas the 27 year old Mexican has been a regular at the popular Big Punch Arena in Tijuana, and will be making his international debut here. It's hard to read much into his record, but his competition has, so far, been poor, as one expected om the Mexican Heavyweight scene. The Bomb Factory, Dallas, Texas, USA In the US we'll see Uzbekistani fighter Jamshidbek Najmitdinov (18-2, 14) look to bounce back from his 2021 loss to Will Madera, as he takes on Charles Hatley (30-2-1, 21) for the WBC United States Welterweight title. The talented Najmitdinov looked like he could be something special when he was robbed back in 2017 against Viktor Postol, but sadly he then ended up treading water before making his US debut last year, and losing to Madero after suffering an injury. As loss here against Hatley will likely be the end of Najmitdinov as any kind of hopeful. As for Hatley, he's a former world title challenger, who challenged Jermell Charlo back in 2017, and has gone unbeaten since losing to Charlo. Hatley will be the clear favourite, though he really can't afford to over the Uzbekistani, as we know Najmitdinov is better than his loss to Madera suggests.  This coming Sunday is a big day in Japan, with 4 different shows, including a title bout in Osaka, several bouts with prospects and the East Japan Rookie of the Year final.
Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Osaka, Japan The show with the most important single bout takes place in Osaka, where we see several rising stars of Japanese boxing in action. The main bout of the show will see WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (4-0, 1) defending the title he won from Daigo Higa earlier this year. The talented, and really promising, Nishida will be up against fellow Japanese fighter Tetsuro Ohashi (8-2-1, 2), who is best known as a solid and promising young Super Flyweight. Ohashi is a very solid fighter, but this is a big step up for him, and he is very much like a smaller, less polished version of Nishida. As for the champion this is a solid first defense, even if it is a step down from his last two bouts, which saw him beating Shohei Omori and Daigo Higa. Unlike those bouts this will see Nishida up against a fellow boxer, as opposed to a fighter or puncher, and we could see him needing to answer some different questions here. Our preview of this one can be read here Nishida takes on Ohashi in first WBO Asia Pacific title defense In a major supporting bout we'll see former Japanese title challenger Riku Kunimoto (4-1, 2) look to bounce back from his loss to Kazuto Takesako as he takes on the unbeaten Kazuki Kyohara (5-0-2, 3). On paper this looks a really even match up but in reality Kunimoto is the more proven and the more polished, and a very solid former amateur. Kyohara will know a win opens the door for a title fight of his in 2022, but he's meant to be little more than a game "opponent" here. On the subject of good former amateurs we'll also see Kaito Yamasaki (1-0) fight in his second professional bout, as he takes on the experienced Takahiro Hamazaki (3-7-2, 1). Yamasaki was a very talented amateur and he looked like he could go a long, long way on his debut, but does have some questions to answer, including some about how he'll adapt to the professional ranks, and how his power will hold up. Hamazaki on the other hand is there to play the role of a veteran, and we suspect the 35 year old will ask some questions on route to a wide decision loss. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Over in Tokyo we get two shows, the most notable of which is set to take place at Korakuen Hall. The reason is so notable is because it's the East Japan Rookie of the Year Final, and is a platform for future stars. In total there is 12 bouts set for this card, with bouts taking place from 105lbs all the way up to Middleweight, with the exception of 154lbs which isn't competed in as part of the Rookie of the Year. One of the most interesting match ups for this show is at Bantamweight, as Hiroto Sato (3-0-1) takes on Shori Umezu (5-0, 5) in a battle of unbeaten youngsters. Sato, aged 21, only debuted in July but has managed to squeeze 4 fights in already this year, prior to this one. Sadly he did fight to a draw on debut, has shown a lack of power, which could be a major issue here. Umezu, himself only 23, made his debut in August 2020, and has taken out his first 5 opponents in a combined 8 rounds. He has never seen round 3, and has really heavy hands. He'll be looking to show what his power can do here. Another interesting bout between two unbeaten fighters will see Ryuya Kusamura (2-0, 2) take on Minori Okamura (2-0, 1), with this bout being the Middleweight bout, and for those not aware Japanese Rookie of the Year Middleweight bouts tend to be among the most entertaining as it's usually two big, somewhat unpolished, guys landing a lot of leather on each other. Interesting both these men debuted in September, both had their second pro bout in November and will be having this bout just 3 and a half months after their debuts. Kusamura is the taller man, and the harder hitter, and has looked really fun to watch in his first two bouts. Okamura on the other hand has had attention on him, with his debut coming against Eigoro Akai, the son of a popular former fighter, and he has gone 4 rounds, which he did last time out. This should be a very, very fun 4 rounder. Arena Tachikawa Tachihi , Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan Staying in Tokyo, there is a small, but notable card in Tachikawa city. The card is certainly not a huge one but it does have a very solid main event, as JBC ranked Lightweight Shinnosuke Saito (8-4, 2) takes on Mirai Naito (8-3, 3). Coming in Saito is going to be the favourite, and he certainly is the more prove fighter, though Naito will be wanting to prove himself, especially with this bout coming less than a week after his brother's upset loss to Koichi Aso. Saito did lose last time out, with that loss ending a 5 fight winning run, but he'll be hungry to get back to winning ways here. Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan We'll also be getting rookies in action in Kariya as we get a show featuring only 4 rounders. Sadly it's always hard to get too excited about these shows, due to the lack of name value, but the 4 rounder format does tend to deliver some amazing action as two flawed novices put it all on the line. Despite the lack of notable names, we do like the look of these shows and this should be fun. If pushed for a bout to make a note of, it's worth noting the nominal main event of the show will be a bout between Kenta Sugawara (2-2-1, 1) and Yuya Nakazato (5-12, 5), who is the most experienced man on the card, by far. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Over in Vietnam we're going to be seeing once beaten Vietnamese fighter Van Thao Tran (13-1, 8) take on unbeaten Thai puncher Boonrueang Phayom (9-0, 9) in what looks set to be a really interesting match up. Tran was tipped for big things, following a solid amateur career, but inactivity and a loss in 2019 to Billy Dib has cost his career and he's really not reached the level that many had hoped he would. Aged 22 Boonrueang is one of the more interesting Thai prospects, and a genuine puncher, but someone who has fought at a very, very low level. For Boonrueang this is a massive step up in class, and his first fight bout outside of Thailand, but a win here would help set him up for a very interesting 2022.  This coming Sunday is a relatively busy day in Japanese boxing with 3 shows, including Rookie of the Year action, debuts of stand outs, a former champion and several notable Japanese domestic contenders.
City Sogo Gym, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan The biggest show of the day will be in Hirakata City and be promoted by Green Tsuda, who are putting on a very solid overall card. The main event will see former Japanese Super Flyweight champion Takayuki Okumoto (23-10-4, 11) take on Sonin Nihei (10-5-2, 2), in the second bout between the two men. Okumoto desperately needs a good performance to get his career back in track, following back to back losses including a big upset defeat to Akui Furatani last year. With that in mind it's probably no surprise to see him facing an opponent he easily beat when he last faced him, in fact in 2016 Okumoto stopped Nihei in just 2 rounds and will be looking to do the same here. Nihei, who was once regarded as a contender himself, is 2-4 in his last 6 and his career certainly seems to be going through a rough patch, meaning this is very smart match making from Okumoto's team. In the chief support bout the talented and very promising Jinki Maeda (7-0, 4) will be looking to pick up his 8th straight win as he takes on Yuya Azuma (5-5-1, 1). Although this should be a straight forward win for Maeda, who is slowly moving towards a title fight it is worth noting that Azuma is no push over and despite losing his last 2, to very talented fighters. We expect to see Maeda needing to work hard for a victory here, and get plenty of rounds under his belt here. Also on this card are two notable debuts. One of those is Takafumi Shibata (0-0), who takes on Ryosei Niguma (5-3-1, 3), and the other is Kaito Yamasaki (0-0), who battles Kohei Hamamoto (4-2-1, 3). Both of the debutants will be expected to shine as they kick off their career's in 6 rounders. Shibata fought around 50 times in the amateurs, had about 30 wins and came third in the All Japan championships in 2018. Yamasaki on the other hand had almost 40 bouts, won 24 and shined at the National High School championships. Ohama Gym, Sakai, Osaka, Japan A second notable card in Osaka will be taking place in Sakai City, with Mitsuki promoting the event. It's not as big as the Hirakata city show, but there are 3 noteworthy bouts on this show. The show's opening bout is a 6 rounder between two JBC ranked female fighters as Sarasa Ichimura (3-8-1) takes on Aoi Watanabe (3-4, 1), in the second bout between these two women. Entering this bout both are ranked in the top 10 of their respective divisions, with Ichimura being a Minimumweight and Watanabe being a Flyweight, and Watanabe will be looking to beat Ichimura for the second time this year. Their first bout wasn't particularly exciting, but with both women having JBC rankings the bout is certainly a meaningful one. Another noteworthy bout here will see two fighters who reached the All Japan Rookie of the Year finals in February facing off. In one corner is the once beaten Seika Fukuda (5-1, 1), who lost to Tsubasa Nari at Super Featherweight, and in the opposite corner will be Eiji Togawa (6-4, 3), who was beaten by Hiromasa Urakawa at Lightweight. Whilst neither man is expected to go far in the sport, this is almost the perfect comeback fight, and should be a very fun one to watch. The main event will see JBC #2 Flyweight ranked fighter Shun Kosaka (16-7, 4) take on Shota Asami (8-8, 4), in what should be a pretty straight forward win for Kosaka at least on paper. Coming in to this Kosaka has fought at the top level of Japanese domestic boxing and shared the ring with the likes of Takuya Kogawa, Seigo Yuri Akui and Junto Nakatani, sadly however he lost to those 3 men and is now 1-4 in his last 5. Asami is no world beater, and he's 1-3 in his last 4, but he's proven to be very competitive in those losses and is certainly better than his record suggests. Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan At the Aioi Hall we'll get the Central Japan Rookie of the Year Finals, with 9 bouts set for this show, from Minimumweight up to Welterweight. There was originally 10 bouts scheduled but the final at 140lbs has been cancelled. The first really interesting match up on the show comes at Flyweight where 18 year old Yuki Morikawa (1-0-1) risks his unbeaten record against the much more experienced Katsuki Matsuura (6-4-1, 1). Morikawa made his debut back in 2019, with a draw, but looked good in his second bout, this past May, and a win here would move his career onto bigger and better things Matsuura on the other hand is 24 and on paper looks like a handful. It worth noting however that Matsuura is 1-4-1 in his last 6, and has really no momentum at all coming into this bout. The second bout of real interest to us here us at Bantamweight where Kenta Sugawara (2-1-1, 1) clashes with Takuto Mino (2-0). The 21 year old Mino made his debut last November, and struggled in that bout, but looked solid last time out against Yuto Oki. Mino on the other hand hasn't really had much moment with his career, and was only able to earn a draw last time out, though is more experienced and has been a professional since 2018. At Super Bantamweight we'll see 30 year old Fumiya Abe (4-2-1, 2) look to bounce back from a 2020 TKO loss to Ren Anzai as he takes on the unbeaten Prince Fujiwara (3-0-1, 2), who impressed us in 2020 with his win against Judgement Aizu. Aged 22 there is real potential for Fujiwara, from the Suruga Danji gym, so we're looking forward to seeing how he performs here. |
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