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Whitesands Events Center, Plant City, Florida, USA
This coming Friday fight fans will get the chance to see a former world champion fight for the first time since being dethroned, and will also see a once beaten contender look to rebuild his career, after a major set back last time out. The former world champion is former WBA Featherweight champion Can Xu (18-3, 3), who was last seen losing the WBA title to Leigh Wood in the UK last year. That loss was a major professional and personal set back for Xu, who is said to have been hit by depression following that loss. Xu will be hoping to restart his career here as he takes on Mexican fighter Brandon Leon Benitez (18-2, 7), who is a 24 year old Mexican who has won his last 4 bouts. On paper this is a huge step up for Benitez, who hasn't scored a win of note so far, but it is, perhaps, the best time to fight Xu, who has only fought once since the end of 2019, the loss to Wood more than a year ago. Also on this card is Kazakh fighter Kanat Islam (28-1, 22), who looks to bounce back from a huge upset loss in February to Jimmy "Kilrain" Kelly, as he takes on the durable Vaughn Alexander (17-6-1, 10). The bout is a must win for Islam, who knows his career is over if he loses, but it certainly not a gimmie for him, especially not at the age of 38. Although Alexander isn't a top tier fighter he's also no push over, and could well have too much for the injury prone and aging Islam.
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 Tokyo, Japan
From where we're sat the main show this coming Saturday is in Tokyo, where we get 4 Japanese title eliminators on what is a mouth watering card. The winners will all get Japanese title shots at the 2020 Champion Carnival meaning these 4 bouts are very significant. The lowest weight covered by these eliminators is Bantamweight, where the once touted Kazuki Tanaka (11-2, 8) takes on the often under-rated Kyosuke Sawada (13-2-1, 6), in what could turn out to be a masterful lesson of boxing by Sawada or an all out brawl. This really does depend on just how desperate the two men get, and whether Tanaka's power will be too much for Sawada to handle with his skills. This could be a very, very good fight. A full preview of this bout can be found here Sawada and Tanaka look to book a place at the Champion Carnival At Featherweight we'll see the very highly regarded Hinata Maruta (9-1-1, 7) take on former Japanese Featherweight champion Takenori Ohashi (17-5-2, 11). We suspect that Murata will have the speed, size and skills to deal with Ohashi, but the experienced man can genuinely bang and his KO earlier this year over Shun Wakabayashi showed just how heavy his hands are. This should be a win for Murata, but he really cannot get sloppy given the lights out power of his opponent. A full preview of this bout can be read here Maruta and Ohashi clash in Japanese eliminator On paper we could end up with a bit of a boxing classic as Kazuki Saito (7-1, 5) and Izuki Tomioka (6-2-1, 2) meet in Japanese Lightweight title eliminator. Saito is a fantastic offensive boxer, but has real issues taking a shot, and that does actually make his fights even more fun to watch, and he is quite honest a bit of a glass cannon. Tomioka on the other hand is a very light punching boxer-mover and he managed to give Masayoshi Nakatani fits in an OPBF title fight. We expect skills to be on here. Our preview of this bout can be read here Saito and Tomioka clash in Lightweight eliminator! The heaviest weight covered on this show is the Welterweight division, where former world title challenger Keita Obara (21-4-1, 19) will take on Toshiro Tarumi (12-3-3, 6). On paper this doesn't look a great bout, with Obara having the edges in experience, power, and level of competition. It is worth noting however that Tarumi has momentum coming in to this, thanks to wins over Noriaki Sato and Shusaku Fujinaka during a 7 fight winning run. Our preview of this bout can be read here Hard hitting Obara takes on little known Tarumi in Japanese eliminator Almaty, Kazakhstan As well as the fantastic action in Japan we're actually being treat to a huge amount of fights spread across Asia, including a card from Kazakhstan. The headline bout of this show will see the unbeaten Kanat Islam (26-0, 21) take on recent world title challenger Walter Kautondokwa (18-1,17), in what looks likely to be a very, very explosive bout. The unbeaten Kazakh will be fighting for the second time since returning from an injury that kept him out of the ring for close to 2 years. We say fighting for the but it's hard to call his 14 second demolition of Julio De Jesus a fight, more an assault. The 34 year old Kautondokwa, from Namibia, has only been beaten once and that in a WBO Middleweight world title fight against Demetrius Andrade, so he is tough, but it's a big ask for him to get a result in Kazakhstan. Novice Kazakh prospect Nursultan Amanzholov (1-0) will look to build on his first professional win as he takes on 38 year old Polish foe Michal Banbula (13-31-4). At his very best Banbula was a criminally under-rated fighter who scored a win over Tony Oakey and a draw with Tony Jeffries. Sadly though Banbula has lost 5 of his last 6 and should pose little threat to someone like Amanzholov, who is a fully blown Heavyweight. Chongqing, China The pick of the bouts outside of Japan looks to be an excellent contest in China where we see two older fighters in action to keep their careers alive. The bout in questions sees the once beaten local Wenfeng Ge (11-1, 6) take on former world champion Kompayak Porpramook (60-7, 41) for the WBO Global Flyweight title. The tough Ge is looking to bounce back from a TKO loss to Giemel Magramo earlier in the year, and that was a painful beating so we'll see what effect it has on his psyche and will to win. As for the Thai he has lost 2 of his last 3, but the former WBC Light Flyweight champion is still a nightmare for fighters willing to have a war with hi, and he should be viewed as a legitimate live under-dog here. The chief support bout is a contest for the WBC Asian Boxing Silver Super Bantamweight title China's Chunlei Lin (9-3, 2) will battle against Indonesian Galih Susanto (17-9-1, 4). The 25 year old local, dubbed the "Black Dragon", has not proven a great deal yet and has lost to his 2 most notable opponents thus far, including a loss at home to Japan's Shun Wakabayashi. On the other hand Susanto is no world beater but is a bit better than his record suggests and may well expose Lin a little bit, before losing, likely on the cards. Lishui, China A second Chinese card will see the unbeaten Xiang Li (5-0, 4) take on Japan's Takuya Ota (8-2-1, 6). The technically limited but hard hitting Li scored a solid win in January, or Arvin Young, and scored another in August over Do Jin Lee. So it's good to see him being active after a very slow start to his professional career, sadly though his competition doesn't appear to be improving through the year. Ota is nothing of a step up from the last couple of bouts for Li, but is still a capable fighter and he reached the Rookie of the Year final last year. We suspect this will be another win for Li, but another one where his flaws are made evident by the successes of his opponent. Shenzhen, China A third show in China will be headlined by Mongolian Tsendbaatar Erdenebat (1-0), though sadly his opponent hasn't yet been announced for a bout in Shenzhen. Whilst no opponent is known at the time of writing for the Mongolian this is set to be a 10 rounder, which is very ambitious for the 2016 Olympian. Qingdao, China Yet another Chinese card will take place, with this one being headlined by unbeaten local Zhong Liu (14-0, 5) taking on Filipino John Kenan Villaflor (8-5-4, 2) in what looks like an interesting 8 rounder. The unbeaten local comes into this on the back of a big win over Jess Rhey Waminal and Villaflor will be in the ring looking to get revenge for his countryman. A second bout of interest will see Chinese youngster Wuzhati Nuerlang (12-3, 10) look score his second win of 2019 as he takes on veteran Said Mbelwa (47-29-5, 31). This could be a good chance for the 23 year old Chinese fighter to shine against a very shop worn foe who has got over 80 career bouts and 12 career stoppage losses. La Union, Philippines On a lesser level we have a Filipino show in La Union, this show certainly doesn't have much in terms of names, but does have a couple of bouts that could end up being much better than they look on paper. The heavy hitting 25 year old Arnel Baconaje (11-3, 9) will be up against fellow Filipino Jestoni Autida (12-11, 6). On paper this looks like a mismatch, especially given that Baconaje has gone 5-1 in his last 6, however Autida is a tough and capable fighter who has give Ryoichi Tamua, Ernesto Saulong and Jason Canoy very tough bouts in recent years. Baconaje is the favourite, but Autida a clear live under-dog. Another potentially interesting match up will see Jules Victoriano (9-2, 6) take on Virgil Puton (17-13-2, 8), though this could also be a stinker. The 22 year old Victoriano was on a 9 fight winning before losing in Japan to Yoshimitsu Kimura in June, and we suspect he'll be confident of getting back to winning ways here. The 30 year old Puton was once a very, very capable opponent, but he is now 0-5-2 in his last 7 and has been stopped in 4 of those 7 bouts, and seems very much like he's a "shot" fighter. If Puton has anything left in the tank he could make this competitive, but the worry is that he's only a shell of the fighter he once was. One other bout on this card will see IBF Bantamweight mandatory challenger Michael Dasmarinas (29-2-1, 19) fight in a stay busy bout against Artid Bamrungauea (25-27, 23). The talented Filipino is the mandatory for the winner of the upcoming WBSS winner Bantamweight finish and this really is just a tick over against a heavy handed but very limited Thai foe. It's worth noting that in recent weeks Dasmarinas has been sparring with Takuma Inoue, and although this is only a low key fight he'll likely be wanting to impress. Bangkok, Thailand In Bangkok fans are set for some low quality action. In the most notable bout the UK's 48 year old Denise Castle (2-2, 2) will go up against Thailand's Sutthinee Bamrungpao (4-6) in a bout for the vacant WIBA Minmumweight title. The Thai fighter is the younger of the two but has suffered 6 stoppage losses in her 10 bout career and has never beaten a fighter with a winning record. Castle is well beyond her best years, which were spent outside of boxing, but we wouldn't be surprised if she did enough to take the win here. It's worth noting that both of Castles' losses have come in world title bouts, with the first coming to Momo Koseki, but she's done very little to derseve this fight with her last win being more than 5 years ago. Also on this card we'll see rather odd WBC interim Asian Boxing Council silver Featherweight title bout between the limited Thai based Filipino Joel Kwong (4-9, 4) and the limited Waldo Sabu (13-14, 3), from Indonesia. We assumed the idea of the Silver titles was to get rid of the need for an interim belt, but an interim silver regional title fight between two guys with losing records is very, very hard to defend. Singapore, Singapore Staying in Asia we also have a small card in Singapore. One of the main bouts will see unbeaten Malaysian fighter Adli Hafidz (7-0, 3) take on 40 year old Indonesian fighter Ramadhan Weriuw (18-11-1, 16) in a bout for the WBA Asia South Super Middleweight title. This really should be a very straight forward win for Hafidz, who is no world title challenger in the making but still a very capable fighter. It's worth noting that in 2016 Weriuw fought as a Welterweight and has no reason to be fighting as an out of shape, old Cruiserweight. Local favourite Muhamad Ridhwan (13-2, 9) will also be on this show as he takes on Thai visitor Taweechai Juntarasuk (10-13, 6), who is 0-8 in fights outside of Thailand. This looks a mismatch on paper, and we suspect it will also be a mismatch in the ring, with Ridhwan looking to score a third straight win since back to back losses. Nevada, USA In the US we get a very even looking match up as 28 year old American Andy Vences (22-1-1, 12) takes on 25 year old Filipino Mark Bernaldez (19-2, 13). Vences began his career 20-0 but has struggled in recent bouts, going 2-1-1 in his last 4, and now needs to get his career back on track following his first professional loss, back in June to Albert Bell. Bernaldez on the other hand has lost 2 of his last 6, but is unbeaten the US, where his last 2 bouts have been held and does have a little big of momentum. We suspect the naturally bigger Vences will take the win, but this it the perfect time for Bernaldez to face him. Almaty, Kazakhstan
Attention turns to Kazakhstan this coming Friday for a Qazaq Promotions card from Almaty. The card isn't a massive one, but it is a notable one, with the ring return of a popular unbeaten Kazakh contender, who has had his career ruined by injury, a Kazakh Heavyweight hopeful against a former world title challenger and several rising hopefuls. The main event of the show will see the unbeaten Kanat Islam (25-0, 20) return to the ring, for the first time since September 2017, to take on Dominican puncher Julio De Jesus (27-1, 24).Islam was on the verge of a world title fight when he beat Brandon Cook in his last bout, but repeated injuries have kept him out of the ring since then really destroying his chances of a world title fight. De Jesus, on paper, looks like a good test though is the naturally smaller man and we do wonder how his power holds up here against a solid fighter like Islam. In one of the main supporting bouts we'll see unbeaten Kazakh Heavyweight hopeful Ruslan Myrsatayev (5-0, 5) take on English Heavyweight veteran Danny Williams (53-26-0-1, 40). The unbeaten Kazakh is talented and heavy handed, but at 34 years old time is running out if he's really after a big fight he needs to make his move this year. Williams, best known for beating Mike Tyson and being dominated by Vitali Klitschko in a WBC world title bout, is now 45 and needs to really consider walking away from the sport before getting seriously injured. Another bout will see Madiyar Ashkeyev (12-0, 6), fresh off throwing water over a journalist, take on Estonian journeyman Pavel Semjonov (24-11-2, 9). This should be a straight forward win for Ashkeyev, but Semjonov tends to be a tough foe so we're expecting a decision win for the unbeaten Kazakh here. Also on this card will be unbeaten teenager Dastan Saduuly (3-0, 3) and Ablaikhan Khussainov (9-0, 6), though it's unclear who these two will be up against at the time of writing.  California, USA
The real show of note for us this weekend comes from Carson California in what is arguably the best card of the last few years. It's not stacked with 50-50 bouts, though two bouts could well fit into that category, but it is stacked with talent with potentially the top 5 fighters at Super Flyweight all in action with a trio of bouts that have a logical reason to be on the same show. This is a card which has had thought behind it, and promises so much. It's one of those rare card where if one bout turns out to be a disappointment, for example an early technical draw, there is still enough for the card to be remembered fondly. The main event of the card is a rematch of one of the best fights of the year, as Thailand's Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (43-4-1, 29) takes on Nicaraguan great Roman Gonzalez (46-1, 38). Their first bout saw Srisaket drop Gonzalez in the first round en route to a close, and disputed, decision over the previously unbeaten Gonzlez. Srisaket will be looking to repeat the victory and make the first defence of his second reign of the WBC Super Flyweight title. Gonzalez will be seeking revenge for his first, and only, loss and looking to reclaim the title that he lost to the Thai back in March. A second world title fight on this card will see Japanese sensation Naoya Inoue (13-0, 11) defending the WBO Super Flyweight title against Antonio Nieves (17-1-2, 9), in what is Inoue's US debut. The extremely talented Japanese youngster is viewed by many as one of the best natural talents in the sport, and will know that this is his chance to show the world just how good he is in front of an audience of fans from around the globe. Although the huge under-dog Nieves is coming into the bout confident, and knows that a win here really puts him on the boxing map. The challenger is a bit of an unknown, and this opportunity is huge, but it's a huge step up in class for him. Interestingly a former Gonzalez foe is part of the under-card here, with Brian Viloria (37-5-0-2, 22) taking on Miguel Cartagena (15-3-1, 6), who is known in Asian circles for his win over Jobert Alvarez and his nasty technical draw with Toshiyuki Igarashi, from this past April. The 25 year old American is tough, aggressive and could be a genuine handful for the 36 year old Viloria, who has fought just once since his October 2015 loss to Gonzalez. At his best Viloria would be a huge favourite, but this bout could be extremely tough for the veteran. Also on this card will be the unbeaten Nick Frese (5-0, 5), who faces Nam Phan (3-2-1, 2). Dutch born Thai based Frese will be fighting outside of Asia for the first time and will be hoping to show his skills, and pick up another quick win. The unbeaten man us pencilled in to fight again in October and has been ultra busy this year, but has also been destructive racking up a combined 10 rounds from his 5 bouts. Nam Phan, who is an American based American, hasn't fought in will over a year and is 10 years removed from his last win, but the bout really is supposed to just showcase Frese. As well as the bouts mentioned the card will feature an all-Mexican bout, back at Super Flyweight, as Juan Francisco Estrada (35-2, 25) takes on Carlos Cuadras (36-1-1, 27), with the winner set to become the mandatory for the Srisaket Vs Gonzalez winner. Astana, Kazakhstan A second notable show packed with Asian fighters comes in Central Asian country Kazakhstan,where we get a number of notable and unbeaten Kazakh's in action, against opponents who look very solid on paper. The main event of the card will see the world ranked Kanat Islam (24-0, 19) take on Brandon Cook (18-0, 11) in a really mouth watering match up. The unbeaten 32 year old Islam is slowly edging towards a world title fight, and is regarded as one of the notable Kazakh's in the professional ranks so far, but his career has been a slow burning and he's been a professional for close to 5 years with out yet really making a big splash. Aged 31 Cook has also been a bit of a slow burner as a professional, though his win in January against Steven Butler did get him some international attention, due to a post fight incident which saw Cook being hit with an item thrown at him. This really is a must win for both, and who ever loses will find it very hard to rebuild at this stage. Another good looking bout towards the top of the card will see the very promising Zhankosh Turarov (21-0, 15) battle with Argentinian puncher Bruno Leonardo Romay (21-4, 18). Although less well known than Islam we have got high hopes for Turarov, who is 26 and has shown real flashes of being a genuine prospect. Romay will be hoping to make the most of his power, but this is a big step up for the South American, who's fighting in Asia for the first time. Arguably the most notable prospect on this card is also the least experienced, as a professional. That's former amateur star Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (1-0, 1), who looks to impress in his second bout as he takes on Carmelito De Jesus (18-5, 15). We saw Alimkhanuly really shine in the amateurs, winning World and Asian championship gold in 2013 and reach the quarter finals of the 2016 Olympics. On his professional debut the Kazakh destroyed Milton Nunez and we're expecting a similar performance here. De Jesus, from Brazil, has scored wins on the road before, stopping Italian Stefano Castellucci, and will be there hunting the upset but he'll likely have little success against the Kazakh sensation. Another notable prospect is Nursultan Zhanabayev (2-0, 1), who made his debut last year in China and has already competed in a pair of 10 rounders. His upcoming bout will see him take on the heavy handed Brazilian Alex Sandro Duarte (13-1-1, 10). Although Duarte has a nice record on paper he has lost to his most notable foe to date, and we expect another set back for him here. Other hopefuls on this card include Ali Akhmedov (8-0, 6), who was last seen stopping the unbeaten Curtis Hill Jr, battling against Justin Thomas (18-2, 7), and Aidos Yerbossynuly (6-0, 5), who's fighting for the first time since going the distance with Devin Butcher, who will look to shine against the more experienced Jonathan Geronimo Barbadillo (17-4-1, 14). Cotabato del Sur, Philippines In the Philippines we have a pretty notable show. One of the most notable bouts on the show will see Ben Mananquil (14-1-2, 3) battle against Jess Rhey Waminal (11-1-1, 6) in a bout between talented and once beaten fighters., looking to claim the interim OPBF Bantamweight title. Of the two men Mananquil is the more proven man, and he's unlucky not to have a stoppage win over Kwanpichit OnsongchaiGym to go along with his wins over Mateo Handig and Glenn Porras. Although less well known Waminal can't be over-looked and has scored notable wins over Joe Tejones and Gerpaul Valero. This isn't going to be a true OPBF title level fight, but the reality is that it is still a brilliant match up, with both fighters looking to go in there and prove they are the better fighter. A less exciting looking bout will see veterans collide as Eden Sonsona (36-7-2, 13) takes on Jaime Barcelona (39-61-1, 10). The talented Sonsona is an upset minded fighter, as we saw in 2015 when he stopped Adrian Estrella in 2 rounds, but will be the favourite here against a man who really is just a journeyman, but a damned tough one who has only been stopped 5 times in 101 bouts. Although Sonsona will be the favourite it is worth noting that he only just took a narrow decision over Barcelona last December, and this could be another hotly contested bout, despite the hugely different looking records. A really good match up on this card will see unbeaten Filipino prospect Jade Bornea (8-0, 5) taking on once beaten Thai Kongfah CP Freshmart (19-1, 11) in a mouth watering match up for the IBF Youth Super Flyweight title. The Filipino prospect was an amateur stand out before turning professional in 2014. He's tipped to go a long way but this is a big step up in class for the 22 year old Pinoy. For Kongfah this will be his most significant fight since he faced a then unknown Daigo Higa back in 2015, when Higa stopped the Thai in a 7 round thriller! This could be a coming out party for Bornea or a chance for Kongfah to climb back up the rankings, a great match up! In a mismatch worthy of noting we'll see the world class Randy Petalcorin (26-2-1, 19) take on veteran Jetly Purisima (21-23-4, 6). The bout shouldn't be competitive,with Petalcorin being better than Purisima in every way, but it does give the talented “Razor” a chance to shake some ring rust after more than 6 months of inactivity. Petalcorin is a natural talent and should be fighting at world level so hopefully his team will move him in that direction next year, rather than keep him in there with horribly over-matched opponents, like Purisima. There will also be two promising novice prospects on this card in low key bouts. One of those is Mark Antonio (2-0, 2), who will look to keep his stoppage run alive as he takes on Michael Padayag (3-8-1) in what should be a straight forward win and Dave Apolinario (2-0, 1), who will be strongly favoured to over-come Rudy Salaton (0-1).  Almaty, Kazakhstan
The attention for this weekend is pretty scattered with no one country really stealing the focus. Saying that however the most intriguing card is probably in Kazakhstan. In the main event of the card fight fans get to see Kanat Islam (21-0, 18) make his Kazakh debut at long last, as he takes on Ghana's Patrick Allotey (34-2, 28) in a bout for a number of minor titles. Originally this bout was said to be a WBA “interim” world title bout, but will instead have IBO, WBO and WBA minor titles and whilst it's not what either man really wanted, it could open doors for world title bouts down the line. On paper it's a big step up for Islam though Allotey has suffered 2 recent stoppage losses and it seems likely he will again be stopped as Islam is a solid puncher, despite being a technically flawed fighter. In the chief supporting bout we'll see unbeaten Zhankhozh Turarov (19-0, 13) fight for the 5th time in Kazakhstan, returning for the first time since December 2012. In the opposite corner to Turarov will be the heavy handed Ghanaian Isaac Aryee (24-8, 22). Ayree comes into this bout with a puncher's reputation but is 0-3 outside of Ghana and was stopped in 3 rounds last year by Jimmy Kilrain Kelly, with a similar outcome expected here. The card features a really notable debutant in the form of 2016 Olympian Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (0-0), who goes in deep against the highly experience Milton Nunez (33-16-1, 29), who has faced a relative who's who. The Kazakh debutant may not have won a medal at 2016 Olympics but did win the 2013 World Amateur Championship and the Asian Championships, in 2013, and is holy tipped to race through the ranks if he decides to turn professional full time, something that is still unclear. Also on this card will be Aidos Yerbossynuly (4-0, 4), who will be in a 6 rounder. Seoul, South Korea The new BoxingM organisation continue to build their brand with their second show in the space of just a few weeks, and for the first time they put on international title fighters. In the main event we see one of Korea's more interesting fighters, Woo Min Won (8-1, 5), take on a Japanese veteran, Taisho Ozawa (21-8-2, 13), for the WBC EPBC, Eurasia Pacific Boxing Council, Light Welterweight title. Won comes into this bout on a 3 fight winning run including a win for the Korean 140lb title last year and a big upset win over Daiki Koide earlier this year, and should be favoured to keep that run going here. The 36 year old Ozawa hasn't fought in more than 3 years, and was 2-4 in his previous bouts, and although he was once a decent fighter he was on the slide before his long break from the ring. In the other title bout on this card we'll see the WBC EPBC “interim” Lightweight title on the line, as Il Kwon Kim (6-3, 3) takes on Juk San Lee (6-3, 1), aka Ryo Akahori as he's listed on the poster for the show. Lee isn't the most active of fighters, in fact this is only his second bout in the last 5 years, but a win here could kick start his career. Kim, who has also been plagued with inactivity, won the Korean Lightweight title earlier this year and will see a win here as a chance to move into much more significant and interesting bouts in the near future. Durango, Mexico In the main event of a card in Durango fight fans will see former world champion Cristian Mijares (54-8-2, 26) battle unbeaten Japanese fight Shohei Kawashima (14-0-2, 3) in a bout for Mijares' WBC silver Featherweight title. The bout is a huge step up for Kawashima but a great opportunity for him to make a mark on the big stage and build on things like being the 2014 All Japan Rookie of the year and his win in Korea earlier this year. At 35 Mijares, once one of the sports most talented boxers, is on the back end of his career, though comes into this bout on a 5 fight winning streak, including a shock win over the then unbeaten Andres Gutierrez. At his best this would be a huge mismatch in favour of Mijares, however he's not the fighter he was and Kawashima does have a chance, albeit a slim one, to claim a career changing win Also on this card is former unified Minimumweight champion Francisco Rodriguez Jr (19-4-1, 12), best known for his incredible contest with Katsunari Takayama, who fights Filipino fighter Crison Omayao (20-12-3, 7), best known for being the debut opponent of Naoya Inoue back in 2012. Omayao has been passed around Japanese prospects the past few years, including Genki Hanai and Kosei Tanaka, and it seems he is here to serve as a tune up opponent for Rodriguez who is said to be chasing Flyweight gold now. This could be a painful night for the “D'Cowboy” given that Rodriguez is a bit of a monster in the ring. Mexico In Mexico we'll see Filipino Richard Pumicpic (18-7-2, 6) take on a really tough ask as he battles Mexican star Cesar Juarez (18-5, 14), who has been a thorn in the side of Filipino boxing in recent years. Juarez first gave Filipino's a headache when he gave Nonito Donaire a nightmare late in their world title bout last December, and destroyed Filipino hearts earlier this year when he beat the hotly tipped Albert Pagara. Pumicpic isn't as well known as the other Filipino's that Jaurez has faced but is likely to find out what the other two found out, the Mexican is a heavy handed, tough nosed nightmare Ekaterinburg, Russia In Russia we see WBA “interim” Light Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (7-0, 6) fight in a 10 round non-title fight as he faces fellow puncher Abdallah Paziwapazi (13-3, 12), from Tanzania. The bout is Bivol's first since he claimed his “world” title, easily defeating Felix Valera with a 12 round decision, and should be little more than a stay busy fight for the Kyrgyzstan born sensation. It is worth noting that Paziwapazi is not only a puncher but has never been stopped and that will be the target here for Bivol, who will be fighting for the third time this year  This coming Saturday is an amazing day for Asian fight fans who will get the chance to see some of Japan's hardest hitters, two of which will be in action in the US!
Nevada, USA The most notable of those two US debut's for Japanese fighters comes in Nevada where Olympic gold medal winner Ryota Murata (7-0, 5) risks his unbeaten record against Gunnar Jackson (22-6-3, 8). On paper this is a step up Murata however the bout is more about getting the US fans interested in him rather than really testing himself against world level opposition. A win for Murata would likely see him return to the US next year for a more notable bout, perhaps against a former champion or world title challenger. Florida, USA We see another Japanese fighter make their US debut as the heavy handed, and genuinely fun to watch, Keita Obara (15-1, 14) takes on Nicaraguan warrior Walter Castillo (26-3, 19). For Obara this is a chance to prove himself internationally and move towards a potential world title fight, with this bout serving as an IBF eliminator, however Castillo is himself a man who knows that a win will change his career. We expect this one to be fun and full of heavy handed action but it will be a serious test for Obara. On the same card we will also see Kazakhstan's 154lb contender Kanat Islam (19-0, 16) who battles 34 year old Alexis Camacho (21-5, 19) in what looks like a bout unlikely to go the distance. This will be Camacho's first bout in more than a year and he really hasn't beaten anyone close to Islam's level, in fact he's best known for a loss to Carlos Molina than anything else. Although it looks good on paper this really should be a mismatch. Monte Carlo, Monaco More fighters fighting away from home will land in Monte Carlo where we have two Asian fighters in action. One of those fighters is Kazakh Bantamweight Zhanat Zhakiyanov (25-1, 18) who faces WBA interim champion Yonfrez Parejo (17-1-1, 8) in what looks like a very good match up on paper. Of the two men it's the defending champion who looks like the more accomplished boxer however the Kazakh challenger certainly has the edge in power and will be looking to knock out out foe. For “ZZ” this could be his first, and last, chance at a world title and it's clear that his training will have been stepped up for this opportunity, however it is still a tough ask. The other fighter of note is WBC Super Bantamweight silver champion Qiu Xiao Jun (18-2, 8) who defends his title against light punching Frenchman Amor Belahdj Ali (14-3-1, 2). On paper this looks well matched though the Chinese fighter has certainly been in good form recently and although he's crude he is powerful and is more proven than the Frenchman, who doesn't have names like Jonathan Baat and Silvester Lopez on his record. We were also hoping to see Japan's Yosuke Kirima on this card but it appears that that bout is now off. Dublin, Ireland Staying in Europe for a moment, we will also Indian star Vijender Singh (1-0, 1) put his unbeaten record on the line as he faces 33 year old Dean Gillen (2-0) in a 4 rounder. Tokyo, Japan The major show in Asia comes from the Korakuen Hall where we get two bouts of note, including the first defense of a WBC Youth crown. That youth defense comes at Flyweight where the all action Daigo Higa (7-0, 7) looks to defend his title against the under-rated Renren Tesorio (15-6-3, 4). For Higa, who won his title in Thailand this year in a thriller with Kongfah CP Freshmart, this is a great home coming and if he wins it's likely that he will move onto a Japanese or OPBF title fight next year before a potential world title bvout in the near future. For Tesorio it's a chance to win his most notable title and to get a win in Japan, following last year's narrow defeat to Toshiyuki Igarashi. The other bout of interest here sees former Higa foe Cris Alfante (11-5, 4) return to Japan to face unbeaten teenage Ryuto Maekawa (10-0, 6) in what looks likely to be a tough test for the unbeaten man. This is a bout where we suspect the records don't really tell us the full story and Alfante is certainly the more proven fighter, despite losing to Higa, Florante Condes, Kongfah and Knockout CP Freshmart. This really could be the show stealing bout and has the potential to be an “upset”. Shanghai, China The only other Asian show is in China here Top Rank and SECA put on the next of their novice shows. The show, at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, is another in Top Rank's attempt to create a thriving boxing scene in the Chinese mainland. Sadly not of the bout really have much to talk about though it does seem like an idea with genuine potential. Ayuthaya, Thailand
In Thailand fans get another televised show courtesy of Channel 3 who are showing a pair of title bouts. The less notable to the title bouts here will see interim PABA Super Flyweight champion Chatpetch Sithmorseng (9-3-1, 5) attempt to make the 4th defense of his title as he takes on Filipino visitor Macrea Gandionco (10-2-1, 6). On paper this looks an even match up but the Filipino fighter has been stopped in his last 2 bouts and is the naturally smaller man coming into this bout. The other title bout will see unbeaten teenager Stamp Kiatniwat (12-0, 5) defending his PABA interim Flyweight title against Filipino loser Wilber Andogan (10-18-4, 4). On paper this should be a very safe bout for Stamp, who is tipped very highly by some of those in the know, however he was pushed very close last time out by Espinos Sabu and probably needs an easy bout and some time to continue his development rather than another hard challenge. Also on this card will be Thai based Nigerian Taiwo Ali (15-3, 10) who takes on a yet to be named foe as he continues his unusual career. Whilst a Nigerian being based in Thai is pretty unusual that's only one part of Ali's unique career which has seen him debut against Medgoen Singsurat and stop his last 6 foes! Barranquilla, Colombia In Colombia fans will see the heavy handed and world ranked Kanat Islam (18-0, 15) defending his WBA Fedelatiboutn Light Middleweight title as he battles against the unknown Orlando de Jesus Estrada (11-6-1, 9). The telling thing about this match is that Estrada has been stopped in all 6 of his stoppages whilst holding no wins of note. It's fair to assume that Chinese born Kazakh fighter Islam will extend his perfect record here.  There isn't much action today, in fact from what we're aware there is actually just a single card from Japan.
Tokyo, Japan The regular shows promoted by Ohashi Gym are the "Phoenix Battle" shows and this week sees the 50th edition of the Phoenix Battle, sadly though it is a weak one with no stand out bout though it does have some recognisable names on show. The most recognisable name on the show is Ohashi's very own Ayaka Miyao (17-5-1, 2). Miyao, the WBA Atomweight champion, will be an over-whelming favourite to see off Yokfah Mor Krungthepthonburi (0-6) and in fact Miyao will actually be expected to score a stoppage. Talented, popular and energetic Miyao is a fun fighter to watch though this bout really is little more than a stay busy fight for the Japanese fighter who needs to be matched better next time out. Despite this being a mismatch we do suspect that Miyao is difficult to get bouts for especially at her weight of 102lbs and we we know this bout is being fought marginally above her usual fighting weight. Whilst Miyao is the most notable name on the show, at least in our eyes, she is given a good run for her money by recent world title challenger Shin Ono (17-6-2, 2) who will be battling against unbeaten Thai novice Petchnamchai Sor Sakulwong (1-0, 1). For Ono this will be his first bout since falling short in an IBF Minimumweight world title challenge earlier this year and despite that loss, to Katsunari Takayama, we don't see him struggling the slightest here. The remaining 7 bouts on the card all feature fighters from the Ohashi gym though none of them are particularly notable with the show being used to help those fighters get some experience. We understand why Ohashi has put this card together though we can't help but feel the main event should have been better. We have no problem with Miyao and Ono being on the card but it would have been nice to have seen either of them in with an opponent 2 or 3 steps up the ladder to what they are facing, especially with this being the 50th show under the Phoenix Battle banner. Edit: Bangkok, Thailand We have recently been informed of a Thai card which will feature 2 bouts. The most significant of those 2 bouts will see the unbeaten and well regarded Palangpol CP Freshmart (3-0, 3) moving into title fights for the first time. Palangol will be fighting against Filipino Joan Imperial (9-4-6, 4) in a battle for the currently vacant WBA Asia Light Flyweight title. Palangpol will rightly be favoured here and Imperial has gone 0-4-1 in his last 5 bouts, suggesting this really is a total mismatch. In the shows other bout we've been told that Kongputorn CPFreshmart (2-0, 2) will be fighting against China's Zhu Yuan Kai (0-0) who we can't find on boxrec. This bout will also be a title bout as the men battle for the vacant WBC Youth Flyweight that was last defended by Morakot CP Freshmart more than a year ago. *Kongputorn CPFreshmart is listed as 1-0 (1) on boxrec, we've observed 2 of his fights Edit 2: Barranquilla, Colombia It's been brought to our attention that the heavy handed Kanat Islam (17-0, 14) will be in action in Colombia. Islam, a Chinese-Kazakh will be fighting against Fidel Monterrosa Munoz (32-9-1, 26) in what should be one of Isalm's best tests since turning professional after the 2008 Olympics. (Image courtesy of Ohashi Gym) |
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