 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Saturday we get the first Dynamic Glove show of the year, and it’s a great one, with 3 regional title bouts and the next bout of a fast rising prospect that some in Japan are viewing as a major part of the future of Japanese boxing. In the main event we’ll see the hard hitting and really promising Mikito Nakano (11-0, 10) look to make his first defense of the OPBF Featherweight title, as he takes on fellow Japanese fighter Hiroki Hanabusa (13-3-5, 5). The 29 year old Nakano has long been viewed as a potential star for Teiken, but it took him almost 6 years to win his first title, which he did last year when he stopped Bryx Piala in 4 rounds for the OPBF title. Given his undeniable ability it does feel like he’s been moved a bit too slowly, but if he’s busy this year he could well be knocking on the door of a world title. He’s talented, heavy handed, quick, and seems to have it all, other than a real breakout win, which he will hope to get in 20025. As for Hanabusa he's an upset minded fighter who has got some really good domestic wins under his belt, against Kyonosuke Kameda and Kai Watanabe, and he has never lost at Featherweight, with losses at Super Bantamweight and Super Featherweight. Hanabusa is tough and interestingly he will be Nakano’s first Japanese opponent since December 2020, the only time Nakano has gone the distance, when he faced Ruito Saeki. In a Flyweight title bout Jukiya Iimura (7-1, 2) will face Filipino fighter Lorenz Dumam-ag (10-0-1, 7) in a fight for the vacant OPBF Flyweight title. Coming into this Iimura is the Japanese national champion and he has rebuilt excellently since a 2022 loss to Esneth Domingo, in his only previous bout against a Filipino, winning 4 in a row which has seen him win the Japanese title, and run up 3 defenses of the title. In the ring Iimura tends to be in good fights, partly relying on his amateur boxing skills, and partly hamstrung by his lack of power, which tends to see him getting dragged into fun fights, with his bout against Yuga Inoue being a sensational fight. As for the Filipino, Dumam-ag is flawed, but has got real power and goes by the nickname “Shotgun”. He has taken 4 unbeaten records in his last 5 bouts, and is best known for his controversial win over Ramel Macado Jr, where the time keeper messed up failing to ring the bell after 3 minutes after the first round. If he can drag Iimura into a firefight he has a real chance here to claim his biggest win to date Nakano isn’t the only regional Featherweight champion defending his title, as stablemate Kenji Fujita (7-0, 3) makes his second defense of the WBO Asia Pacific title and takes on hard hitting Filipino Michael Casama (10-2-1, 10). The talented Fujita was a stellar amateur, and his talent is undeniable, but his ability to reach the top as a professional does seem limited, with the 30 year old Southpaw lacking the time and power to make a mark at the elite level of the professional ranks. Despite that he is talented, and he can certainly box, and we wouldn’t be surprised by him having a long reign as a regional champion. As for Casama, the Filipino is dangerous, as he showed last time out, when he upset the much fancied Kota Kaneko in 125 seconds, but he does struggle when taken rounds, as seen in losses to Pablito Canada and Junya Shimada. If Fujita can see out the early storm that Casama brings to the table, he should have the tools to take a clear decision win. Also on this show is fast rising Japanese teenager Sento Ito (2-0, 2), who debuted as a professional in April 2024 and will seek his third win in 9 months as he takes on Filipino Alvin Camique (9-3, 4). Ito, who fights around Bantamweight, looks to be a fantastic prospect, he blew out Yotin Thongkhan on debut, in 55 seconds, then showed he had plenty of stamina as he broke down the teak tough Guangheng Luan in 8 rounds 5 months later. This is a genuine step up with Camique having never been stopped, and being upset minded, as seen in his 2023 win over the then 8-0 John Vincent Pangga and his 2024 win over Ben Ligas. Notably he was beaten last time in Japan, when he lost to Ryo Mandokoro, but was competitive and should serve as a real test for Ito.
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 Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The main card for the day in terms of global boxing comes from Saudi Arabia, where we get the 5 Vs 5 show, pitting 5 Matchroom fighters against 5 Queensberry fighters. Some how one of of the bouts on that card will see Deontay Wilder (43-3-1, 42), representing Matchroom for some reason, taking on Zhilei Zhang (26-2-1, 21), who has fought under Queensbury a few times but is hardly regarded as a fighter who broke through under Queensbury. Despite the faulty gimmick around the fight, it is undeniably an interesting match up, between two awfully flawed, but in sanely powerful fighters. Wilder, a former WBC champion, is vicious with his power, and although he never really learned how to box, he has had undeniable success as one of the true punchers of his generation. Zhang is the better boxer, and hits just as hard, but at 41 his work and stamina are almost non-existent. This bout could either be a really crazy battle of power, with both men hitting the canvas multiple times. Or it could be one of the worst bouts we see this year, as both stand off, waiting for an opening, until one man lands a bomb and finishes the show early. It is a hard one to predict, other than to say we do not imagine this one going the distance. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Over in Asia the most interesting card comes from the legendary Korakuen Hall, where we get a real mix of bouts, including 2 regional title bouts and two supporting bouts featuring unbeaten prospects. One of the title bouts in Japan is, like the aforementioned bout in Saudi Arabia, not expected to go the distance. That is the OPBF Super Featherweight title bout, as Kosuke Saka (23-7, 20) defends the title against Yamato Hata (14-2, 13). In total the men have only seen the final bell 7 times in 46 bouts, and once 4 times in their combined 37 wings. Both are huge punchers, with Saka being the more proven but also the more flawed whilst Hata is the more intelligent boxer puncher but also the less battle tested. Both have been stopped before, and both make for extremely fun fights. This one, like Zhang Vs Wilder, is going to be one where you can’t really blink, for fear of missing something, and another we expect could end at any time. The other title bout will see former amateur standout Kenji Fujita (6-0, 3) make his first title defense, as he defends the WBO Asia Pacific Featherweight title against unbeaten Filipino Rodex Piala (10-0, 1). Fujita won the title in January, when he beat Joseph Ambo over 12 rounds, and is expected to do something similar against Piala, who is stepping up massively for this bout. Unlike the Super Featherweight bout, we’re not expecting bombs from both men, but instead we’re expecting a much more technical bout here between two talented, but light punching fighters. As for prospects on this card, we’ll see the highly skilled, though somewhat frustrating, Junya Shimada (6-0, 2) take on Yuya Hirose (9-3-1, 4), in what should be a very solid 8 rounder. Shimada took some time to find his footing in the pro ranks, going the distance in his first 4 bouts, but does appear to have settled into the professional at last and has stopped his last 2, including a 2nd round KO win over Jetro Pabustan in February. As for Hirose this will be his second 8 rounder, and comes on the back of a career best win over Chihiro Iwashita in February, though this is a very clear step up in class from that bout. The other prospect of real note on this card is WBO world ranked Flyweight Yoali Mejia Mosqueda (10-0, 7), a Mexican making his international debut as he takes on hard hitting Filipino Eldin Guinahon (9-2, 8). Mosqueda’s world ranking does seem a stretch, given his competition so far has been novices, but he’s an undeniable talent and this is a solid step up for him against a Filipino looking to make a name for himself. Sadly whilst Guinahon does have power, there is real question marks about his own durability, given he has been stopped in his last 2. Regardless, this should be a very fun fight, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the winner landed a WBO world title fight in the next 18 months. Minami Gymnasium, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan A second Filipino card takes place in Fukuoka. This is a much smaller card, packed with 4 rounders, many of which are Western Japan Rookie of the Year bouts. The one bout that isn’t set for 4 rounds is an intriguing Middleweight bout between Kazuki Kyohara (7-2-3, 3) and Katsuhiro Nakata (9-5-1, 5). Coming into this Kyohara just scored the second best win of his career, beating Rei Nakajima in January, with only his 2022 upset win of Tyson Koki being a more important win. As for Nakata he is without a win in his last 3, and was stopped recently by Riku Kunimoto. Given the styles of the two men, who are limited, but both come to fight, throw plenty and lack 1-punch power, this could end up being the opposite of the Wilder Vs Zhang fight, and could end up being a very, very fun, high tempo, brawl, with both letting their hands go and trying to out work the other. Antipas, Cotabato (del Norte), Philippines We also get two shows in the Philippines. On paper the more interesting of those is in Cotabato, with several bouts of note, even if none are hugely significant outside of the Filipino domestic scene.. One of the two 10 rounders on the show will see 23 year old puncher Angelo Beltran (9-2, 7) take on 23 year old Christian Jude Capuno (6-1, 2). Beltran has lost 2 of his last 5, but scored a good domestic win over Jeny Boy Boca last time out, in March. His most notable bout to date is a 7th round KO loss to Coolwell, with the Boca bout being his only one since then. Capuno on the other hand has won his last 4, though 3 of them have come against fighters with double digit losses and the other was a close bout against the 2-0 Justine Digamo. The other 10 rounder will see the pretty solid Richard Garde (9-2, 8) take on the once promising but not badly struggling Clyde Azarcon (17-10-1, 6). Garde is a 27 year old who lost once early in his career and has lost more recently to the very good DianXing Zhu, being the only fighter so far to last 10 complete with Zhu. Garde might not be a world beater, but he certainly seems like he could compete on the regional title scene in the coming years. Azarcon was once 13-1, but has since gone 4-9-1, and has been stopped in his last 7 bouts as his career has completely imploded. It’s very hard to imagine anything but a Garde win here. In an 8 rounder we'll see the unbeaten Nathaniel Dorona (4-0, 2) take on light punching journeyman Ramel Antaran (6-25-3), in what should be an easy win for Dorona. Another 8 rounder will see Crisalito Beltran (5-0, 4) take on the limited Rey Ramos (8-15-3, 3), who has proven himself as a durable fighter, but now aged 34 he has started to see the miles catch up with him and has been stopped in 3 of his last 5 bouts. Fingers crossed both Dorona and Beltran get to show what they can do here and move on to bigger and better things. Midas Hotel and Casino, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines The other Filipino card is in Pasay City, and in terms of quality, this has a better main event, but doesn’t have much to support a very good bill topper. The main event here will see the once beaten John Vincent Pangga (10-1, 7) take on fellow Filipino Danrick Sumabong (13-3-1, 9) in a bout for the lightly regarded WBF Super Flyweight title. Pangga suffered his sole loss to Alvin Camique in March 2023, and has bounced back with two stoppage wins since then, and looks to have quickly rebuilt his confidence following his loss. As for Sumabong he is 1-1-1 in his last 3, and whilst he did score a win last time out, against Anferne Palarca, it does appear that the stoppages that he had earlier in his career, with 8 of his first 9 wins coming earlier, have dried up with only 1 of his last 4 coming inside the distance. As for prospects on this card there is the promising Kevin Villanueva (3-0, 2), who faces Ernie Samoyag (2-1, 2). Coming into this Villanueva has stopped his last two inside a round, following a decision win on debut. Samoyag stopped his first 2, both debutants, before being stopped byu John Dave Villamor in December. Given that both have power and both like to throw shots earlier, this might be something of a "blink and you miss" affair. Uijeongbu Gymnasium, Uijeongbu, South Korea We have title action in South Korea, as the unbeaten Sung Chul Kang (5-0-1) defends the South Korean Lightweight title against Dong Young Lee (3-6-2, 1). Kang has won his last 4 bouts, beating Juanito Paredes for the title in March, and despite being the champion he really lacks any sort of quality on his record, which does say a lot about the Korean scene still. As for Lee he's not won any of his last 5, going 0-4-1, though did notably hold Min Jang to an unexpected draw in March. The draw with Jang shows there is something about Lee, but he’s going to be the very clear under-dog here. Nehru Centre, Mumbai, India Over in India we also have a small card, this show is all 4 rounders, and at the time of writing, almost half of the fighters on the show haven’t been announced, and from the ones that have they are all single digit fight novices. It’s a shame that we’re not seeing cards in India fully announced with much notice, but we do like the fact these cards are taking place, and are laying down the foundations in the most populated country in the world. It’s not a historical boxing country, but, a bit like China, it’s a potential sleeping giant in boxing, and one that has had success in the amateurs ranks, suggesting their is talent there, and eventually some of that talent will break out in the pros.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Attention turns to Korakuen Hall this coming Saturday for the next Teiken show, and it's a really interesting one packed with prospects all looking to secure their next wins, along with a Japanese title eliminator. The main event of the card will see the hard hitting Yamato Hata (12-1, 11) take on Yuna Hara (11-2-1, 6), in a bout to secure a place at the Champion Carnival next year, as the mandatory challenger for the Japanese title at 130lbs. Of the two men Hata will be regarded as the favourite, and he's not just the bigger puncher but also the man in form, having won his last 9 including notable wins over Shingo Kusano, Konshin Takeshima and Yoji Saito, who he stopped in March in a brilliant performance. As for Hara he had won his last 5, 4 of which he has won by stoppage, but this will be his first bout in Tokyo, and his most notable bout since a 2018 loss in the Rookie of the Year. Hara is talented, but this is very much a big step up for him, in enemy territory. The most notable of the prospects on the card is JBC and OPBF ranked hopeful Mikito Nakano (6-0, 5), who has looked sensational since his debut and is expected to secure his first title fighter sooner rather than later. The talented Nakano will be seeking his second win of the year as he takes on Filipino visitor Lorenz Ladrada (11-3-1, 3) , who has lost 2 of his last 3 including a 4th round KO loss to Dana Coolwell in July. That bout will Coolwell will likely be seen as the target for Nakano who will be wanting to take Ladrada out quicker than the popular Australian fighter. This is scheduled for 8, but if it goes the distance we'd be very, very surprised. The under-card on this show is packed with the next wave of emerging Teiken prospects. We won't go into details on the bouts individually, as every under-card bout features a notable prospect, but the card really does show the depth of talent at the Teiken gym. These under-card bouts are Kenji Fujita (2-0, 1) facing Ronnie Campos (9-4-3, 6), in a scheduled 8 rounder, and Subaru Murata (2-0, 2) against Marvilo Aballe (8-2-2, 3), Kota Kaneko (1-0, 1) battling Sugary Montales (3-1, 1), Reo Saito (1-0, 1) clashing with Jufel Salina (5-4-1, 4), Kyosuke Takami (1-0, 1) up against In Cheol Hwang (3-0-1, 1) and a battle of debutants as Keito Tanaka (0-0) and Hyuga Oki (0-0) face off, all over the 6 round distance. Spaceplus Bangkok RCA, Bangkok Whilst the card in Japan is about the next generation of Japanese stars, there is also a card in Thailand, which features both a touted prospects and a veteran, who is certainly moving into the end years of his career. The main bout here will see the unbeaten men collide, as touted Thai hopeful Yuttapong Tongdee (8-0, 4) faces Filipino visitor Herlan Gomez (5-0, 2) , in a bout for Yuttapong's WBA Asia Bantamweight title. The 29 year old Yuttapong is touted as one of Thailand's hottest prospects, and his win over Ryan Rey Pontmeras earlier this year for the WBA title is a big step towards him getting a notable international bout. Sadly he's in one of the toughest divisions in the sport, but if he's patient he will likely land a major fight Naoya Inoue eventually moves up to Super Bantamweight. As for Gomez this will be his third bout in Thailand, and comes on the back of two wins, over previously unbeaten Thai's earlier this year. He will, rightfully, be seen as the under-dog, but he will certainly have plenty of self belief thanks to his recent results. The veteran on the card is former world title contender Tewa Kiram (47-1, 33), who famously fought Lucas Matthysse back in 2018. Since losing to Matthysse he has gone unbeaten, racking up 9 wins, but has fought as high as 175lb and his most notable bout during this stretch was against former Bantamweight and Super Featherweight world champion Sirimongkol Singwancha. His career certainly feels like it's petering out, and at the time of writing his opponent for this bout is un-named, suggesting he won't be facing someone able to put up any kind of a test. Saigon Sports Club, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam As well as the notable action in Japan and Thailand we also get a mall card in Vietnam, featuring some of Vietnam's top prospects taking on international opposition. One of the more notable prospects on this card is Super Middleweight hopeful Dinh Hoang Truong (2-0, 2), who looked set for big things in early 2020, after dominating Yuttana Wongda in the Philippines, but has now been out of the ring for close to 32 months and will be looking to shake some ring rust here. In the opposite corner to Truong will be Indonesian veteran Robert Kopa (14-11-3, 4), who is not expected to put up much, if anything, of a test for Truong. Now aged 38 Kopa has lost his last 5, with 3 losses coming by stoppage and is without a win in 5 years. He i also the naturally much, much, much smaller man. Another prospect with some hope on their shoulders is 29 year old Huu Toan Le (4-0, 2), who takes on the highly experienced Silem Serang (18-23-3, 2). Le has managed to fit in a fight earlier this year, taking a competitive decision over Kitidech Hirunsuk in March to claim the WBA Asia title, and he'll be looking to build on that win, whilst also getting some valuable experience here. Whilst Serang does have a terrible looking record, he has shown some desire to change things in recent years, and has won 3 of his last 4, though was beaten last time out by Frengky Rohi, albeit in a well contested and competitive bout.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesday we get the next show under the Diamond Glove banner, and it's an excellent card, with two title bouts, a mouth watering bout between two heavy handed fighters with single losses, and a former Rookie of the Year taking on a once touted former amateur stand out. The first of the 4 notable bouts will see the unbeaten, and JBC ranked, Akira Hoshuyama (7-0 4) take on Tomoki Kawasaki (2-2). Hoshuyama showed what he could do when he won the 2020 All Japan Rookie of the Year, and he looks like a genuine talent, who could well win a Japanese title down the line, though does have areas to work on and we suspect this bout will see him being asked a lot of questions. Kawasaki on the other hand was a very solid amateur, going 35-12 (8), and has been matched incredibly hard since turning professional, losing to the talented pairing of Jukiya Iimura and Josuke Nagata. Despite having two losses in his first 4 bouts we wouldn't write off the 22 year old here, and he has the skills to go a long, long way over the coming years. Another excellent non title bout will see Homura Fujita (8-1, 6) clash with Kaiki Yuba (8-1-2, 5), in what could be the show stealer. Fujita came runner up in the 2019 All Japan Rookie of the Year, losing in a 4 round shoot out with Kodai Honda, and has gone 3-0 (1) since then with a very notable win over Izuki Tomioka last time out. As for Yuba the second generation fighter is looking to score his second win since his dramatic 2021 loss to Jin Sasaki. Both of these men are young, both can punch, have some skills, and can make for something a little bit special. Given their styles we expect this to be a fire fight, and a bout that could end with just a single clean shot, from either man. The first of two title fights will see Nanako Suzuki (6-2, 1) make her first defense of the Japanese female Minimumweight title, as she takes on Sarasa Ichimura (4-10-1). On paper this looks like an easy first defense for Suzuki, and in all honest it would be a surprise to see Ichimura really ask any questions of her. Suzuki might not be a world champion in the making, but she looks like the sort of fighter who could be a staple in and around the top of the division domestically. Ichimura on the other hand looks very limited and it's hard to imagine her giving Suzuki anything close to a test. Our preview of this bout can be read here Japanese champion Suzuki defends against Ichimura In the main event we'll see Japanese Super Flyweight champion Kenta Nakagawa (21-4-1, 12) look to kick off his third reign as a champion, as he defends the title against the once beaten Hayate Kaji (15-1, 9), in an excellent match up. Nakagawa won the title for the third time earlier this year, when he out boxed veteran Hiroyuki Kudaka, and showed there was still life left in his legs, despite the fact he's in his mid 30's. As for Kaji he is looking to put the disappointment of a very controversial 2021 loss to Ryoji Fukunaga behind him. Nakagawa is a very solid technical fighter, who has proven his toughness and his will to win, but given his age there are questions about how much longer he can continue to compete at the top of the domestic scene. As for Kaji he looks like he could be the emerging Japanese hopeful at 115lbs and will come in to this bout as a man with a point to prove, following his loss to Fukunaga last year. This could be a very compelling technical chess match. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Kaji gets second shot at title as he takes on Japanese champion Nakagawa  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Saturday attention tuns to Korakuen Hall for the next Dynamic Glove show, and whilst it's not the most star studded show under the illustrious Dynamic Glove banner, it is a show that is set to showcase the new generation of Teiken Gym fighters. The card features one of the fighters who has established himself as a rising contender at 108lbs, taking on a true veteran, and 3 bouts featuring former top Japanese amateurs making their professional debuts. The main event of the show will see Japanese Light Flyweight champion Shokichi Iwata (8-0, 6) take on OPBF champion Kenichi Horikawa (41-16-1, 14) in a bout which will not only see the two men looking to defend their titles, but also claim the currently vacant WBO Asia Pacific title. The bout is a good step up for the 26 year old Iwata, who will know that if he wins here he could open up the door for a world title fight in the not too distance future. Aged 42 Horikawa will go into the bout knowing that a loss here is likely the end of his career, despite that however he has had almost all of his most notable success in the later stages of his career, winning the Japanese, OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific titles since turning 35. Given the styles of the two men this should be a very, very interesting match up. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Iwata and Horikawa battle for triple crown! One of the debutants on this card is Reo Saito (0-0), who went 70-11 in the amateurs with 6 titles whilst in High school. The 24 year old Saito will be up against 18 year old Thai visitor Samart Surakhan (1-0). It's hard to see this as being anything but a showcase for Saito who has all the tools to be fast tracked, and Teiken know it. A second touted debutant who is expected to be moved aggressively over the coming years is 24 year old Super Flyweight hopeful Riku Masuda (0-0), who faces Thailand's Worraphon Yothika (1-0, 1), who scored his professional win in May against a very, very poor local foe. Matsuda isn't as highly regarded as Saito, but having scored more than 50 wins in the unpaid ranks he is experienced as a fighter and should have more than enough in his arsenal to deal with his visiting foe here. Another debutant expected to be moved quickly is Kyosuke Takami (0-0), a 20 year old who went 43-4 in the unpaid ranks. He will be up against fellow youngster Wutthichai Montri (2-0, 1), who debuted in 2020 and will be fighting outside of Thailand for the first time. It's hard to read much into Montri's 2-0 record, but it's also hard to imagine him being a test for someone with Takami's ability and strong amateur background. One other novice professional on this card is 28 year old Featherweight hopeful Kenji Fujita (1-0, 1), who takes on Jestine Tesoro (6-3, 2), in what will be Fujita's first bout in around 15 months. The talented Fujita went 153-21 in the unpaid ranks, and had it not been for the pandemic we suspect he would be knocking on the door of a title fight by now, especially given his impressive he looked in his debut against Motosuke Kimura. Sadly given his lay off it makes sense he's being matched softly here, as he takes on 22 year old Filipino visitor Jestine Tesoro, who is unlikely to put up much of a test for Fujita. October 29th- Kulakhmet and Fanlong returns, world title challengers in action in Philippines10/26/2021 This coming Friday isn't a huge day for fans of Asian fighters, but there is plenty to get excited about, with several notable names, promising hopefuls and former world title challengers being involved.
York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom One of the most interesting bouts sees touted Kazakh hopeful Tursynbay Kulakhmet (4-0, 3) defending his WBC International title against Juan Carlos Abreu (23-6-1, 21), in a mouth watering match up. There is not doubting Kulakhmet's potential, and he has looked fantastic at times, though is very much a developing fight and nothing close to the complete product, and we are really glad to see his team putting him in interesting match ups like this so early in his career. The 27 year old has the potential to fight at the top level and him being moved quickly is great to see. Abreu is no world beater, but he's heavy handed and has only been stopped once, by the then 25-0 Jaron Ennis, and a stoppage here would see Kulakhmet's reputation blossom rapidly. Silver Spurs Arena, Kissimmee, Florida, USA Whilst Kulakhmet is being moved quickly the same can't be said of Chinese Light Heavyweight Fanlong Meng (16-0, 10), who was set for a world title fight in 2020, and has now been out of the ring for 2 years! Sadly his return isn't against someone who will prepare him for a world title contest, but instead he'll face Panama's Israel Duffus (20-6, 17) in what should be little more than a rust shaking, stay busy bout for the Chinese fighter. Also on this card will be Japan prospects Mikito Nakano (5-0, 4) and Kenji Fujita (1-0, 1), who will be making their US debuts, against yet to be named opponents. Nakano looks like he could be in the mix for a domestic title in the very near future, and looks to be a genuinely special talent. Fujita, who debuted earlier this year, has the tools to be put on the fast track, and it's going to be very exciting to see what he does to impress an American audience. Sanman Gym, General Santos City, Philippines Over in he Philippines we get an Asian show featuring several former world title challengers, in bouts that should end up being rather predictable and straight forward wins. One of the former world title challengers on this show is Aston Palicte (27-4-1, 23), who will be up against Roland Jay Biendima (15-9-1, 8). Palicte, best known for his bouts with Donnie Nietes and Kazuto Ioka, should be too big, too strong and too powerful for Biendima, who has now lost 4 in a row. Palicte has won his last two, both at domestic level, and we suspect that the plan is to get some rounds here before stepping up in the new year and begin moving towards a third world title fight. A second former world title challenger on this card is Richie Mepranum (35-8-1, 10), who will be up against the very limited Nicardo Calamba (9-32-5, 6). At his best Mepranum was a very solid boxer, but he's now been pout of the ring for close to two years and we can't help but feel his career is coming to a close. Despite that he should have way, way too much for Calamba here, and could end up retiring sooner rather than later. A third world title challenger on this card is the incredibly talented Mark Anthony Barriga (10-1, 2), who is set to pick up an easy win here against the very, very limited Ramil Antaran (4-14-2). Barriga has the potential to win a world title, somewhere down the line, and should win this one very, very easily, but it's a real shame that he's fighting at such a low level. His talent deserves to much more, and hopefully in 2022 we see him facing off with one off the bigger names at either Minimumweight or Light Flyweight Other mismatch with a notable fighter on this card will see the often under-rated Joey Canoy (16-5-1-1, 9) take on Michael Camelion (11-13-3, 9), in what again looks like a horrible mismatch. Canoy might not be a world beater, but he's not too far off world class and should be far, far, far too good for Camelion.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
The next week or so set to be a good one in Tokyo, with three shows in 3 days at Korakuen Hall. The third of those is an Ohashi promoted event that is headlined by a fantastic main event, and has some very notable supporting bouts. The fantastic main event will see WBO Asia Pacific Featherweight champion Musashi Mori (12-0, 7) take on OPBF champion Satoshi Shimizu (9-1, 9) in a massive regional unification bout. The talented Mori has been on a great run recently, with recent wins against Richard Pumicpic, Takuya Mizuno and Tsuyoshi Tameda, but he is now set for his most dangerous bout. Shimizu on the other hand is a very dangerous fighter, but has continually looked crude, easy to hit and defensively flawed. Give the styles of the two men this should be a thrilling bout, and a real test of Mori's chin and patience, as well as a test to see whether Shimizu can adjust against a speedy smart fighter. A second title bout on this show will see the unbeaten Kazuki Nakajima (9-0-1, 8) take on the under-rated Kai Chiba (13-1, 8) in a bout for the vacant OPBF Bantamweight title, which was given up by Takuma Inoue. Although not as interesting as the main event, this has the potential to be a fight that breaks into a war. Neither of these men are too well polished, though with Nakajima being a very puncher and Chiba being a boxer-puncher it has the potential to erupt into a war at any moment. We expect this to be slow at times, but once the touch paper is lit expect this to give us serious fireworks until one of the fighters forces a stoppage, and claim the title. Third generation fighter Keisuke Matsumoto (2-0, 2) looks to build on his early development as he takes on Hiromu Murota (6-4-2, 4). The 21 year old Matsumoto has looked a mixed bag so far. He's clearly talented, but we do have questions about his defense and his durability, and it seems he's a work in progress. Despite that he's being matched tough here against Murota, who recently held former Japanese Super Featherweight champion Seichi Okada to a draw and is unbeaten in his last 5. Matsumoto should win, but we expect to see Murota asking genuine questions of him here. One other bout on this card worthy of some attention will see rising Lightweight hopeful Katsuya Yasuda (7-0, 4) battle against Tomoki Takada (8-5-2, 5), in a battle between two JBC ranked Lightweights. The 29 year old Yasuda is a legitimat talent, with under-dated defense and an excellent boxing brain, but he is also someone who has yet to be given the chances to shine, and is sadly getting older without having made much of an impact on the sport. Here against Takada we see Yasuda getting a chance to move towards a national title fight. As for Takada he is showing power recently and has scored 3 opening round in his last 5 bouts. We expect to see Takada's power going up against Yasuda's defense and counter punching here. International Convention Centre, East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa As well as the action in Japan there is also action in South Africa where Filipino fighter Joey Canoy (16-4-1-1, 9) takes on Nhlanhla Tyirha (4-1, 2), in a bout for the WBA Inter Continental Light Flyweight title. Although not too well known internationally Canoy is very much an under-rated fighter with wins against Toto Landero and Melvin Jerusalem, but it's fair to say that Filipino fighters rarely have any luck in South Africa and that's unlikely to change here. Tyirha isn't a big name but he did give Nkosinathi Joyi a close run bout in 2019 and he's certainly someone with the potential to be a contender in the lower weights in the coming years. Bryan Glazer Family JCC Auditorium, Tampa, Florida, USA Over in Florida we're expecting to see a trio of Japanese hopefuls in action as Teiken and All Star promotions look to develop some of the best talented in Tokyo. The most established of the trio is Mikito Nakano (5-0, 4), who has looked brilliant on the Japanese scene and is coming through the deep Featherweight and Super Featherweight ranks at home. Although not a complete fighter yet, he is developing well and this should be a good chance to see what he can do on foreign soil, though his opponent has yet to be named Another man on this card is Kenji Fujita (1-0, 1), who looked fantastic on debut earlier this year and looks like the type of fighter of who can be moved incredibly quickly. There is clearly a lot of work for him to do with Fujita, but he's a very advanced fighter for a 1-0 boxer, and he seems to have the potential to go a very, very long way. He's skilled, has a high level boxing IQ and fighting over in the US will do him the world of good, especially this earlier in his career. Sadly however he also hasn't had his opponent named fro this event. The third Japanese fighter on this show is the debuting Subara Murata (0-0), a former amateur stand out who is tipped to go to the top very quickly. Murata turned professional last year, but was unable to kick things off due to the Covid19 pandemic. It's a shame he's had to wait so long to make his debut, but given his style and amateur pedigree is seems almost certain that he's set to be a major success in the pros. As with his two countrymen he has not had his opponent named for this bout, but it's still great to see him making his debut, at long last! Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Thursday we'll get live televised action from Japan, as Teiken put on a show case of young talent live on G+ under the Dynamic Glove banner. The card isn't a major one, in fact if we're being honest it's a rather small one, but it's an interesting one with 4 intriguing match ups on it. The main event of the card will see former amateur standout Gonte Lee (2-0-1, 1) take on the always fun to watch Aso Ishiwaki (8-3-1, 6). The talented Lee turned professional with high expectations but has been unable to deliver on those expectations so far, though that is partly due to being unfortunate and being out of the ring for the entire of 2020 due to the Covid19 pandemic. He's a real talent, but things do need to kick on for him and it's Teiken know that he needs to be matched hard. As for Ishiwaki he's a fun, talented fighter with an aggressive style, though he was, notably, battered at the end of last year, when Jin Sasaki smashed him in 3 rounds for the Japanese Youth title, and he'll be looking to bounce back from that loss. This could be a very, very good match up, as the skills of Lee go up against the pressure of Ishiwaki. In the chief support bout we'll see veteran Tatsuya Takahashi (32-9-6, 21) take on Ryotaro Kawabata (12-4-2, 6), in a rescheduled that was first pencilled for January. With 47 bouts to name Takahashi is one of the most experienced fighters in Japan, but he's never been a very polished fighter and he can be out boxed, with opponents taking advantage of his various limitations and flaws. Despite his flaws he comes to fight and tends to give anyone a good test due to his tenacity and fighting spirit. As for Kawabata he is limited himself, as we saw last September against Tsubasa Murachi, but a more polished boxer than Takahashi. Sadly for Kawabata he has scored just a single win in the last 5 years. In a really mouth watering clash the unbeaten Katsuya Fukui (2-0, 2) will be up against Hiroki Hanabusa (8-1-3, 3). The talented Fukui has looked really exciting and promising, with two quick blow out wins so far, but his competition has been limited and this will be his first bout against a domestic opponent and it'll be interesting to see how he copes with a fellow Japanese fighter who's looking to move his own career forward. The 22 year old Hanabusa is a talented fighter, who impressed in 2018 Rookie of the Year and was unbeaten until last August, when he was stopped in 5 rounds by the fantastic Toshiki Shimomachi. With that loss in mind we suspect Hanabusa will be more determined than ever to pick up a win here. Although not a huge bout this one could be very interesting. Arguably the most interesting match up on the card is the professional debut of former amateur standout Kenji Fujita (0-0), who we've been waiting to see in the professional ring for almost a year now. The talented Fujita was a genuine amateur standout and he should be looking to make an impression here as he takes on Motosuke Kimura (3-5-2, 1) in a 6 rounder. Kimura has lost his last 3, and 4 of his last 5, but is better than those numbers suggest and he should ask questions of Fujita, though it'd be a massive upset if Kimura won. |
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