The Venue Riyadh Season, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The Minimumweight division has long been one of the most interesting yet frustrating divisions in the sport. Over the years it has had numerous fighters fast tracked to titles, sensational bouts, with high octane fighters and some all time classics that get overlooked by fans not willing to give the division the attention it’s deserved. This coming Saturday however we see a rare unification in the division, the first in almost a decade, and it’s a bout that really is something special as one of the new rising stars of the division takes on the divisions stalwart in a battle of unbeaten men, to unify WBO and WBA titles, crown a Ring Magazine champion and give fans of the Riyadh Season shows a glimpse of what the 105lbs fighters can do. The bout in question will see the hard hitting Oscar Collazo (10-0, 7), the current WBO champion, take on long reigning WBA “super” champion Thammanoon Niyomtrong (25-0, 9), better known as Knockout CP Freshmart. The 27 year old Collazo, who was born in New Jersey but fights out of Puerto Rico, has been the new star of the division. He’s made 3 defenses of the WBO title since dethroning Melvin Jerusalem in May 2023, a win that has aged like fine wine given Jerusalem's successes since. Sadly his defenses lack a major divisional name, but are still solid wins, with defenses against Garen Diagan, Reyneris Gutierrez and Gerardo Zapata, with the win over Zapata being a bout that saw him being dropped before taking a wide decision. Unlike most at 105lbs he’s got pop in his shots, and a 70% ratio really shows his power, but he’s also got skills to go with that power. On the other hand Knockout is a 34 year old, who was a former Muay Thai fighter who turned professional in 2012 winning the "interim" WBA title in 2014 and holding some form of WBA title since then. His resume is one of the best in the division’s history, with wins over Carlos Buitrago, Muhammad Rachman, Byron Rojas, Chaozhong Xiong, Robert Paradero and Wanheng Menayothin. Sadly he has also wasted the last few years of his career, with only one bout this year, none in 2023 and one in 2022. In fact since 2019 he has only fought 6 times, wasting much of his prime. Despite the ring rust he showed himself to be world class, still, back in September when he fought outside of Thailand for the first time, when beat Alex Winwood. Coming into this we have two really talented fighters, but fighters with different styles, different strengths and difference weaknesses. Both have a claim to be the best in the division, and the bout will certainly crowd the #1 in the division in what could well be something of a classic on a Golden Boy promoted Riyadh Season show. For those curious, the last time we saw a bout to unify titles at the weight was a bout between Katsunari Takayama and Go Odaira, who fought to unify the vacant WBO and IBF titles on December 31st 2014.
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This coming Saturday is set to be one of the busiest days of the month for Asian fighter fans, with a world title fight in Australia and fights across much of Asia, including some very notable names with a former unified world champion in action in Cambodia and some of the hottest prospects in Japan in action in Tokyo.
HBF Arena, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia The most notable show of the day is in Australia, where we see a long reigning world champion in action as well as a hopeful from China. The main bout of the day will see WBA Minimumweight champion Knockout CP Freshmart (24-0, 9), aka Thammanoon Niyomtrong, defending his title against fast rising Australian fighter Alex Winwood (4-0, 2), who has shown a willingness to risk his 0 in a high risk high reward move. The 33 year old Thai champion has long been regarded as one of the best fighters at 105lbs, but has also been one of the most frustrating fighters in the sport, having not fought since 2022 when he beat Wanheng Menayothin. At his best he was a reliable, talented, strong champion, who’s record is littered with good to very good wins, including wins over Carlos Buitrago, Byron Rojas, Rey Loreto, and Wanheng. Sadly though with 2 years of inactivity, and now edging to his 34th birthday it’s hard to know what he still has to offer the sport. As for Winwood, the Australian is everything we love about boxing, being aggressively fast tracked to the top, and proving himself on his way there, with notable wins over Tibo Monabesa and Cris Ganoza in his first 4 bouts. He certainly hasn’t look unbeatable, but has developed with every fight and could well be the next man to mount a challenge as the king of the division. He has youth, speed, activity on his side and home advantage, but Knockout isn’t a slouch and this should make for a brilliant match up. On the same card is Runqi Zhou (6-2-1, 2) as he takes on hard hitting local Richard Lockett (5-2, 4). Zhou is a 24 year old from China who began his career 6-0, with wins on the road against Surat Eaim ong and Sang Hoen Oh, but has failed to win his last 3, including a draw in a rematch with Oh and a loss to Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov in Uzbekistan Although no world beater he travels to win and will put in a genuine effort here as the visitor. As for Lockett he is, on paper, the one stepping up here, after a very stop-start career so far, with this only being his 4th bout since 2020. Locket seems to have power on his side, with 4 wins inside 4 rounds, but at such a low level that it’s hard to read much into them. This is a good match up, between two fighters who will each see this as a chance to open a door to bigger and better things. Phnom Penh, Cambodia Outside of the show in Australia it’s hard to know which bout is the most significant, but what is clear is who is the best established fighter, with that being former Bantamweight world champion and unified Super Bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales (38-4, 20). Tapales will be looking to score his second win since being stopped by Naoya Inoue late last year and record his first defense of the WBC Asian Continental Super Bantamweight title, as he takes on Indian fighter Saurabh Kumar (11-1-1, 6). The often under-rated Tapales shouldn’t struggle here, given the level he’s shown he’s capable of, but it’ll be interesting to see how Cambodia treats the “Nightmare”. As for Kumar this isn’t so much a step up in class, but a rocket powered blast through the levels with his most notable bout so far being a 7th round TKO loss to Zhong Liu. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo The other more notably bouts take place at Korakuen Hall, with two title fights by rising Japanese hopefuls, and three unbeaten prospects on the under-card. The main event will see Kuntae Lee (7-0-1, 2) make his first defense of the Japanese 140lb title as he takes on Ryan Joshua Yamamoto (7-6, 1). On paper this is a huge step down for Lee, who beat Homura Fujita for the title in April and has already scored good domestic wins against Cristiano Aoqui and Aso Ishiwaki. Despite that it’s clear that Lee is still a work in progress and this is clearly about letting him get rounds and develop as a champion. As for Yamamoto he is better than his record suggests, but is certainly not one of the strongest domestic contenders and whilst we suspect he will put up a very genuine effort, it’d be a shock to see him be competitive with the highly skilled Lee. A second title fight will see the very highly touted Mikito Nakano (10-0, 9) take on the once beaten Filipino Bryx Piala (9-1, 3) in a bout for the OPBF Featherweight title. Nakano has looked like a star since very early in his career, but given the depth at Featherweight he has had to take a slow climb to a title fight. He has shown great power, speed and skill but is still clearly a work in progress. As for Piala he has rebuilt excellently since a 2022 loss to Rhonvex Capuloy, thanks to solid domestic wins over Jhunriel Ramonal and Ken Jordan. Nakano will be strongly favoured, but we suspect he will have to work hard for a win here. In other bouts on this card we’ll see Hyoga Miyata (3-0, 1) take on Takara Kawaguchi (8-0-1, 5) in a mouth watering bout and a very good match up between Junya Shimada (6-0-1, 2) and Jiaming Li (5-3, 2). Spaceplus Bangkok RCA, Bangkok Over in Thailand we’ll get a low level regional title bout along with a bout featuring a Pakistani fighter taking on a veteran from Ghana. The title bout will see Arnon Yupang (14-5, 5) face off with Walid Halima Salem (5-2, 4) in a bout for the lightly regarded Asian Boxing Federation Super Featherweight title. Yupang, at one point, looked like one of the few bright hopes on the Thai scene, but has gone 6-4 in his last 10 bouts and it seems clear that his level has been found, and it’s a long way off world class. As for Salem he is a Thai based Algerian fighter who has been a regular feature on the Bangkok stage since since his 2022 debut, though has lost his last 2 bouts, both to Sangkaphong Chomyong, and it seems clear that he’s been selected to give Yupang rounds, but not be a serious challenge. In an interesting under-card bout Pakistani fighter Shahir Afridi (11-1-1, 7) will take on the very experienced Patrick Allotey (43-6, 33), in a major step up for Afridi. Afridi has become a regular on the Thai scene, but hasn’t really beaten anyone of any note and certainly nobody with the experience and pedigree of Allotey. As for the Allotey he has faced a genuine who’s who over his long career, including bouts with Patrick Teixeira, Kanat Islam, Jaime Munguia and Serhii Bohachuk. He is coming to the end of his career, but may still have too much in the locker for Afridi. Nova Boxing Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea We also get a small card in Korea, there’s not much to talk about regarding this show, though we do suspect that Do Il Yoo (4-4) and Hae Myung Jung (4-6-2, 1) will put on a great bout with flawed but fun styles. Chonburi, Thailand
The most notable action this coming Wednesday comes from Thailand, where we see a much anticipated bout, that is sadly being fought after it was allowed to marinate too long and lost of the lustre it once had. The bout in question will see WBA Minimumweight "super" champion Knockout CP Freshmart (23-0, 9) defending his title against former long term WBC champion Wanheng Menayothin (55-2-0-1, 19). This bout was the most demanded bout at 105lbs, just 2 years ago when both men were world champions. Since then however Wanheng has suffered two losses to Panya Pradabsri, though both were razor thin and controversial, and the loss of the WBC title has seen this bout lose a lot of the shine it had. The bouts also suffers from the fact Wanheng is now 36, and has suggested retiring in the past. As for Knockout, the 31 year old is a long reigning champion and will be favoured here. Saying that a win over Wanheng, even a Wanhneg with 2 losses, would be the biggest win in Knockout's career, and help further enhance his reputation as one of the best fighters at 105lbs. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Knockout and Wanheng clash at last! Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Over in Japan we have a low level card, which is being held in honour of former Japanese Featherweight champion Taiki Minamoto, who will be taking part in his retirement ceremony, which will include a public sparring session with former world champion Takashi Uchiyama. Outside of that spar there isn't much which will get attention, but the card does have two that are noteworthy. The main bout will see JBC ranked Middleweight Ran Tomomatsu (2-2) battle against the once beaten Eiki Kani (5-1-2, 2), in what could be something of a thrilling 8 rounder. The hard hitting and somewhat brutish Tomomatsu is no world beater, but he's strong, flawed and exciting, which makes for great action bouts. His limitations will likely hold him back from even winning a domestic title, but his style will lead to some very fan friendly wars. Kani on the other hand comes into this less than 18 months removed from a loss in the All Japan Rookie of the Year final, where he impressed with his exciting style. We suspect the physicality of Tomomatsu will be the difference maker here, but the styles of the men should really gel to give us something of a thrilling, and brutal 8 round war. The other bout of note on this card will see JBC ranked Featherweight Kimihiro Nakagawa (8-5-2, 4) battle against Tamaki Miwa (8-7-1, 1). On paper Nakagawa will be the favourite here, but he has really been struggling the last few years and he is 3-4-1 in his last 8 bouts, going back 6 years. Miwa on the other hand has won his last 2, but is 2- in his last 5, and hasn't looking too threatening in the ring, with a lack of power, and a questionable chin. The winner of this will take a step towards a Japanese title fight, but in reality neither is even close to being ready for one. Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia As well as the action in Asia, we'll also see a notable bout in Australia, as former Filipino world title challenger Juan Miguel Elorde (29-2, 15) takes on unbeaten Australian hopeful Sam Goodman (11-0, 6), in a bout for the IBF Inter-Continental and WBO Oriental Super Bantamweight titles. Elorde has fought just once since being stopped by Emanuel Navarrete in September 2019, and now aged 35 we can't help but think we've seen the best of him. Goodman on the other hand will be returning to the ring for the first time since beating Japan's Fumiya Fuse in May, and looks to be heading towards bigger and better things. Aged 23 Goodman is not the complete article, but is certainly developing fight by fight and should have too much for Elorde at this point in time. Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan
The main action in a surprisingly busy Tuesday, comes from the Kokugikan in Tokyo as we get a world title double header, and in fact the last world title bouts to take place in Japan this year following numerous post-Christmas bouts being cancelled. The first world title bout from the double header will see WBO Minmumweight champion Wilfredo Mendez (16-1, 6) defending his title against mandatory challenger Masataka Taniguchi (14-3, 9), in what could be a very interesting bout. This will be Mendez's third defense of the title, which he took from Vic Saludar in 2019, but he comes into the bout after almost 2 years of inactivity, and for his first bout in Asia. "Bimbito" is certainly a talented fighter, but he style may not have the success on the road as it has at home, and he can look very negative at times. Taniguchi has come up short at world level before, but he does seem incredibly focused on this bout, and has bounced back well from his last loss, to Vic Saludar, to score 3 notable domestic wins. His style could end up working against him at times, as Mendez is the much quicker man, but his physicality and power could be a major difference maker, especially with Mendez's recent inactivity. Our preview for this world title fight can be read here Taniguchi gets second WBO title shot as he takes on Mendez The other title bout on this show, and the main event of the day, will see Japanese star Naoya Inoue (21-0, 18) return to a Japanese ring for the first time in over 2 years to defend his WBA and IBF Bantamweight titles against hard hitting Thai challenger Aran Dipaen (12-2, 11). Inoue and his team have made it clear they wanted a bigger name than Dipaen for this bout, but were turned down by a number of more well known names, and that can be dangerous if they are over looking the Thai and looking towards unification bouts in the new year. Dipaen isn't so much a threat to Inoue here, but Inoue could be a threat to himself if he's over-looking the challenger. As for Dipaen no one is giving him a chance, but he will know he has nothing to lose and he will be in there looking to put in the performance his career. We don't see this one lasting long, but it could be a genuine test of Inoue's focus given such a frustrating end to the year. Our preview of this bour can be read here The monster returns to Japan to defend against Dipaen! As well as the two main bouts this card has several notable prospects on it, with youngster Keisuke Matsumoto (3-0, 3) taking on the much very experienced Takahiro Araki (12-10, 4), former Kickboxer Yoshiki Takei (2-0, 2) taking on Kazuhiro Imamura (2-0-1, 1), in what looks set to be his toughest bout to date, and the very exciting Toshiya Ishii (4-1, 3) taking on Takuya Fujioka (10-10-1, 1), in what looks to be a stay busy fight before bigger things in 2022. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan The show at the Kokugikan isn't the only one in Tokyo, with Koakuen Hall playing host to an OPBF title double header. The bouts here aren't huge, but both the title bouts do promise a lot of exciting action, and there is also a solid under-card match up as well. One of those OPBF title bouts will see Light Welterweight champion Rikki Naito (23-2, 8) take on Japanese veteran Koichi Aso (24-9-1, 15). Naito has looked like something of a suspect champion since winning the title a few years ago, and was pushed hard in a number of defense, but there's no doubting his skills and ability with the main questions being about his power and stamina. As for Aso, the veteran is a former Japanese national champion, but is very much a fighter coming to the end of his career, and he no longer has the energy and aggression he did in his prime. This should be straight forward win for Naito on the cards, but Aso will make him for it. Our preview of this regional title bout can be read here OPBF champion Naito takes on Aso at Korakuen Hall The other title fight promises violence as the hard hitting Kosuke Saka (21-5, 18) takes on the under-rated Yoshimitsu Kimura (12-2-1, 7) in a bout for the vacant OPBF Super Featherweight title. Saka has looked a brute in recent bouts, smashing up both Masaru Sueyoshi and Takuya Watanabe, in two very impressive back to back performances, though it's fair to say that he can be beaten and there are always question marks about his chin and his mental application in the ring. As for Kimura this will be his second shot at the title, having previously coming up just short against Hironori Mishiro, and he really has shown he belongs at this level. He will go in as the man with no momentum, but he has the skills and tools to spring the upset, in what should be a genuinely spectacular bout for those at Korakuen Hall. Expect a lot of heavy leather here, and some thrilling exchanges. Our preview of this bout can be read here Saka and Kimura battle for OPBF Super Featherweight title! In one under-card bout worthy of some attention, we'll see boxing police officer Daisuke Sugita (6-2, 3) look to bounce back from a June loss to Ryo Akaho as he takes on youngster Ryuto Owan (7-1, 5). Sugita is a fun guy to watch, but he has been matched rather hand and losses to Akaho and Reiya Abe were both very one sided and showed he didn't belong in that company. Despite that he's a solid fighter and he has the tools to be a solid competitor on the Japanese domestic scene, albeit below domestic title level. Owan on the other hand is a promising and talented young fighter who seemed destined for big things until a loss in 2018 slowed his momentum, and a 2 year break from the ring followed. Since returning to action in October 2020 he has looked really impressive and he'll be looking to shine again here and move towards a potential title fight in 2022. Phuket, Thailand Outside of Japan there is also a very notable card in Thailand, headlined by WBA Minmumweight "Super" champion Knockout CP Freshmart (22-0, 8), who will be up against once beaten Filipino challenger Robert Paradero (18-1, 12). The talented Knockout is seeking his second defense of the year, after a long break from the ring following his 2020 win over Norihito Tanaka, and he'll be looking to end the year with an impressive performance here before moving onto a potential unification bout in 2022. As for Paradero he's looking to bounce back from his sole professional loss, which came earlier this year to Vic Saludar. The challenger showed plenty to like in that loss, but a lack of experience was an issue, and he'll be wanting to prove he has learned from that set back. It's always hard to bet against a Thai in Thailand, but it is worth noting that Filipino do historically have more success as challengers in the Land of Smiles than almost any other country and Paradero will not be there to make up the numbers. Or in deoth preview of this bout can be read here WBA champion Knockout takes on Filipino Challenger Paradero Chang Arena, Buriram, Thailand
The Minimumweight division has been horribly quiet this year as Covid has pretty much derailed the division. Thankfully however we do get a huge bout at the division this coming Wednesday as we see the WBA "super" champion return to the ring for the first time since March 2020! Sadly though he's not expected to be given a real test. The match up in question, originally planned for May, though pushed all the way back to October, will see unbeaten world champion Knockout CP Freshmart (21-0, 7) battle against fellow Thai Pongsaklek Sithdabnij (23-6-1, 13). On paper this isn't a great match up, and whilst most "Bloodline Battles" are good, we're not expecting anything too memorable here. We suspect Knockout, even with over a year of inactivity, should be too good, too skilled, and too smart in the ring for the naturally bigger, but much clumsier, Pongsaklek. Fingers crossed however that we do end up seeing Knockout being forced to earn a win here, rather than being able to cruise to victory like we've seen so many times before. Our full, in deoth, preview oif this one can be read here Knockout faces Pongsaklek in WBA title defense! This coming Saturday is set to be a solid, if somewhat overlooked, day with two world title fights, a notable unbeaten Kazakh in the biggest fight of his career and a show in Uzbekistan.
Nakhon Sawan, Thailand the earliest of the action comes from Thailand, where we'll see long reigning WBA Minimumweight champion Knockout CP Freshmart (21-0, 7) defending his "Super" title against fellow Thai Pongsaklek Sithdabnij (23-6-1, 13) in what looks likely to be little more than a stay busy defense for Knockout. The talented yet highly frustrating, world champion is a man who could, and probably should, do so much more in the ring. He's probably the best in the division, but his performances often leave us feeling under-whelmed. Here his challenger will be a naturally bigger man, but also a man who is cruder, slower and more open. We suspect Knockout will win this one based on his extra class, and nous, but don't expect to be impressed by a man who needs renaming "Unanimous Decision CP Freshmart" sooner rather than later. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Knockout returns after more than a year out to defend WBA Super title! Dignity Health Sports Park , Carson, California, USA Thankfully we're expecting a much, much better world title bout in the US later in the day on a card that features a couple of notable Asian names. Before we get to the world title fight on this show we'll talk about one of the supporting bouts, as it's a brilliant match up pitting unbeaten Kazakh Batyrzhan Jukembayev (18-0-0-2, 14) against bit punching Puerto Rican Subriel Matias (16-1, 16), in what could be a bit of a show stealer. Jukembayev has been wanting a big fight for years, and the technically sound boxer-puncher, who has been based in Canada, very much seems like the type of fighter who needs a big chance to show what he can really do. Matias on the other hand is a very dangerous fighter, who has seriously heavy hands, but can be outboxed. We expect this one to start pretty technically but break down into an all put war of attrition in the later rounds. After the Jukembayev bout we'll then see WBC Bantamweight champion Nordine Oubaali (17-0, 12) take on mandatory challenger Nonito Donaire (40-6, 26), with Donaire looking to add one more title to his amazing legacy. Originally this bout was supposed to take place late last year, but due to Covid19 the bout was cancelled, and as a result both men have now been out of the ring for well over a year. In fact the last time the men fought, they shared a card in Japan, which saw Oubaali beat Takuma Inoue and Donaire lose to Naoya Inoue. On paper this is one of the most interesting bouts the Bantamweight division will give us any time soon, and it's a chance for Oubaali to face a genuine legend of the ring, and a chance for Donaire to prove his performance against the "Monster" wasn't just a last hurrah. Whilst neither man has fought recently we are still expecting a brilliant match up here, and the winner could be in line for a major unification bout towards the end of the year with Naoya Inoue. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Oubaali faces Donaire in WBC mandatory title bout! Universal Sport Hall, Tashkent, Uzbekistan As well as the higher level action there is also a show set to take place in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent. This is a small card, but a pretty interesting one all the same. The main event will see professional novice Islombek Pirmanov (2-0, 2) take a huge step up in class as he takes on experienced Afghan fighter Rauf Aghayev (31-7, 14), in a bout for the WBC CIS and Slovac Boxing Bureau (CISBB) Super Bantamweight title. Pirmanov only made his debut this past February and has fought just 7 professional rounds so this is a hugely dangerous step up for him. As for Aghayev the 37 year old "Lion" has been a professional since 2010, and has a good looking record, though is the naturally smaller man and a lot of padding to his record. On paper this is a big ask for Pirmanov but it's fair to say that he will be the favourite here. Also on this card are promising prospects Abdulkhamid Khakimov (6-0, 4), Shukrulla Vokhidov (6-0, 4) and Bekhruz Rakhmonov (0-0). All three were solid amateur fighters and this will be a chance for all three to take a step forward with their careers. None are set to be matched hard, but given how early in their careers all three men hard the key is for them to pick up wins and develop their skills. Something all 3 should be able to do here. ![]() Nakhon Sawan, Thailand This coming Tuesday we'll not see a lot of action, but we will get a world title fight, as attention turns to Thailand. Here we'll see WBA Minimumweight champion Knockout CP Freshmart (20-0, 7) take on Japanese challenger Norihito Tanaka (19-7, 10). For Knockout this will be his 8th defense, and see him looking to build on a frustrating 2019, a year in which he fought just once and escaped with a technical decision against ArAr Andales. Although Knockout has failed to shine in a long time, seemingly going through the motions in bouts, the same can't be said of Tanaka. The 35 year old Japanese fighter scored a career best win in early 2019, when he stopped Shin Ono for the Japanese title, and avenged one of his losses later in the year, easily out boxing Naoya Haruguchi. Tanaka has the momentum, but history is well against him, and no Japanese born fighter has ever brought back a world title from Thailand. Our full previews of the WBA title bout can be read here Knockout defends WBA title against Norihito Tanaka! Also on this card will be the professional debut of Muay Thai star Petchdam Petchyindee Academy (0-0), who we believe will be facing fellow debutant Omar Elouers (0-0). This bout will be a 10 round contest at Lightweight, and could be the start of another legendary Thai career by someone who has converted from Muay Thai to western style boxing. Petchdam is a genuinely bright hope, if he decides to dedicated himself to the sport, so fingers crossed that's what he does! ![]() Bangkok, Thailand This coming Friday is a busy day for Asian boxing, and there's a nice mix of fights across the globe. The most notable, for us, is in Thailand however as WBA Minimumweight champion Knockout CP Freshmart (19-0, 7) looks to make his next, facing off with unbeaten Filipino ArAr Andales (10-0, 2). The talented Knockout, who has now scored 4 straight decision wins, will be fighting for the first time since November 2018, and will be hoping not to carry much ring rust into this bout. Andales on the other hand is a 19 year old who has already had a huge 2019, thanks to a massive win last time out against Cris Ganoza. This is a really interesting match up and one where the visitor can't be written, though will be the clear under-dog. We've previewed this bout here Unbeaten Andales looks to upset WBA champion Knockout Florida, USA The second most compelling match up for the day comes from the US and will see us re-run the match up between Koki Eto (24-4-1-1, 19) and Jeyvier Cintron (10-0-0-1, 5), who had an opening round No Contest earlier in the year. Their first bout promised a lot, with Cintron using his speed and movement and Eto trying to use his power and, but ended in weird fashion following an accident headclash that left the touted Cintron stumbling around the ring. Whilst Cintron certainly looked the better boxer it's going to be very interesting to see how this rematch plays out. Our preview of this bout can be read here Eto and Cintron battle in rematch following No Contest Nevada, USA It's not just the bout in Florida that will see an Asian looking to pick up a win in the US but also Uzbek fighter Ravshan Hudaynazarov (17-1, 13), who will be looking to bounce back from a stoppage loss Ronald Cruz. The 35 year old Hudaynazarov isn't in easy here easy, and will be taking on fellow once beaten fighter John Vera (18-1, 11), Vera, like Hudaynazarov, is coming in to this on the back of a loss but the American "Phenom" lost at fringe wold level to the excellent Michel Soro. On paper a very, very interesting match up, but one where we feel the younger Vera will come out on top. Tokyo, Japan Back in Asia we get a small, but pretty interesting card in Japan. The main event of the card will see Japanese ranked fighters clashing with Lightweight hopeful Kei Iwahara (10-6, 5) taking on former Light Welterweight title challenger Vladimir Baez (24-5-2, 22). On paper this looks like a straight forward win for Baez, other wise known as Destino Japan, given his better record and natural size but Baez has has lost his last two and is without a win in well over a year. At 35 Baez may well be a shot fighter. The 28 year old Iwahara is a long way from a world beater, and is 4-3 in his last 7, but has piclked up good domestic wins over Daiki Ichikawa and Mao Kawanishi. In another really interesting match up we see young southpaws collide as Japan's Kento Yabusaki (7-2-1, 5) takes on Filipino Michael Mendoza (9-1-2, 3). Both of these men are 21 year olds and although neither is a bit name both have shown some solid promise at this stage. Yabusaki reached the Rookie of the Yearfinal in 2017, losing to Joe Shiraishi in the final, and has bounced back with 3 straight wins against progressive better competition. That progress looks to continue here against Mendoza. Mendoza on the other hand has won 4 in a row, and took the PBF Flyweight last time out. It's worth noting that Mendoza has been picking up his wins at a lower level than Yabusaki but does have the small edge in experience. Another noteworthy fight on this card is the talented, but light punching Joe Tanooka (15-6-5, 1), who faces against Naoto Mizutani (5-6-2, 2) in a rematch of a technical draw they had in May. On paper this is a huge mismatch but we expect it to be pretty competitive. The 25 year old Tanooka has picked up just a since victory in his last 5, going 1-3-1 and he's had a really tough career so far. Mizutani on the other hand can score upsets, as he did against Mirai Imagawa, and can be a good test against light punchers, as we saw in February against Fumiya Fuse. This could be far better than the records suggest. Victoria, Australia In Australia we'll see Indonesian veteran Noldi Manakane (33-20-3, 18) continue his incredibly long career. The 35 year old Indonesian, who has lost his last 4 and 8 of his last 10, will be expected to come up short again here as he takes on the unbeaten Mark Schleibs (11-0, 7). It's hard to know how good Schleibs is, given the level of his competition so far, but it's hard to imagine anything but an easy win here for the unbeaten man. Ekaterinburg, Russia
This coming Friday out attention turns to Russia for the next RCC card, which features several notable fighters from across Asia. One of those is Russian based Tajik Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (12-0, 8), who will be looking to make his first defense of the WBC International Super Featherweight title. The unbeaten 23 year old will be up against experienced Mexican Emanuel Lopez (29-9-1, 13), who has had mixed success in recent years, losing 3 of his last 5. If Yaqubov is as good as he has looked in recent bouts then we'd expect him to win here, and take a huge step towards a potential world title eliminator later in the year. Unbeaten Uzbek fighter Ravshanbek Umurzakov (6-0, 5) had an interesting 2018, going 5-0 (4) but having a big asterisks over his biggest win, a 58 second victory over Eden Sonsona who looked like he didn't want to be in the ring. Umurzakoz will be up against Filipino Rimar Metuda (12-4-1, 7), who has proven himself as durable, though is 2-4-1 in his last 7 and is 0-3-1 outside of the Philippines. We suspect Metuda will put up a good effort against the Uzbek, but not really test him. Unbeaten Kazakh Stanislav Kalitskiy (6-0, 3) will be risking his unbeaten record against Filipino Venson Delopere (6-3-4, 2). The 21 year old Kalitskiy scored 3 wins last year, including a notable one against Jestoni Autida, but it's unclear what he can really do in the ring and he should be tested here. Delopere is a 23 year old who has proven tricky to beat, but is winless outside of the Philippines. This should be a good test for Kalitskiy and we wouldn't be surprised to see him struggle at times with the Filipino. Another Filipino on this card is Arnold Garde (10-6-3, 4), who will be up against unbeaten Russian fighter Mekhdi Abdurashedov (5-0, 2). The Russian really impressed last time out, stopping Filipino Prince Andrew Lauro in 5 rounds, and this bout seems to be a good step up for him. Garde has been stopped in 2 of his last 3, but is going to have travelled with some ambition. Sadly for Garde we don't question his desire, but we do doubt he has the skills to handle Abdurashedov Budakalász, Hungary In Hungary fans a bout is scheduled between Russian born Azeri Roman Zakirov (8-0, 7) and Mexican foe Daniel Vega Cota (13-2-1, 10). The unbeaten Zakirov is a 22 year old who only turned professional a year ago but has been ultra active, with fights in Uzbekistan, Georgia and Russia and now looks to add Hungary to passport. Cota on the other hand has only fought outside of Mexico once and should be easy enough for the Azeri, given he has been stopped in both of his losses. Bangokok, Thailand In Thailand we'll see unbeaten Thai hopeful Satanmuanglek CP Freshmart (10-0, 4) battle against experienced Filipino Crison Omayao (24-18-4, 8) in a bout for the OPBF Silver Light Flyweight title. This bout will be the Thai's first at 108lbs and it's hoped that he will show what he can really do at the new weight after looking less than great at Minimumweight. A second title bout on this show will see Kanyarat Yoohanngoh (4-2, 2) take on Japanese fighter Umi Ishikawa (7-2, 5) for the OPBF silver Female Minimumweight title. This is a low key bout but the winner should find themselves moving towards some bigger and better fights in the near future. Interestingly this Thai card will also feature Wanheng Menayothin (52-0, 18) and Knockout CP Freshmart (19-0, 7) playing some part in the show, though the specifics of their appearances seem to be an exhibition or a live public training event rather than any kind of fight. London, United Kingdom In London we'll see unbeaten Kazakh Sultan Zaurbek (3-0, 2) take a small step up in class as he takes on Lyuben Todorov (6-3, 2). The unbeaten prospect will be facing his first opponent with a winning record, but the Bulgarian is 0-3 outside of Bulgaria and isn't expected to be much of a threat for Zaurbek, who is scheduled to fight again a week later. ![]() This coming Wednesday is a notable day in Asian boxing, with a big fight in Thailand, and a small yet noteworthy card in Japan. Chonburi, Thailand The Thai show will be headlined by the rematch between WBA Minimumweight champion Knockout CP Freshmart (18-0, 7) and Nicaraguan foe Byron Rojas (25-3-3, 11), who he actually beat for the title in 2016. Knockout had been the interim champion prior to taking the full title from Rojas, and since winning the full title he has made 5 defenses including wins over Shin Ono, Rey Loreto and Xiong Zhao Zhong. In recent fights the champion has looked solid and dependable, rather than sensational and exciting, with an going joke that his name should be Unanimous Decision CP Freshmart. As for Rojas he comes into the bout on an 8 fight winning streak, though those wins have come at a much lower level than Knockout's and it's unclear how he will cope with the step back up in class. Given their first bout we're not anticipating a thrilling clash here. A preview of this bout is available here Knockout and Rojas meet in rematch for WBA crown! Tokyo, Japan In Tokyo we'll get another in the Japan Vs China series of shows that Dangan have been putting on. Among the fighters included on this card is former amateur stand out Shu Utsuki (2-0, 1), who we believe is taking on fellow unbeaten Da Xu (3-0-1, 1) in an 8 round Super Featherweight bout. Utsuki is tipped to be a star and we have to strongly favour him to defeat the Chinese teenager. Another unbeaten Japanese prospect on this card is Tsubasa Murachi (2-0, 2), who faces off with limited visitor Sheng Peng (3-5, 2), in another that should go Japan's way however we are interested to see what Murachi can show here. One other Japanese prospect on this card is Kaiki Yuba (3-0-1, 2), though sadly we don't have the name of his opponent. Arguably the best of the Japan Vs China bouts is a match up between the limited pairing of Shun Wakabayashi (8-3, 1) and Xian Qian Wei (13-6-1, 1). Both of these fighters are very flawed, lack power, but do make for entertaining contests and we wouldn't be surprised to see this being the potential bout of the day, with a high intensity and the belief that either man can win. This card will also include an OPBF female title bout as Erika Hanawa (9-3, 3) battles Jujeath Nagaowa (13-18-1, 8) for the Minimumweight title. Both of these fighters have come up short at the top level, but they should make for a competitive bout against each other, with both being flawed and limited fighters. Despite their limitations they aren't actually bad fighters and this could be a very entertaining distraction from the Japan Vs China competition. Shenzhen, China A third card for the day will come from Shenzhen in China, with a trio of title bouts on the card. In a WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental Crruiserweight title fight Chinese local hopeful Peng Qu (13-2-1, 9) will take on the hard hitting Abraham Tabul (14-1-1, 12). This will be Qu's second bout since abandoning the Light Heavyweight division at the turn of the year, following a loss to Gasan Gasanov, and we suspect his frame will suit Cruiserweight much better than it did at 175lbs. Saying that however Cruiserweights do hit significantly harder than the Light Heavyweights he had previously been fighting and we expect to see him being chin checked here. Tabul, from Accra in Ghana, is 0-1 outside of his homeland, and his competition so far lacks any real quality and it's very hard to know what he brings to the ring. A second title fight on this show will see Cheng Su (12-2-1, 6) battle against Thai foe Panturak Namtong (10-4-1, 7) for the WBO Oriental Super Welterweight title. It's hard to know what either man has done to get a shot at this belt, given that neither has notched a win of note and both have suffered a recent stoppage loss to a poor opponent. All things considered we suspect the local will pick up the win, but he's not going to go much further as a professional. Sadly the biggest name on the card, OPBF Silver Super Featherweight champion Takuya Watanabe (35-8-1, 20) is actually a man involved in the biggest mismatch on the card, as he defends his title against Wisitsak Saiwaew (6-7, 5), who is best known for being stopped by Watanabe's stablemate Sho Kimura, at Flyweight. We are huge admirers of Watanabe, and his career has been a thoroughly entertaining one as well as one which has seen him fighting in Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taipei and China, but this is his third limited foe in a row. This really is little more than a show case for the talented. tough and exciting Watanabe. |
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