 This coming Saturday is a hectic day for Asian fight fans, the first of 3 really busy days to end the month of March. The key action is in Aichi, but there is also action in Tokyo, Incheon, Bangkok and even a bout of note in Germany.
Aichi Sky Expo, Tokoname, Aichi, Japan As mentioned the key show for the day is in Aichi, with 3150 and LUSH Bomu working together to deliver a card that is packed with notable fights, including a world title fight, a regional title fight and several notable prospects. The main event will see IBF Flyweight champion Angel Ayala Lardizabal (18-0, 8) take on IBF Light Flyweight champion Masamichi Yabuki (17-4, 16), with Yabuki moving up 4lbs to challenge Lardizabal in a mouth watering clash. The unbeaten Mexican champion won the title in august, when he stopped Dave Apolinario, and built on an impressive run of results that also included wins against Cristofer Rosales and Felix Alvarado, albeit a very lucky win over Alvarado. Aged 24 Lardizabal is a talented youngster, and does have a good record, but this will be his first bout outside of Mexico, and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against the hard hitting and hungry Yabuki, in Yabuki’s backyard. Yabuki is one of the heaviest handed fighters, pound for pound, in the sport today. He’s a KO artist as such, but he’s someone with sledgehammer, power, and unlike some punchers who wade in looking for the finish, he boxes, and lets his power work it’s way naturally into fights, as we saw when he stopped Sivenathi Nontshinga. Given Yabuki’s power, and the fact it carries late into fights, and the fact Lardizabal is the natural Flyweight, this bout really is a very intriguing one. The other title bout on this card will see OPBF Super Flyweight champion Giemel Magramo (30-4, 23) defending his title against the fast tracked Aoi Yokoyama (2-0, 1), in what looks to be a very dangerous big of match making for Yokoyama. Magramo is no world beater, he has come up short at, and around, world level with losses to Muhammad Waseem, Junto Nakatani, Taku Kuwahara and Anthony Olacuaga. He is however very much part of the top contenders, and wins over Judy Flores, Jayr Raquinel, Wenfeng Ge and Renz Rosia, have shown he's dangerous, skilled and not someone who should merely be seen as a stepping stone. As for Yokoyama, the Japanese youngster is hotly tipped by those at 3150 and Watanabe gym, but was given a real test last time out, when he narrowly got past Denmark Quibido. He was a very good amateur, and has shown a lot to like as a professional, with good skills, power and movement, but his composure has been questioned and there is a real feeling that Kameda is pushing him too fast, and maybe he needed another fight or two before a bout at this level. The under-card for this card is really solid, with numerous good looking bouts. One of those will see unbeaten youngster Ayumu Sano (9-0-1, 4) take on Thai visitor Nattapong Jankaew (13-4, 9). Sano looks to be one of the best hidden secrets in Japan, and at 22 has already won a WBC Youth title. Jankaew on the other hand showed a lot of promise early on, but has gone from 11-0 to 13-4 and although some of those losses have come to good fighters, such as Marlon Tapales and Hiroto Yashiro, it’s clear he’s not going to be mixing at world level. Sano should be favoured, but it’s a good step up. Another Japan Vs Thailand bout on this card will see Thai puncher Nanthanon Thongchai (13-3-2, 11) take on the debuting Rikito Irita (0-0) in a battle of 20 year olds. Thongchai, like many Thai’s, has padded his record at home in low level bouts and has lost when he’s faced notable names on the road, such as Regie Suganob and Takeru Inoue, and it’s expected that he will move to 0-4 on the road here. Irita, although this is his debut, was a good domestic level amateur, running up a 21-9 record, and he should be too good fir the visitor here. Interestingly the other 3 bouts on this card are all Japan Vs Philippines bouts. On paper the most interesting of those will see former world title challenger Jeo Santisima (25-7, 21) take on unbeaten youngster Ei Go (4-0, 2). Santisima was once looking like a solid world class contender, sporting a 19-2 record when he went into his 2020 bout with Emanuel Navarrete. Sadly since being stopped in 11 by Navarrete the Filipino has gone 6-4, and now looks like the best he’s going to do is become a stalwart at domestic level as a game title contender, though come up short as we’ve seen him do against Toshiki Shimomachi, Hayato Tsutsumi and Kenji Fujita. As for Go, the 24 year old Japanese fighter appears to be quickly rising through the rankings, scoring a notable domestic win over Koshin Takeshima and a win over Filipino Roldan Aldea. Notably Go should be too big for Santisima, given he's a Lightweight come Super Featherweight taking on someone who fought for a world title at Super Bantamweight. Santisima isn’t the only former world title challenger on this card as Kyosuke Okamoto (9-1-1, 6) takes on former Bantamweight world title challenger Michael Dasmarinas (36-3-2, 25), best known for losing to Naoya Inoue. Okamoto is stepping up massively for this bout, but the 21 year old has shown plenty of promise and is the naturally bigger man here, fighting at Featherweight, whilst also being a genuinely heavy handed fighter who has stopped his last 3. Dasmarinas is highly experienced, and the 32 year old Southpaw has mixed at a very good level, obviously given his bout with Inoue, but he has fought much of his career at Bantamweight and is certainly not someone who’s been beating world ranked fighters in pursuit of a second world title fight. Another Japan Vs Philippines bout will see highly touted professional novice Hayate Hanada (2-1-1, 1) clash with Yeroge Gura (8-1-1, 3), who’s only loss came to the previously mentioned Ayumu Sano last time out, with this being an easy to overlook bout, but one that should deliver some really high level action to open the show. Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo, Japan The card in Tokyo is much smaller with the main event here being a 6 rounder between the once beaten Ryu Suzuki (5-1-1, 1) and the unbeaten Shota Kajino (4-0-1, 3). The 25 year old Suzuki made his debut in 2022, losing on debut, and has since reeled off a number of low key domestic wins, most notably a 6 rounder against Shun Nakamura in November, over 6 rounds. Kajino on the other hand is an unbeaten puncher who drew on his debut, in early 2024, before reeling off 4 wins to win the Rookie of the Year in December, just 10 months after his debut, stopping Otaro Segawa in 4 rounds. Both have momentum coming into this but Kajiona has the clear edge in power whilst Suzuki is the naturally bigger man. World Siam Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand We also get a small card in Thailand, where one of the more noteworthy bouts will see once beaten Kazakh Heavyweight Askat Zhantursynov (8-1, 7) take on 20 year old local Weerapat Kamlangwai (7-4, 4), showing the level of show this is, it also features 50 year old Japanese fighter Toshiki Era (25-4, 20) , as he continues his genuine weight career, that has seen him fighting in more than 30 years after his debut! Nova Boxing Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea Over in Incheon we have a low key show, headlined by a 6 rounder between the unbeaten Jae Sung Park (4-0-1) and Joon Hee Lee (5-2-1, 2) at Welterweight. Park is the younger man, at 31 whilst Lee is 37, and given the ages of the two men it’s fair to say neither is being eyed as the future of Korean boxing. Despite that the bout is well matched, has two two men looking to move their career forward, towards a domestic title, and a bit of history, with the two fighting last September when Park took a very competitive win over 6 rounds. Since then Park has been out of the ring, whilst Lee has picked up a low key win and will feel he has some momentum coming into this. Deutsches Haus, Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Away from Asia we’ll see Japan’s Akane Fujiwara (7-4-1, 2) battle for the lightly regarded WBF female Super Featherweight title, as she takes on the in form Lara Ochmann (14-2, 5). The 37 year old Fujiwara has won both domestic and regional titles, albeit at Featherweight, but this will be her first bout outside of Japan, her first 10 rounder and is something of a step up, from fighters like Kimika Miyoshi and Yoshie Wakasa. Ochmann on the other hand has mixed with world class company, though was shut out over 10 rounds by Sarah Mahfoud in her one step up to that level, with her best win to date being over Leonie Giebel. On paper this isn’t a well matched bout, but Ochmann has a much more padded record than Fujiwara and the bout should be more competitive than it looks on paper.
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 Aichi Sky Expo, Tokoname, Aichi, Japan
This coming Saturday we kick off an incredible 3 day run of big fights in Japan with the first of 9 world title fights taking place over 3 days. As well as the world title fight the show has several other compelling matchups including several very noteworthy prospects. The world title in question will see once beaten South African Sivenathi Nontshinga (13-1, 10) look to defend his IBF Light Flyweight title against former WBC champion Masamichi Yabuki (16-4, 15), in a mandatory defense. Internationally Nontshinga is the more well known of the two, having fought not just in South Africa but also in Mexico, and Monaco, with his 2023 loss to Adrian Curiel being one of the biggest upsets of 2023 and the rematch this past February being a thrilling 10 round war. He’s now enjoying his second reign as the IBF champion and has wins against Siyabonga Siyo, Ivan Soriano, Cristian Araneta, Hector Flores Calixto, Regie Suganob and the aforementioned Curiel. Despite being the champion he will be heading to the lion’s den with the hard hitting Yabuki getting home advantage. On paper Yabuki’s record doesn’t look great, with 4 losses in 20 bouts, but context should be applied to those losses which have come to Junto Nakatani, Seigo Yuri Akui, Daniel Matellon and Kenshiro Teraji. As for his wins, Yabuki is seens as a nasty puncher, who has stopped the likes of Kenshiro, Thanongsak Simsri, Ronald Chacon, Tsuyoshi Sato and Gilberto Pedroza. Both of these guys are technically solid, with heavy hands, some question marks about their durability, and willing to let shots fly, which should give us a potential FOTY candidate. Another bout that could be a FOTY contender on this card due to the styles of the men involved, will see the unbeaten Ryo Mandokoro (3-0, 2) take on OPBF ranked Filipino Alvin Camique (9-2, 4). The 24 year old Mandokoro is hotly tipped to be a star, but has been out of the ring for a year now and lost much of the momentum he seemed to be building, momentum he will be wanting to get back here. Camique on the other hand recently scored a career best win over Ben Ligas, and has shown what he can do with good wins over John Vincent Pangga and Marco Pomar, but he has been inconsistent at times. The two men both like to let shots fly, and we’re expecting a genuinely thrilling 8 round tear up here. Another bout between an unbeaten Japanese hopeful and a more experienced Filipino will see Ei Go (3-0, 2) take on Roldan Aldea (19-10-2, 11), with Go also looking to claim an OPBF ranking from his Filipino foe. Go looks really classy and sharp, with a great jab, fantastic body shots and despite only being 24 he looks like he has the tools to make a mark around the world level,somewhere down the line, though he obviously needs seasoning and a lot more ring time. In Aldea we have a highly experienced who has mixed at OPBF title level, twice fighting for the OPBF Lightweight title. Aldea is no world beater, and has been stopped in 4 of his 10 losses, but is solid enough to test young prospects, and should ask some questions of Go here. Yet another Japan Vs Philippines bout on this card will see the aggressively matched Hayate Hanada (2-1, 1) look for his second win of 2024, as he takes on Denmark Quibido (13-3-1, 7). Hanada was matched hard from the off, losing in his second professional bout to Rene Calixto Bibiano, and it appears he’s one of those few fighters who refuses to have easy contests. Quibido is a long way from world level, but is an OPBF fighter who has never been stopped and despite losing 3 of his last 4 has shown he's no push over, going the distance with Sikho Nqothole, Landile Ngxeke and Giemel Magramo. His best win is over Danrick Sumabong, which shows he's a very capable fighter, and Hanada would do well to not overlook him here. This card was also supposed to feature the debut of Rikito Irita (0-0), who was pencilled in to face Thai visitor Kumpha Aryamueang (6-5, 4), though that bout has now seemingly been scrapped. Fashion Center Event Hall, Seoul, South Korea As well as the big card in Japan there will also be a show in South Korea, albeit a much, much less interesting show. The most notable bout set for this show will see Dong Young Lee (3-7-3, 1) take on Juyeong Lee (3-3, 2) in a 6 rounder, which shows just how low profile this card is and how little there is to talk about compared to the Aichi show.  City Gymnasium, Yokkaichi, Mie, Japan
This coming Saturday our attention turns to Mie where we see the next event from Midori Promotions, and it's a pretty interesting one, with an excellent main event and two, solid, domestic bouts making up the chief support bouts. The aforementioned main event will see former WBC Light Flyweight champion Masamichi Yabuki (13-4, 12) look to rebuild from his rematch with Kenshiro Teraji, as he takes on unbeaten Thai punch Thanongsak Simsri (24-0, 22). At his best Yabuki is one of the top contenders at 108lbs, thanks to his freakishly heavy hands, under-rated boxing skills and good movement. He was however made to look third rate by Kenshiro in their rematch, with Kenshiro essentially ripping him apart in 3 rounds in March, and it's going to be interesting to see his mindset here. As for Simsri he was on the verges of landing a world title fight in 2020, before Hiroto Kyoguchi tested positive for covid, and that disappointment he has kept busy against low key Thai opponents, whilst physically developing and getting some rounds under his belt. Amazingly this will be Simsri's 7th bout in 12 months, but it's a huge step up for him and he will likely need a career best performance to over-come the former WBC champion. In a supporting bout the popular Tom Mizokoshi (8-4-1, 4) will clash with Sonin Nihei (10-6-2, 2) in a 6 rounder. Mizkoshi, who is still only 23, feels like he's been around for ages and will be desperate to avoid another loss following recent defeats to Hiroyuki Takahara, Haruki Ishikawa and Ryuya Nihei. His confidence will be low and he and his team will know a win is very, very much-needed. Nihei has also struggled for success recently, with 3 losses in his last 4 and 5 losses in his last 7, but he has shown there is still life in him with upsets against Tatsuya Ikemizu and Ryosuke Nasu. He might not be a top domestic talent, but he's also no push over. This should be a very hard fought and competitive bout. Another solid bout will see Katsuya Murakami (12-2-1, 3) look for a 5th straight win, and continue his climb towards a title fight, as he takes on Tetsuya Mimura (9-3, 2). Murakami might have had a few set backs on his record but he's a talent and has the tools to mix in the domestic title scene over the next few years. Mimura on the other hand has lost 2 of his last 3 and has little momentum coming in to this, but has been fighting at a solid level, having run Riku Kano close in 2019 and Yuga Inoue in 2020. Sadly Mimura has fought just just 2 rounds since August 2020, and we are expecting him to have some build ring rust that needs shaking here.  This coming Saturday is a big day for Asian fighters, with two being involved in world title bouts, several notable rematches, and some notable hopefuls from Japan, Philippines and Tajikstan in action.
City Gym, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan For us the most notable card of the day takes place in Kyoto as we see a major rematch at world level, and two pretty interesting, though easy to over-look, domestic level bouts. The main event of the card will see WBC Light Flyweight champion Masamichi Yabuki (13-3, 12) make his first defense, as he takes on former champion Kenshiro Teraji (18-1, 10), who is looking to avenge his sole and reclaim the title that he lost last year. The hard hitting Yabuki stopped Kenshiro last year, but did so following a controversial headclash, which lead Kenshiro's team to petition for a rematch, that the WBC decided to order. For Yabuki this is a huge chance to prove that his first win wasn't a fluke, and the headbutt ultimately didn't matter, whilst Kenshiro will be determined to reclaim the title, and prove that he wasn't his usual self during that loss. This is a great bout and one that every fan of the lower weights should be very interested in, especially due to the involvement of DAZN in the lower weights. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Yabuki Vs Kenshiro - The Rematch In a notable supporting bout Japanese youth Flyweight champion Yuga Inoue (12-2-1, 2) will be facing off with Shota Asami (9-9, 4). On paper this looks likely to be an easy win for Inoue, however he has struggled several times in recent years, and whilst Asami is no world beater. Inoue is a talented fighter, but lacks power, and can be dragged into close and hotly contested bout against fighters over 8 rounds. As for Asami he is better than his record indicates, and can be very much a banana skin for decent domestic fighters, as we've seen in his wins over Sho Omote and Shun Kosaka. An other support bout is a must win for both men involved as recent Japanese title contender Rikito Shiba (5-2, 3) takes on the once touted Shisui Kawabata (2-3, 2) in a bout that really neither man can afford to lose. Shiba turned professional following a strong amateur background and quickly won the Japanese Youth Light Flyweight title, before losses to Masamichi Yabuki and Shokichi Iwata left his career hanging by a thread. Kawabata on the other hand was regarded as a major prospect when he turned professional in 2019 but has suffered 3 successive losses. Notably not only is this a must win for both men, but also a rematch of a 2019 bout between then, that saw Shiba give Kawabata his first loss, a loss he will be looking to avenge. We don't think this will out-shine the main event, but it will be a very compelling contest in it's own right. Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates The other major show for the day takes place in Dubai, where we get another world title fight, and a very interesting support bout. The world title bout with see English slickster Sunny Edwards (17-0, 4) hunt his second defense of the IBF Flyweight title as he takes on Pakistani challenger Muhammad Waseem (12-1, 8), who gets his second shot at a world title. The slippery and talented Edwards impressed in his title win last year, dethroning Moruti Mthalane, and has been talking very confidently as if he felt he's the man to beat in the division. Hoepfully he'll get the chance to back up his talk later in the year against a fellow champion. As for Waseem, he was a fantastic fighter as an amateur, and a very capable professional, but at the age of 34 it's hard to see him being competitive with the fleet footed champion, though it Waseem will know it's now or never for his career. Or preview of this bout can be read here Waseem takes on IBF champion Edwards In one of the main support bouts unbeaten Tajik fighter Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (18-0, 10) will take on in form American O'Shaquie Foster (18-2, 11), in a bout at Super Featherweight. Yaqubov has been making a name for himself in Russia, where he has scored decent wins over the likes of Tomas Rojas, Emanuel Lopez and Mark Urvanov, but has lacked a major win so far and needs a break out win. As for Foster he appears to be on a good run with recent wins over Jon Fernandez, Alberto Mercado and Miguel Roman, though has only fought once since the start of 2020, and is more than a year removed form his last fight, so this might be the ideal time to face him. Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines It's not just Japan that will be having rematch, with a notable one in the Philippines between Garen Diagan (8-1, 4) and April Jay Abne (7-1, 3). These two clashed last year with Diagan scoring a notable upset against the wonderfully talented Abne, who was stopped inside a round. For Diagan that's his biggest win so far, and the "Hellboy" will be looking to show he didn't just catch Abne cold, but is the better fighter. As for Abne that was a very embarrassing loss, and one he'll be wanting to avenge and put behind him. Sadly other details relating to this card are few and far between though we do know the unbeaten 20 year old Bryan James Wild (6-0, 5) will be seeking his next win. Sadly his opponent for this show hasn't been announced yet, and we're not expecting anyone too testing, but it's going to be great to follow his exciting career over the coming years. Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, Albert Park, Victoria, Australia At the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre we'll see unbeaten Australian hopeful Kayne Clarke (11-0, 8) looking for his 12th straight win as he takes on Indonesian visitor Agus Kustiawan (18-9-2, 8), who has never won a bout outside of Indonesia and is 0-2 in Australia. Kustiawan is unlikely to pose much of a test for Clarke, but Clarke will likely be wanting to better the 2016 result of Ibrahim Balla, when he stopped the Indonesian in 5 rounds. The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington, Victoria, Australia Staying in Melbourne, there's going to be a pair of bouts of some Asian interest at the Melbourne Pavilion, sadly though both bouts look like easy wins for locals over poor Thai's. One of the bouts will see Tom Fitzgerald (1-0) seek his second win, as he takes on Thatthakan Samanthong (0-2), in what is a reasonable second bout for the Australian hopeful. The other will be the debut Kha Lu (0-0), who faces win-less 40 year old Prakob Nuankaew (0-2). Hard to complain about bouts like this over 4 rounds, but also very hard to say much more than the obvious, the locals should win, with out too many problems. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia In Malaysia we're expecting to see a bout that was scheduled for back in January, as the unbeaten Adli Hafidz (9-0, 5) takes on Thai veteran Komsan Polsan (40-12-1-1, 26), aka Patomsuk Pathompothong in a bout for the UBO Middleweight title. The 33 year old Hafidz is one of the very, very few noteworthy fighters from Malaysia, and whilst he is a notable local face it's hard to imagine him stepping up to making a mark on the wider regional scene. As for Komsan, he is very under-sized at Middleweight and despite his solid looking record his is 10-10-0-1 in his last 21 bouts, dating back 7 years, including 6 losses by stoppage. It would be a huge surprise to see the 38 year old Thai take home a win here.  This coming Wednesday Japanese fans have a day to look forward to, with a world title fight in Kyoto and an interesting, though much smaller, card in Tokyo. Both shows have very interesting main events but are a bit weak below the top bout.
Kyoto City Gym, Kyoto, Japan Of the two cards it's the one in Kyoto which will get more attention, with a world title bout, a Japanese Youth title bout and a former world title challenger all in action. That world title bout will see WBC Light Flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji (18-0, 10) making his 9th defense of the title as he takes on fellow Japanese fighter Masamichi Yabuki (12-3, 11) in a mouth watering all Japanese clash. This will pit the skills, timing and boxing brain of the champion against the power, physicality and size of the challenger, and these sorts of bouts can make for very interesting contests. There is no doubting Kenshiro is the better boxer, and he's proven it with notable wins against the likes of Ganigan Lopez, Pedro Guevara, Milan Melindo and Randy Petalcorin and Tetsuya Hisada, but he has yet to beat a true puncher, and has been battling out of the ring with Covid19. As for Yabuki it is a step up in class for him, though he's coming in good form and has learned form his losses, including an early career defeat to Junto Nakatani and a loss to Cuban standout Daniel Matellon. Coming in to this the challenger has stopped 4 of his last 5 and has proven he can go rounds when he needs to, taking a decision over former Kenshiro foe Toshimasa Ouchi. Our in depth preview of this one can be read here Kenshiro takes on Yabuki in defense #9! In a Japanese Youth title bout at Flyweight we'll see Aoba Mori (7-2-1, 1) clash with Yuga Inoue (11-2-1, 2), in an interesting contest between two men who don't get much attention. The 21 year old Aoba is the younger man, and despite some set backs in recent bouts there is plenty of promise with him, as shown in his TKO win over Keisuke Iwasaki back in April. Although Mori has shown promise we suspect he will go in as the under-dog against Inoue, who is more well known and more established, having won Rookie of the Year and shared the ring with several notable domestic foes, including Kai Ishizawa. Neither man is a puncher, but both picked up stoppage wins last time out and will likely come in to this feeling they can hurt the other man. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Japanese Youth Flyweight title bout see Aoba Mori and Yuga Inoue clash! In a stay busy fight former world title challenger Hiroshige Osawa (36-5-4, 21) will be up against Yoshiyuki Takabayashi (9-11-1, 4), in what really is a tick over bout for Osawa, who has sadly been inactive since beating Jason Butar Butar almost 2 years ago, and is certainly someone who's career has been negatively affected by the rise of Covid19. Osawa was on the verge of a world title fight going into last year, but it appearsthe chance of him getting a second shot are now dead in the water. Sadly this show is essentially hidden away, despite how good it is, on what is essentially a Japanese PPV, costing 2,200Yen (around £15 or $20), a price that seems to be a sign of the times in Japanese boxing during the Pandemic era. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Over in Tokyo we get a Dangan card that has a stellar domestic main event, and a very interesting supporting bout. The main will see former Japanese Featherweight champion Taiki Minamoto (16-7-1, 13) trying to get his career back on track as he takes on the under-rated Shingo Kusano (13-9-1, 5). Minamoto, who won the Japanese title in 2018, has failed to pick up a win in over 3 years now and desperately needs a big result if he's to keep open hopes of getting another title opportunity. Kusano on the other hand performed brilliant in a tournament in 2019 and 2020, losing in the final in a barn burner. This might not have much in terms of star power, but it could end up being a brutal war over 8 fascinating rounds. In the main support bout former world champion Ayaka Miyao (23-9-2, 6) will be up against Kaori Nagai (6-2-3, 2). On paper this is a total mismatch in favour of Miayo, however he is now 38, she's had numerous injuries including a nasty one in 2016 against Nao Ikeyama, has failed to win her last 3, and was brutally knocked out last time out. Nagai on the other hand is riding a 5 winning streak and at 31 will feel she has youth, energy and health on her side. A real must win for Miyao and a huge opportunity for Nagai.  For those who want a late Christmas present, we have one of those for you this coming Saturday as Japan put on two shows and China also put on a show. One of those Japanese shows is a mouth watering card from Tokyo, which is set to be streamed live on the A-Sign YouTube channel whilst the second, from Aichi, will be shown on delay on Boxing Raise.
Christmas might be over, but the gifts keep coming! Sumida City Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan The more significant of the two shows is the Tokyo one, and it's a genuinely stacked domestic card that should give us a big of everything. The main event should be a fairly technical contest, the opening bouts should be competitive under-card bouts, and we get at least one, if not two, shoot outs on a genuinely fantastic show. The main event will see former WBO Super Featherweight champion Masayuki Ito (26-2-1, 14) take on current OPBF Super Featherweight champion Hironori Mishiro (9-0-1, 3). Mishiro won't be risking his title here, in a 10 round bout at Lightweight, but the winner will certainly see their standing improve, and we could end up seeing the winner being just a fight or two away from a potential world title fight. Ito is, of course, the more well known fighter and the more established but he has only fought once since losing the WBO title to Jamel Herring in May 2019, and since then he has had a bout cancelled and has had surgery. Mishiro on the other hand is bit of advanced novice, who has been fast tracked to an OPBF title and already has several wins of note to his name, and other here would really boost his standing in the sport. We expect this to be a tactical early on, but will, sooner or later, descend into more of an exciting back and forth war. Talking about wars we are really exciting about the Japanese Youth Light Welterweight title bout on this show, between Jin Sasaki (9-0, 8) and Aso Ishiwaki (8-2-1, 6), and this really should be a war. The hard hitting Sasaki has been creating a buzz with quick knockout and early wins, including a trio of success opening rounds wins, but Ishiwaki is the more proven man and a tough warrior. The 19 year old Sasaki really is a brutal boxer-puncher, and he's been swiping opponents aside with ease but has faced little in terms of competitive opposition. Ishiwaki has faced the much better competition, and has done so without much fuss, whilst creating a bit of an international following with his heart, energy, toughness and physical strength. This could be incredibly brutal war, and we do not expect it to go the scheduled 8 rounds. Our full preview of this one can be read here Sasaki and Ishiwaki clash for Youth Honours in potential Christmas Cracker! On the subject of bouts not going the distance we don't imagine the 8 rounder between Kai Chiba (12-1, 8) and Haruki Ishikawa (8-2, 6) will see the final bell either. The hard hitting Kai Chiba was one looked at as a future regional champion, but a 2018 loss to Brian Lobetania, in a major upset, slowed his rise and he has only really began to rediscover his form in recent bouts, have now scored 5 straight wins. Ishikawa on the other hand is an explosive, heavy handed and wild fighter who comes into the ring with a war monger attitude and may well be too aggressive for Chiba to cope with. Interestingly this bout was delayed from earlier in the year following a positive Covid19 test for Ishikawa. Former 2-time world title challenger Ryo Akaho (35-2-2, 23) looks to extend his current winning streak as he takes on youngster Yuto Nakamura (11-5-1, 8). The 34 year old Akaho has won his last 9 in a row though it does seem unlikely that he will land a third shot at a world title, following losses to Yota Sato and Pungluang Sor Singyu. At just 23 years old this is a great chance to Nakamura to show what he can do at a higher level following a short reign as the JBC Youth Super Flyweight champion. Sadly however it's hard to Imagine Nakamura coping with the power and strength of Akaho at Super Bantamweight. One other bout worthy of attention is the second bout in Japan of "reimported boxer" Shoki Sakai (24-11-2, 13), who made his name in Mexico and the US. The exciting and rugged Sakai will be up against Takeru Kobata (8-4-1, 3). This really should serve as little more than a showcase for Sakai who should be too good, too strong and too powerful. Despite being the under-dog Kobata has some momentum coming into this, on the back of a solid win over Change Hamashima back in February. Even with that in mind it would still be a huge ask for him to be competitive with Sakai here. Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan The other show, the one from Aichi, is easier to over-look but does promise a very exciting main event between one of the biggest punchers at 108lbs and, strangely, just a single supporting bout. The main event will see Japanese Light Flyweight champion Masamichi Yabuki (11-3, 11) making his first defense of the belt as he takes on veteran Toshimasa Ouchi (22-9-3, 8). The hard hitting Yabuki moved down to Light Flyweight last year, stopping Rikito Shiba in 4 rounds and then blasting out Tsuyoshi Sato inside a round this past July to claim the title. Originally he had made his mark at Flyweight, losing in the 2016 Rookie of the Year final to Junto Nakatani, but looks much more suited to the 108lb limit and could find himself fighting for a world title in 2021. Ouchi on the other hand is a 35 year old, potentially getting his last notable fight. Although no world beater Ouchi has shared the ring with some notable names, including going 12 rounds with Kenshiro Teraji in 2016, and facing Kenichi Horikawa, shin Ono and Ryoichi Taguchi earlier in his career. Ouchi is tough, but we do wonder what his 35 year old body will do when it's caught by the power of Yabuki. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Japanese champion Yabuki faces first challenger as he takes on Ouchi The only under-card bout scheduled for this show will see Teru Nobita (5-3-1, 2) face John Yano (5-6, 2). Nobita went through a run where he won 1 in 5, going 1-3-1, but did win last time out and will look to build on the momentum that December 2019 win over Kenshin Megumi. Yano on the other hand is a Japanese based Filipino who has stopped 2 of his last 3 and will be looking to show that power against Nobita. Potentially a much better bout than it looks on paper. TSSG Center, Qingdao, China As well as the action in Japan we also get a show from China, which is set to be one of their best of 2020. In a bout at 154lbs we'll see Tonghui Li (12-2, 6) take on Dacong Wang (7-1-1, 1) in a bout for the interim WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental title. This will be Li's third bout since a loss to Jung Kyoung Lee, and at 30 years old it really is now or never for him to move his career forward. For Wang this is a massive step up in weight, but he has momentum on his side and is riding an 8 fight unbeaten run, and a 6 fight winning run. On paper this looks interesting, though we suspect Li's power and higher level experience will prove to be the difference. The second bout of note will be an IBO International Lightweight title bout, pitting the unbeaten Ju Wu (9-0-2) against Xiao Tao Su (11-1, 6), with Wu looking to defend his minor IBO title for the first time. The talented Wu is the more skilled man and the naturally bigger fighter, but we do wonder how he will cope with Su's power, which has seen him score stoppages in his last 3.  Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan
Rather interestingly in Aichi this coming Sunday fans will be allowed in a venue to watch boxing, though the show will only have 2 bouts on it, and social distance will be enforced with a lot of the venue also set to be empty. With only 2 bouts on the card we'll talk about both, and thankfully both have something to say about them. The main event will be a Champion carnival bout as the heavy handed Masamichi Yabuki (10-3, 10) clashes with Tsuyoshi Sato (10-1-1, 5) for the vacant Japanese Light Flyweight title. Originally Yabuki was supposed to face the defending champion Yuto Takahashi for the title earlier in the year. Sadly that bout was postponed due to the on going global situation and Takahashi, who had previously spoke about being frustrated by the sport, retired. His frustration at being unable to fight saw him retire and vacate the title. Whilst a bout between Takahashi and Yabuki would have been great we feel this may be a more fun bout with the heavy handed handed Yabuki up against the intense pressure and energy of Sato. We think Sato might be lacking the power needed to get Yabuki's respect, but it's clear he's going to be there to win, and we can't help but feel this has the potential to be a very exciting fight. Our preview of this fight can be read here Yabuki and Sato clash to crown new Japanese champion! The only other bout on this card will see the crude but exciting Takumi Chono (5-1, 3) take on Takefumi Higashi (5-8, 1) in a 6 round Minimumweight bout. Whilst we don't think many fans will be aware of Chono he came runner up in the 2019 All Japan Rookie of the Year, losing in the final to the excellent Katsuki Mori, and we enjoyed watching his aggression, pressure and energy. Higashi is a long way from a world beater, having scored just 2 wins in his last 8, but typically he goes the rounds and makes a fight of things. Chono should win, but he has a dance partner who will give everything and potentially make the perfect foil to the talented youngster. Hongtang Shopping Center, Chengdu, China Staying in Asia there's also set to be a small show in China, which, like many recent Chinese cards, is focused on novices. We won't go through all the bouts here, but the most notable of the contests on the show is a 6 rounder between 22 year old Wen Song Liu (4-1, 3) and 19 year old debutant Xiaolong Jiang (0-0). Despite only being 22 Liu made his debut way back in 2017, when he suffered a TKO loss. Since losing in 2017 we've seen Liu score 4 straight wins and get his career back on track and he is coming in to this bout with some momentum. Minsk, Belarus Over in Belarus, of all places, we'll be seeing a show promoted by Suliemen Promotions. This card is stacked with unbeaten Kazakh hopefuls, in what should be a very interesting card on Khabar TV. The main event will see world ranked Super Middleweight contender Aidos Yerbossynuly (13-0, 9) defending his numerous minor titles against 38 year veteran Nuhu Lawal (27-6, 15). The 28 year old Yerbossynuly has unified minor titles from the WBA, WBC and WBO and is looking to move towards a potential future world title fight. Lawal is a true veteran, at the age of 38, and will be expected to take Yerbossynuly rounds though isn't expected to be much of a threat to the talented Kazakh fighter. In the co-feature Nursultan Zhangabayev (8-0, 5), another world ranked Kazakh, will be up against French southpaw Sandy Messaoud (13-6, 1). Although Messaoud has 6 losses to his name he is enjoying a nice run, with 5 straight wins, and will be full of confidence here. Saying that however it's hard see him over-coming the criminally under-rated Zhangabayev, who has impressed time and time again. Also on this card are Bek Nurmaganbet (0-0), who won a gold medal at the 2019 Asian Amateur Championships, and Yevgeniy Pavlov (0-0), who will both be taking part in their debuts, and the unbeaten Nursultan Amanzholov (2-0, 1) December 15th-Japanese Heavyweight title action, Light Flyweight eliminator and so much more!12/10/2019  This coming Sunday is certainly not a huge day, but it's a bizarrely packed one, with a lot going on, even if not much of it will make much of an impact on the winder boxing scene. We have a Japanese Heavyweight title fight, a Japanese title eliminator, a return to the ring for a popular female fighter, a regional title fight, a clash between former world title challengers and the KBF Rookie of the Year final, on a crazy, yet low key, Sunday.
Kariya, Japan For us the most noteworthy card comes from Kariya where we see a trio of notable bouts. The most notable of the bouts on the card will be a rematch between Kotatsu Takehara (15-12-3, 8) and Ryu Ueda (8-1-1, 5), who battle for the Japanese Heavyweight title and the chance to become only the third ever Japanese Heavyweight champion. Coming in to this bout it's worth knowing that Takehara gave Ueda his sole defeat, but at the age of 41 and with a 30 fight career behind him we do wonder what Takehara has left in the tank. Technically Ueda looks the part, until he throws a punch and then he looks...well terrible, but he may have the youth and energy this time to see off the veteran. Our preview of this bout can be read here Takehara and Ueda rematch for Japanese Heavyweight title! In an even better bout than the main event we'll see a Japanese Light Flyweight eliminator as the sensationally talented Rikito Shiba (4-0, 2) takes on the heavy handed Masamichi Yabuki (9-3, 9), with the winner securing a shot at the title in the 2020 Champion Carnival against Yuto Takahashi. Both of these fighters have big plans, and whilst we have been more impressed by Shiba's rise than Yabuki's recent bouts both of these are very talented and will likely end up as fixtures in the title scene in the coming years. This promises a lot and is going to be a very interesting bout between two very talented fighters. Our preview of this bout can be read here Light Flyweight eliminator sees Shiba and Yabuki clash! Former female world title challenger Tomomi Takano (11-5, 8) will fight in Japan for the first time in over 2 years as she takes on Sachiko Kondo (2-4-2). At one point Takano looked like a star in the making, with the look that turned heads, but losses in big fights and a very public falling out with her then promoter saw her head into the boxing wilderness, fighting in Mexico. She's now back in Japan with a new team and a new hunger, and that should be in show here. Ishikawa, Japan Another notable Japanese card comes from Ishikawa, as Kashimi promote their next show, headlined by a clash between a former world champion and a former world title challenger, and supported by several interesting bouts featuring Chinese fighters. The main event will see Japanese based Filipino Genesis Servania (33-2, 16) take on former 2-time WBO Bantamweight champion Pungluang Sor Singyu (53-7, 35). Although both men are past their primes, this still makes for a really good match up. Servania is best known for his fantastic 2017 bout with Oscar Valdez. Despite losing that bout Servania put himself on the international map, though sadly a loss to Carlos Castro earlier this year has back into more obscure bouts, like this one. Pungluang on the other hand was a very talented Thai back in his prime, but losses in 4 of his last 5 have shown him to have slipped significantly. Despite on the downslide the Thai is tough and likes a fight. Stylistically these are similar fighters, with both enjoying a fight up close, and lacking speed, and as a result this could end up being a bit of a classic for fans at the Sangyo Hall. In a supporting bout we'll see 2018 Rookie of the Year winner Hiroki Hanabusa (6-0-3, 2) take on China's Baolin Kang (6-2, 1). Hanabusa won the Rookie of the Year on the majority point rule last December and has gone 1-0-1 since then, drawing in China against Ayati Sailike, in a bout that should have gone his way. Kang on the other hand is best known for being stopped by Ari Agustian in 2018, but has won both of his bouts this year. Although not an amazing bout this should be entertaining. Another interesting looking bout will see Japanese based Venezuelan Omrri Bolivar (8-2, 3) fight against China's A Fu Bai (8-3, 5). Both men were beaten last time out, with Bolivar being stopped bu Shu Utsuki and Bai being beaten by Da Xu, and with both seeking a win we expect this to be a bout where both men look to find another gear in very competitive contest. Osaka, Japan A third Japanese card, from Osaka, is much lower profile and only really has one bout of not. That bout will see 2-time Japanese Super Featherweight title challenger Ken Osato (16-3-1, 4) battle against the in form Kanehiro Nakagawa (8-6, 5). On paper this looks like a mismatch, and whilst Osato should be favoured it's worth noting that Nakagawa has won his last 3, including upsets against Seiichi Okada and Ryuto Araya, and will be full of confidence coming in here. Sadly the rest of this card is very much nondescript. Seoul, South Korea Another fairly notable card will take place in the South Korean capital of Seoul, with a regional title bout and some rookie action The main event will see former OPBF Light Middleweight champion Jung Kyoung Lee (7-3-1, 3) take on the once touted Thai Saddam Kietyongyuth (28-6, 22) in a bout for the WBO Oriental Light Middleweight title. Lee has had a roller coaster year, scoring a career best win in January, when he stopped Samuel Colomban for the OPBF title, and the losing the title less than 7 months later, to Akinori Watanabe. Throw in an injury to those extremes and it's fair to say things could have gone a lot better the Korean. As for Saddam he is a long way removed from the point where he was seen as a genuine hopeful. He's now 2-4 in his last 6 and 5-6 in his last 11, dating back more than 8 years. If we're being honest we suspect Saddam is somewhat less fussed about winning and losing than he once was. As well the bout mentioned above the bulk of this card will actually be the KBF Rookie of the Year Finals. Unlike the Japanese Rookie of the Year finals, which take place next week, it's been hard to follow these and it's hard to say too much about the finalists, who in some cases have only a fight or two so far in their career. Certainly rookies, but it would have been nice to have had some more depth to the tournament, and make them show a bit more to get to the finals. Pattaya, Thailand We also have a show in Thailand, from Evolution Fight Series. This isn't card isn't a big one, but does feature a world world title challenger and a promising Uzbek, among others. The main event will see Armenian born Thai based Russian Musheg Adoian (3-1, 3) take on former world title challenger Roy Mukhlis (29-11-4, 22) from Indonesia. The 24 year old Adoian has fought his entire professional career in Thai, and has scored 3 successive stoppage wins coming into this bout. Although a professional novice Adoian will be the favourite against Mukhlis, who is a long, long way removed from the fighter who challenged Takashi Uchiyama way back in September 2010. Since the loss to Uchiyama Mukhlis has gone 6-8-2 and is 0-5-1 in his last 6. A second bout of note here will see unbeaten Thai based Uzbek Murodjon Yokubov (6-0, 4) battle against Indian foe Amandeep Singh (4-0, 1). For Yokubov this bout will be his 6th of the year and whilst his opposition has been limited it's hard not to like a guy who is active, developing his skills and getting ring time under his belt. As for Singh this will be only his second bout since the the start of 2018, and it's hard to know whether he'll manage to be put up any sort of competition for Yokubov. Jakarta, Indonesia The Indonesian capital of Jakarta also plays host to a small profile card, headlined by a 6 round contest between Waldo Sabu (13-14, 3) and Alvius Maufani (7-4-2, 4). On paper this is a really hard card to care about, and whilst we suspect their fun action from the Metro TV Studio the bouts are very much novices against each other and fighters with losing records rather than anything worth getting too excited by.  Tokyo, Japan
This coming Wednesday is not only the 1st of May but it is also a day with a stacked card as we begin a busy, and potentially brilliant month of Asian boxing. And if we're being honest we begin the month with a genuinely brilliant card courtesy of Dangan, who put on not only a brilliant title bout, but 3 other bouts worthy of note. This is a good a domestic card, on paper, that we've seen in 2019. The main event is a Japanese Featherweight title bout, which will pit national champion Taiki Minamoto (16-5, 13) against mandatory challenger Reiya Abe (19-2, 9), The hard hitting champion really impressed us in his title win, dominating Takenori Ohashi in April 2018, but looked very beatable in his first defense, scoring a late stoppage in a nip and tuck bout against Tatsuya Otsubo. Abe on the other hand has been in impressive through the last few years with 11 straight wins, including victories over Tsuyoshi Tameda, Joe Noynay and Satoshi Hosono. This will be a fantastic match up between a boxer-puncher and a brilliant slick boxer and we're really, really looking forward to this. It could be very special. Our full preview of this bout can be read heere Minamoto and Abe clash in mouth watering Featherweight title bout! In the chief support bout we'll see Hinata Maruta (8-1-1, 7) look to build on his December win over Tsuyoshi Tameda as he takes on Coach Hiroto (13-2-2, 4). For Hiroto this will be his first bout since fighting to a draw with Ryo Hino in January 2018, during which time he has been kicked out of the Kadoebi Gym for failing to make weight for a bout with Shohei Omori. Hiroto certainly has a point to prove, fighting under the Dangan banner for the first time, but will be the clear under-dog against Maruta, who is a super talent despite the two marks on his record. Our full preview of this bout is available here Maruta and Hiroto clash at Korakuen Hall! Another brilliant bout on this show will see the hard hitting Masamichi Yabuki (8-3, 8) take on skilled youngster Ryuto Oho (12-4-1, 4), in a bout rearranged from March. The bout had to be delayed due to Oho suffering an injury but he now seems to be healthy in what is regarded as being a Japanese title eliminator. This promises high quality boxing, exciting exchanges and real action. A potential classic, and a bout that may have been helped in it's delay, by being added to such a stacked card, getting more eyeballs on the fighters. One other bout worthy of note will see former amateur standout out Motoki Osanai (3-2, 1) look to record his third straight win, as he takes on Naoto Fujimoto (11-9-1, 5). Osanai turned professional with big expectations but hasn't yet found his groove in the pro ranks and has been fighting between Super Flyweight and Super Bantamweight. If he can find his place he has the ability to really put this poor start behind him. On paper Fujimoto looks like a bit of a nothing opponent, but the reality is that he's a nightmare to fight and we're expecting him to make this bout ultra-competitive and there could just be a round or 2 separating the men at the end of the scheduled 8.  The Hiranaka Boxing school, headed by Akinobu Hiranaka, are putting on a stacked event this coming Thursday with 2 different shows at the City Gym in Tomigusuku. The first card is a Rookie show, as part of the Rookie of the Year, whilst the second is a much more serious shows with more notable fighters involved.
Okinawa, Japan The first card is set to begin at mid-day with 6 bouts set for it, including a number of Rookie of the Year bouts. Among the Rookie of the Year bouts is a contest between Hikaru Fukunaga (1-0, 1) and the debuting Shinya Saito (0-0), who will be fighting at Featherweight. Fukunaga made his debut over a year ago, but has spent a lot of time out of the ring, as for Saito this will be his debut, and is a chance to progress through the Rookie of the Year. Another interesting Rookie of the Yeah bout will see the hard hitting Ryuku Nagamine (3-0, 3) take on Takanobu Fujinami (1-2-1). Nagamine scored 3 stoppage wins last year, including two at this venue in Tomigusuku, whilst Fujinami went 1-1-1 last year he could well have gone 3-0 and this shouldn't be the mismatch it looks on paper. It's also worth noting that Fujinami's debut came against the very under-rated Taiga Higashi. Okinawa, Japan The second show is set to begin at 4PM local time and feature 7 bouts, involving fighters with much more notable names. The main event of the card is a mouth watering showdown between Ryuto Oho (12-4-1, 4) and Masamichi Yabuki (8-3, 8), in what really could be something very special. Oho has had an up and down career, but has won the Rookie of the Year, in 2013, and the Japanese Youth title, in 2018, and is coming into this bout on the back of 3 straight wins. Yabuki has gone 2-2 in his last 4, but has stopped a former world title challenger and made his international debut during that run, and will be full of confidence here. It's not only the main event that is tasty, and another will see talented youngster Shuma Nakazato (7-1-2, 6) face off with Filipino fighter Lorence Rosas (9-3-2, 3). This looks a fantastic and well matched bout, and should be a tough but winnable test for Nakazato, who is much better than his recent form of 2-1-2 suggests. Rosas is no world beater but should make for an interesting assignment for the 22 year old Nakazato, who's only loss came to Hironori Mishiro. Another international bout will see Tatsuro Nakashima (8-1-1, 6) battle Indonesian foe Hengky Elleuw (5-7, 5). This should be little more than an easy win for Nakashima, especially when you consider that Elleuw has been stopped in all 7 of his defeats. One other man on this show is Seita Ogido (12-4-3, 3), though at the time of writing his opponent hasn't been announced. He has only won 1 of his last 5 bouts and despite once being a touted hopeful he is now a fighter needing a win to keep alive any hope of having a meaningful career. California, USA Also in action will be popular Filipino fighter Mercito Gesta (32-2-2, 17) who will be facing off with Mexican foe Juan Antonio Rodriguez (29-7, 25) in a 10 round bout. This will be Gesta's second contest since he lost to Jorge Linares in January 2018 and he will be looking to build on a June 2018 win over Robert Manzanarez. Rodriguez hasn't fought since June 2017, when he was beaten by Pedro Campa, and has lost 2 of his last 3 and 3 of his last 6, including defeats Javier Fortuna and Jezzrel Corralas |
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