 T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
To close a 3 day fiesta of huge fights in the US we have a Top Rank card in Las Vegas on Sunday featuring the current star of Japanese boxing, returning to the US for the first time in almost 4 years, and the US debut of a rising Japanese star, who’s expected to fight for a world title sooner rather than later. The headline bout will see Undisputed Super Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (29-0, 26) defending his title against unheralded challenger Ramon Cardenas (26-1, 14). Inoue, fighting for the second time in 2025, was last seen in an American ring during 2021, when he stopped Michael Dasmarinas, back when he was a Bantamweight champion. Since then he has become Undisputed champion at both Bantamweight and Super Bantamweight, and scored legacy defining wins over Nonito Donaire, Stephen Fulton, Marlon Tapales and Luis Nery. Sadly though since his win over Nery, a year ago, his competition has dropped off, with wins over TJ Doheny and Ye Joon Kim being criticised, despite both coming about after issues securing a fight with Sam Goodman, and this fight, with Cardenas has also come about after issues getting a more notably fighter, in this case Alan Picasso. As for Cardenas, there is no pressure on him here, and he’s getting the opportunity of a lifetime, on the back of wins against the likes of Bryan Acosta, Jesus Ramirez Rubio, Israel Rodriguez Picazo and Rafael Pedroza. This isn't so much a step up in class for the challenger as an astronomical leap, however he deserves credit for saying yes when it seems others have said no to facing The Monster. In a supporting bout unbeaten Japanese hopeful Mikito Nakano (12-0, 11) will make his US debut, as he takes on Pedro Marquez Medina (16-1, 10). The hard hitting Nakano is the OPBF Featherweight champion, who was earmarked as one to watch since debuting in 2018. Had it not been for an injury during the Covid pandemic we genuinely feel he could well have been mixing at world level by now, but the injury slowed his progress drastically, and he's now making up for lost time. He's not seen the final bell since his 5th bout, an 8 round win over Ruito Saeki, and has won, and defended the OPBF title. As for As for Medina, he's unbeaten since a 2015 loss to Luis Lebron, winning 15 in a row since then. Whilst his competition hasn't been the toughest during that run he does hold some notable wins, including one over Felix Caraballo, one of Juan Carlos Pena and one over Alexander Meija, who Japanese fans may remember for his 2017 bout with Hiroshige Osawa. This has the feel of being “Nakano’s international debut” rather than a genuinely competitive bout. Wat Pak Bo School, Suan Luang, Bangkok, Thailand As well as the two notable bouts in Las Vegas, we also have a small card in Thailand, with two Thai title bouts on the show One of the title bouts will see the once beaten Wira Mikham (17-1, 11) take on Surasit Klinkason (4-5, 4) in a bout for the Thai Featherweight title. Despite his 17-1 record, there is a lack of real quality on Mikham's record. His most notable bout is a loss in the UK against Dayan Gonzalez, whilst his biggest wins are against much smaller men, such as Phai Pharob and Wittawas Basapean Despite that he should have far, far too much for Klinkason, who is 1-4 i his last 5, has been stopped 4 times in his last 5 bouts, and has failed to score a single win of note, in fact all 4 of his wins have come against fighters with either fewer wins than losses, or were making their debut. The other title bout will see Patumpong Saengarun (13-8, 7) battle against Bunchuai Phosungnoen (8-6-1, 6) for the Thai Middleweight title. On paper this looks competitive, though if we’re being honest Saengarun should have too much for his foe. The 33 year old Saengarun has only been stopped twice and recently went the distance with Japanese prospect Yukiya Ochiai. Interestingly Saengarun has gone 12-3 after a horror start to his career which began 0-4 and was 1-5 after 6 bouts. Phosungnoen on the other hand has been stopped in 5 of his 6 losses, has fought at 140lbs during his career and lacks anything on his record to get excited about. There is no momentum, there is no bout that has seen him show some toughness and nothing that suggests he can pick up a win here.
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 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Saturday we get the first Dynamic Glove show of the year, and it’s a great one, with 3 regional title bouts and the next bout of a fast rising prospect that some in Japan are viewing as a major part of the future of Japanese boxing. In the main event we’ll see the hard hitting and really promising Mikito Nakano (11-0, 10) look to make his first defense of the OPBF Featherweight title, as he takes on fellow Japanese fighter Hiroki Hanabusa (13-3-5, 5). The 29 year old Nakano has long been viewed as a potential star for Teiken, but it took him almost 6 years to win his first title, which he did last year when he stopped Bryx Piala in 4 rounds for the OPBF title. Given his undeniable ability it does feel like he’s been moved a bit too slowly, but if he’s busy this year he could well be knocking on the door of a world title. He’s talented, heavy handed, quick, and seems to have it all, other than a real breakout win, which he will hope to get in 20025. As for Hanabusa he's an upset minded fighter who has got some really good domestic wins under his belt, against Kyonosuke Kameda and Kai Watanabe, and he has never lost at Featherweight, with losses at Super Bantamweight and Super Featherweight. Hanabusa is tough and interestingly he will be Nakano’s first Japanese opponent since December 2020, the only time Nakano has gone the distance, when he faced Ruito Saeki. In a Flyweight title bout Jukiya Iimura (7-1, 2) will face Filipino fighter Lorenz Dumam-ag (10-0-1, 7) in a fight for the vacant OPBF Flyweight title. Coming into this Iimura is the Japanese national champion and he has rebuilt excellently since a 2022 loss to Esneth Domingo, in his only previous bout against a Filipino, winning 4 in a row which has seen him win the Japanese title, and run up 3 defenses of the title. In the ring Iimura tends to be in good fights, partly relying on his amateur boxing skills, and partly hamstrung by his lack of power, which tends to see him getting dragged into fun fights, with his bout against Yuga Inoue being a sensational fight. As for the Filipino, Dumam-ag is flawed, but has got real power and goes by the nickname “Shotgun”. He has taken 4 unbeaten records in his last 5 bouts, and is best known for his controversial win over Ramel Macado Jr, where the time keeper messed up failing to ring the bell after 3 minutes after the first round. If he can drag Iimura into a firefight he has a real chance here to claim his biggest win to date Nakano isn’t the only regional Featherweight champion defending his title, as stablemate Kenji Fujita (7-0, 3) makes his second defense of the WBO Asia Pacific title and takes on hard hitting Filipino Michael Casama (10-2-1, 10). The talented Fujita was a stellar amateur, and his talent is undeniable, but his ability to reach the top as a professional does seem limited, with the 30 year old Southpaw lacking the time and power to make a mark at the elite level of the professional ranks. Despite that he is talented, and he can certainly box, and we wouldn’t be surprised by him having a long reign as a regional champion. As for Casama, the Filipino is dangerous, as he showed last time out, when he upset the much fancied Kota Kaneko in 125 seconds, but he does struggle when taken rounds, as seen in losses to Pablito Canada and Junya Shimada. If Fujita can see out the early storm that Casama brings to the table, he should have the tools to take a clear decision win. Also on this show is fast rising Japanese teenager Sento Ito (2-0, 2), who debuted as a professional in April 2024 and will seek his third win in 9 months as he takes on Filipino Alvin Camique (9-3, 4). Ito, who fights around Bantamweight, looks to be a fantastic prospect, he blew out Yotin Thongkhan on debut, in 55 seconds, then showed he had plenty of stamina as he broke down the teak tough Guangheng Luan in 8 rounds 5 months later. This is a genuine step up with Camique having never been stopped, and being upset minded, as seen in his 2023 win over the then 8-0 John Vincent Pangga and his 2024 win over Ben Ligas. Notably he was beaten last time in Japan, when he lost to Ryo Mandokoro, but was competitive and should serve as a real test for Ito.  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.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
On paper the main card in the Orient is in Tokyo, where we get a Japan Vs China and Thailand show Although the card is Japan Vs China and Thailand, there is actually only a single bout featuring a Thai, and that’s the bout pitting the brilliant Mikito Nakano (9-0, 8) against Sathaporn Saart (13-1, 8) in the show’s main event. On paper this looks like a really good bout, though in reality Nakano is one of the best prospects in Japan, and seems to be on the verge of a domestic, or regional title bout. As for the Thai he lost on debut, in a baptism of fire against the then 24-1 Thiranan Matsali, before reeling off 13 straight wins. Many of those wins are relatively low key, but he did beat Pipat Chaiporn, Ken Jordan and Nattapong Jankaew during that run. Notably this is Saart’s first fight outside of Thailand, and it’s a really tough one against a very talented and hard hitting hopeful Talking about hard hitting and talented Japanese hopefuls, few are as explosive as former amateur standout Hiroto Yashiro (5-0, 5), who clashes with hard hitting Chinese visitor Jun Zhao (13-4-2, 10). Yashiro has scored 5 wins in just 13 rounds, with 7 of those rounds coming in his 2023 clash with Nattapong Jankaew, and he has looked like a real talent so far. As for Zhao, he was one of the better Chinese fighters out there at one point, but at 31 he has likely started to decline just a touch, as seen by a 3-fight win-less streak coming into this. In fact he’s not scored a win in over 4 years, and he’ll likely know he needs a win here to keep his career alive. Another man needing a win right now is former Japanese Welterweight title contender Masaya Tamayama (14-4, 8), who fights for the first time since November 2022, and seeks his first win since May 2021. He’s up against the once beaten Fan Zhang (6-1-1, 4). Sadly for Zhang he was blown out inside a minute last time out, and many of his wins have come at a very, very low level making it hard to know how good he really is. One bout where China might be expected to pick up a win is a bout between the light punching Eikichi Ueno (4-2-2) and unbeaten Chinese fighter Lite Dawuxi (6-0, 4). For Ueno this is his second 6 rounder and he’s 2-1-2 in his last 5, all against novices. Dawuxi, who’s making his international debut, has also mostly fought novices, but did stop the experience George Lumoly last time out, in what is a career best win. Higashin Arena, Sumida-Ku, Tokyo, Japan Staying in Tokyo, we’ll also get a Dangan card at the Higashin Arena. This card, which we won’t go into much detail about, is a card packed with 4 rounder bouts. The bouts, by themselves, aren’t really worthy of much attention, but one thing we do know about these shows is they tend to give us great action, and a lot of fun fights. The men involved are all novices, and none of them are expected to develop into top international contenders, but they will put it all on the line on what will be a very fun and wild show. EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan A third noteworthy Japanese show takes place in Osaka where Juiki Tatsuyoshi (15-0-1, 10), the son of the legendary Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, takes on limited Thai veteran Chaiwat Buatkrathok (41-9, 27). Tatsuyoshi is a flawed but fun fighter who has been developed slowly, and whilst he’s never going to become the fighter his dad was, he will always be fun to watch due to his offensive style, power and defensive flaws, all of which he actually shares with his father. Sadly though he is clearly much more limited than his father and lacks the X-factor charisma his dad had. As for the Thai, Buatkrathok is a very limited fighter and despite having 50 bouts to his name he still fights like a novice, with a lot of flaws and has a very, very padded record. Cheongpyeong Family Hotel, Cheongpyeong, South Korea Outside of Japan we also get a small but notable South Korean card In a scheduled 8 rounder unbeaten 21 year old Korean based Uzbek hopeful Egamberdi Nuriddinov (4-0-1, 2) takes on Chinese fighter Biegezhati Suosailehan (7-3-2, 6). For Nuriddinov this will be his second bout of the year, and his first career 8 rounder, and it’s fair to say his team have got strong expectations for him, even if he’s still very much a developing and maturing youngster. Suosailehan on the other hand will be in his second 8 rounder, though he has also fought in a pair of 10 rounders, and is 5-1 (5) in his last 6, dating back to 2020. Suosailehan is likely to look the bigger man, having fought as high as Light Heavyweight, but Nuriddinov definitely has the more class and pedigree, and we suspect that will be the difference here. In a battle of unbeaten men Uzbek Doniyorbek Khaitaliev (6-0, 4) will face off with China’s Balihenbieke Balihenbieke (2-0-0-1, 1), over 6 rounds. Khaitaliev looks good on paper, but when you scratch beneath the surface you notice that 5 of his 6 wins have come against novices, and the only time he fought someone with some experience he went the 4 round distance and lost one of those rounds. Aged 20 Balihenbieke went 6 rounds back in January, giving the then 3-0 Han Mi his first loss, and it’s fair to say he’ll be coming into this to take another unbeaten record. This could be much, much more competitive than it looks at first glance. The show was also set to see former Korean amateur standout Jong Hun Shin (1-0) take on Run Zhao (2-3-1,1), with Shin looking to build on his impressive debut in against Ranelio Quizo in December 2022, but sadly that bout has now been scrapped, and it seems like we’ll never really see how good of a professional Shin could have been Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Whilst the main action involving Asian fighters is taking place in Japan and Korea we can’t forget the card taking place in Saudi Arabia. There is a lack of notable Asian fighters on the show, but one man does deserve a mention, and that’s 23 year old Afghan fighter Hasibullah Ahmadi (16-1, 5) who takes on British fighter Isaac Lowe (24-2-3, 8), with Lowe looking for a 4th win since back to back stoppage losses against Luis Alberto Lopez and Nick Ball. As for Ahmadi he is looking for his second win since a loss in March 2023 to the under-rated Dana Coolwell. Ahmadi will be the under-dog here, but is an upset minded fighter who has sprung a few surprises during his career, and will see this as a chance to really make a name for himself on a huge card in Saudi Arabia.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Attention turns to Korakuen Hall this coming Saturday for the next Teiken show, and it's a really interesting one packed with prospects all looking to secure their next wins, along with a Japanese title eliminator. The main event of the card will see the hard hitting Yamato Hata (12-1, 11) take on Yuna Hara (11-2-1, 6), in a bout to secure a place at the Champion Carnival next year, as the mandatory challenger for the Japanese title at 130lbs. Of the two men Hata will be regarded as the favourite, and he's not just the bigger puncher but also the man in form, having won his last 9 including notable wins over Shingo Kusano, Konshin Takeshima and Yoji Saito, who he stopped in March in a brilliant performance. As for Hara he had won his last 5, 4 of which he has won by stoppage, but this will be his first bout in Tokyo, and his most notable bout since a 2018 loss in the Rookie of the Year. Hara is talented, but this is very much a big step up for him, in enemy territory. The most notable of the prospects on the card is JBC and OPBF ranked hopeful Mikito Nakano (6-0, 5), who has looked sensational since his debut and is expected to secure his first title fighter sooner rather than later. The talented Nakano will be seeking his second win of the year as he takes on Filipino visitor Lorenz Ladrada (11-3-1, 3) , who has lost 2 of his last 3 including a 4th round KO loss to Dana Coolwell in July. That bout will Coolwell will likely be seen as the target for Nakano who will be wanting to take Ladrada out quicker than the popular Australian fighter. This is scheduled for 8, but if it goes the distance we'd be very, very surprised. The under-card on this show is packed with the next wave of emerging Teiken prospects. We won't go into details on the bouts individually, as every under-card bout features a notable prospect, but the card really does show the depth of talent at the Teiken gym. These under-card bouts are Kenji Fujita (2-0, 1) facing Ronnie Campos (9-4-3, 6), in a scheduled 8 rounder, and Subaru Murata (2-0, 2) against Marvilo Aballe (8-2-2, 3), Kota Kaneko (1-0, 1) battling Sugary Montales (3-1, 1), Reo Saito (1-0, 1) clashing with Jufel Salina (5-4-1, 4), Kyosuke Takami (1-0, 1) up against In Cheol Hwang (3-0-1, 1) and a battle of debutants as Keito Tanaka (0-0) and Hyuga Oki (0-0) face off, all over the 6 round distance. Spaceplus Bangkok RCA, Bangkok Whilst the card in Japan is about the next generation of Japanese stars, there is also a card in Thailand, which features both a touted prospects and a veteran, who is certainly moving into the end years of his career. The main bout here will see the unbeaten men collide, as touted Thai hopeful Yuttapong Tongdee (8-0, 4) faces Filipino visitor Herlan Gomez (5-0, 2) , in a bout for Yuttapong's WBA Asia Bantamweight title. The 29 year old Yuttapong is touted as one of Thailand's hottest prospects, and his win over Ryan Rey Pontmeras earlier this year for the WBA title is a big step towards him getting a notable international bout. Sadly he's in one of the toughest divisions in the sport, but if he's patient he will likely land a major fight Naoya Inoue eventually moves up to Super Bantamweight. As for Gomez this will be his third bout in Thailand, and comes on the back of two wins, over previously unbeaten Thai's earlier this year. He will, rightfully, be seen as the under-dog, but he will certainly have plenty of self belief thanks to his recent results. The veteran on the card is former world title contender Tewa Kiram (47-1, 33), who famously fought Lucas Matthysse back in 2018. Since losing to Matthysse he has gone unbeaten, racking up 9 wins, but has fought as high as 175lb and his most notable bout during this stretch was against former Bantamweight and Super Featherweight world champion Sirimongkol Singwancha. His career certainly feels like it's petering out, and at the time of writing his opponent for this bout is un-named, suggesting he won't be facing someone able to put up any kind of a test. Saigon Sports Club, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam As well as the notable action in Japan and Thailand we also get a mall card in Vietnam, featuring some of Vietnam's top prospects taking on international opposition. One of the more notable prospects on this card is Super Middleweight hopeful Dinh Hoang Truong (2-0, 2), who looked set for big things in early 2020, after dominating Yuttana Wongda in the Philippines, but has now been out of the ring for close to 32 months and will be looking to shake some ring rust here. In the opposite corner to Truong will be Indonesian veteran Robert Kopa (14-11-3, 4), who is not expected to put up much, if anything, of a test for Truong. Now aged 38 Kopa has lost his last 5, with 3 losses coming by stoppage and is without a win in 5 years. He i also the naturally much, much, much smaller man. Another prospect with some hope on their shoulders is 29 year old Huu Toan Le (4-0, 2), who takes on the highly experienced Silem Serang (18-23-3, 2). Le has managed to fit in a fight earlier this year, taking a competitive decision over Kitidech Hirunsuk in March to claim the WBA Asia title, and he'll be looking to build on that win, whilst also getting some valuable experience here. Whilst Serang does have a terrible looking record, he has shown some desire to change things in recent years, and has won 3 of his last 4, though was beaten last time out by Frengky Rohi, albeit in a well contested and competitive bout.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Monday we get the next show under the Dynamic Glove banner, and it's a really notable one, with the Japanese ring return of a notable Lightweight, an interim Japanese title fight and a chance to see 5 notable unbeaten prospects in action. The main event will see Masayoshi Nakatani (19-2, 13) return to Japan for the first time in well over 3 years, as he takes on Harmonito Dela Torre (22-3, 14). The talented Nakatani hasn't fought in Japan since he beat Hurricane Futa back in 2018. Since then he has fought 3 times, fighting Teofimo Lopez, Felix Verdejo and Vasyl Lomachenko. Despite not fighting in Japan recently Nakatani's profile has risen massively with those 3 fights and he has gone from being a fighter only known in Asia to a fighter with something of an international profile. As for Dela Torre, he's a talented fighter, but someone who has come up short in his most notable bouts, with losses to Tugstsogt Nyambayar, Yongqiang Yang and Shuichiro Yoshino, with that loss to Yoshino happening in his only previous bout in Japan. Whilst we suspect that Nakatani could see off Dela Torre early on, we actually expect to see him take a few rounds, enjoy the the feel of a Japanese audience and then, finally, get to work on finishing Dela Torre in the middle rounds. In the co-feature bout we'll see former Japanese Welterweight champion Yuki Nagano (19-3, 15) take on Takeru Kobata (11-5-1, 4) for the interim Japanese Welterweight title, with the bout being organised following an injury to Japanese Welterweight champion Keita Obara. Notably Nagano was supposed to face Obara for the Japanese title earlier this year, with that bout being cancelled due to Obara's injury which appears to be series enough for an interim title to be created. Coming into this Nagano knows he has everything to lose, and a loss to Kobata would end any hope of that Obara bout being re-arranged. As for Kobata this is a massive chance for him to make a name for himself, and coming in to this he really isn't well known, even in Japan, so this opportunity is absolutely massive for his career. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Nagano and Kobata clash for Interim title! One of the many prospects on this card is the much touted Mikito Nakano (5-0, 4), one of the very best prospects in Japan, who takes on Filipino Juanito Paredes (9-7-1, 4). The talented Nakano didn't fight at all last year, and has fought just once since the start of the pandemic. Despite his career stalling during the pandemic there is no denying Nakano's ability, and he's incredibly smooth in the ring, with a solid amateur career and an impressive transition to the pro ranks, which should see him fighting for a title of some sort within 3 or 4 fights. As for Paredes he's unlikely to put up much of a test for Nakano, though we wouldn't be surprised to see him take Nakano into the later rounds of the bout. Notably Paredes has turned his career around well, after a 1-4-1 start to his career, but he has lost 2 of his last 3 and is facing arguably the most talented fighter he's faced so far. A second unbeaten hopeful taking on a Filipino visitor is Katsuya Fukui (3-0, 2), who will face off with Jason Buenaobra (8-6-3, 3). The talented Fukui began his career in 2019 but sadly was out of the ring for the entirety of 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. He return last year with a career best win, over Hiroki Hanabusa, and will be looking to build on that win here. As for Buenaobra, he is best known for his 2020 loss to Daigo Higa, in what was Higa's long awaited and since then has gone 1-1 suggesting. Sadly for Buenaobra he is 1-3 in his last 4 and it would take a career best performance for him to over-come the must touted Fukui. Another former amateur standout taking on a Filipino visitor is Subaru Murata (1-0, 1), who battles against John Mark Tihuk (6-1-2, 2). The talented Murata, who is one of the most notable Japanese amateur in recent memories, debuted last June in Las Vegas, when he stopped Keven Monroy on a Top Rank card, and he'll be expected to be moved very quickly now, especially given the time that he's wasted since hanging up the vest and turning professional way back in 2020. Notably the Japanese local isn't being matched easily here, and Tihuk is no push over, in fact the 23 year old Pinoy reached the semi final of the UBS tournament in 2020 and has reeled off 4 straight wins since then, taking 3 unbeaten records along the way, including that of Ranelio Quizo. This should serve as a genuine test for Murata. One other bout worthy of note will be the debut of 24 year old hopeful Kota Kaneko (0-0), who went 56-13 as an amateur. The promising 24 year old will be up against Thai visitor Pasith Visetso (6-2, 4), who is ranked #9 in Thailand. Kaneko really did look like a promising talent in the unpaid ranks and there are big hopes in the Teiken gym for him, and his future in the sport. As for the Thai, he's a 21 year old who will be fighting outside of Thailand for the first time. On paper Viseto doesn't look anything special, and his wins have come against fellow novices, though it's worth noting that he faced Kongfah CP Freshmart, though he was stopped in 3 rounds in that bout. October 29th- Kulakhmet and Fanlong returns, world title challengers in action in Philippines10/26/2021 This coming Friday isn't a huge day for fans of Asian fighters, but there is plenty to get excited about, with several notable names, promising hopefuls and former world title challengers being involved.
York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom One of the most interesting bouts sees touted Kazakh hopeful Tursynbay Kulakhmet (4-0, 3) defending his WBC International title against Juan Carlos Abreu (23-6-1, 21), in a mouth watering match up. There is not doubting Kulakhmet's potential, and he has looked fantastic at times, though is very much a developing fight and nothing close to the complete product, and we are really glad to see his team putting him in interesting match ups like this so early in his career. The 27 year old has the potential to fight at the top level and him being moved quickly is great to see. Abreu is no world beater, but he's heavy handed and has only been stopped once, by the then 25-0 Jaron Ennis, and a stoppage here would see Kulakhmet's reputation blossom rapidly. Silver Spurs Arena, Kissimmee, Florida, USA Whilst Kulakhmet is being moved quickly the same can't be said of Chinese Light Heavyweight Fanlong Meng (16-0, 10), who was set for a world title fight in 2020, and has now been out of the ring for 2 years! Sadly his return isn't against someone who will prepare him for a world title contest, but instead he'll face Panama's Israel Duffus (20-6, 17) in what should be little more than a rust shaking, stay busy bout for the Chinese fighter. Also on this card will be Japan prospects Mikito Nakano (5-0, 4) and Kenji Fujita (1-0, 1), who will be making their US debuts, against yet to be named opponents. Nakano looks like he could be in the mix for a domestic title in the very near future, and looks to be a genuinely special talent. Fujita, who debuted earlier this year, has the tools to be put on the fast track, and it's going to be very exciting to see what he does to impress an American audience. Sanman Gym, General Santos City, Philippines Over in he Philippines we get an Asian show featuring several former world title challengers, in bouts that should end up being rather predictable and straight forward wins. One of the former world title challengers on this show is Aston Palicte (27-4-1, 23), who will be up against Roland Jay Biendima (15-9-1, 8). Palicte, best known for his bouts with Donnie Nietes and Kazuto Ioka, should be too big, too strong and too powerful for Biendima, who has now lost 4 in a row. Palicte has won his last two, both at domestic level, and we suspect that the plan is to get some rounds here before stepping up in the new year and begin moving towards a third world title fight. A second former world title challenger on this card is Richie Mepranum (35-8-1, 10), who will be up against the very limited Nicardo Calamba (9-32-5, 6). At his best Mepranum was a very solid boxer, but he's now been pout of the ring for close to two years and we can't help but feel his career is coming to a close. Despite that he should have way, way too much for Calamba here, and could end up retiring sooner rather than later. A third world title challenger on this card is the incredibly talented Mark Anthony Barriga (10-1, 2), who is set to pick up an easy win here against the very, very limited Ramil Antaran (4-14-2). Barriga has the potential to win a world title, somewhere down the line, and should win this one very, very easily, but it's a real shame that he's fighting at such a low level. His talent deserves to much more, and hopefully in 2022 we see him facing off with one off the bigger names at either Minimumweight or Light Flyweight Other mismatch with a notable fighter on this card will see the often under-rated Joey Canoy (16-5-1-1, 9) take on Michael Camelion (11-13-3, 9), in what again looks like a horrible mismatch. Canoy might not be a world beater, but he's not too far off world class and should be far, far, far too good for Camelion.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
The next week or so set to be a good one in Tokyo, with three shows in 3 days at Korakuen Hall. The third of those is an Ohashi promoted event that is headlined by a fantastic main event, and has some very notable supporting bouts. The fantastic main event will see WBO Asia Pacific Featherweight champion Musashi Mori (12-0, 7) take on OPBF champion Satoshi Shimizu (9-1, 9) in a massive regional unification bout. The talented Mori has been on a great run recently, with recent wins against Richard Pumicpic, Takuya Mizuno and Tsuyoshi Tameda, but he is now set for his most dangerous bout. Shimizu on the other hand is a very dangerous fighter, but has continually looked crude, easy to hit and defensively flawed. Give the styles of the two men this should be a thrilling bout, and a real test of Mori's chin and patience, as well as a test to see whether Shimizu can adjust against a speedy smart fighter. A second title bout on this show will see the unbeaten Kazuki Nakajima (9-0-1, 8) take on the under-rated Kai Chiba (13-1, 8) in a bout for the vacant OPBF Bantamweight title, which was given up by Takuma Inoue. Although not as interesting as the main event, this has the potential to be a fight that breaks into a war. Neither of these men are too well polished, though with Nakajima being a very puncher and Chiba being a boxer-puncher it has the potential to erupt into a war at any moment. We expect this to be slow at times, but once the touch paper is lit expect this to give us serious fireworks until one of the fighters forces a stoppage, and claim the title. Third generation fighter Keisuke Matsumoto (2-0, 2) looks to build on his early development as he takes on Hiromu Murota (6-4-2, 4). The 21 year old Matsumoto has looked a mixed bag so far. He's clearly talented, but we do have questions about his defense and his durability, and it seems he's a work in progress. Despite that he's being matched tough here against Murota, who recently held former Japanese Super Featherweight champion Seichi Okada to a draw and is unbeaten in his last 5. Matsumoto should win, but we expect to see Murota asking genuine questions of him here. One other bout on this card worthy of some attention will see rising Lightweight hopeful Katsuya Yasuda (7-0, 4) battle against Tomoki Takada (8-5-2, 5), in a battle between two JBC ranked Lightweights. The 29 year old Yasuda is a legitimat talent, with under-dated defense and an excellent boxing brain, but he is also someone who has yet to be given the chances to shine, and is sadly getting older without having made much of an impact on the sport. Here against Takada we see Yasuda getting a chance to move towards a national title fight. As for Takada he is showing power recently and has scored 3 opening round in his last 5 bouts. We expect to see Takada's power going up against Yasuda's defense and counter punching here. International Convention Centre, East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa As well as the action in Japan there is also action in South Africa where Filipino fighter Joey Canoy (16-4-1-1, 9) takes on Nhlanhla Tyirha (4-1, 2), in a bout for the WBA Inter Continental Light Flyweight title. Although not too well known internationally Canoy is very much an under-rated fighter with wins against Toto Landero and Melvin Jerusalem, but it's fair to say that Filipino fighters rarely have any luck in South Africa and that's unlikely to change here. Tyirha isn't a big name but he did give Nkosinathi Joyi a close run bout in 2019 and he's certainly someone with the potential to be a contender in the lower weights in the coming years. Bryan Glazer Family JCC Auditorium, Tampa, Florida, USA Over in Florida we're expecting to see a trio of Japanese hopefuls in action as Teiken and All Star promotions look to develop some of the best talented in Tokyo. The most established of the trio is Mikito Nakano (5-0, 4), who has looked brilliant on the Japanese scene and is coming through the deep Featherweight and Super Featherweight ranks at home. Although not a complete fighter yet, he is developing well and this should be a good chance to see what he can do on foreign soil, though his opponent has yet to be named Another man on this card is Kenji Fujita (1-0, 1), who looked fantastic on debut earlier this year and looks like the type of fighter of who can be moved incredibly quickly. There is clearly a lot of work for him to do with Fujita, but he's a very advanced fighter for a 1-0 boxer, and he seems to have the potential to go a very, very long way. He's skilled, has a high level boxing IQ and fighting over in the US will do him the world of good, especially this earlier in his career. Sadly however he also hasn't had his opponent named fro this event. The third Japanese fighter on this show is the debuting Subara Murata (0-0), a former amateur stand out who is tipped to go to the top very quickly. Murata turned professional last year, but was unable to kick things off due to the Covid19 pandemic. It's a shame he's had to wait so long to make his debut, but given his style and amateur pedigree is seems almost certain that he's set to be a major success in the pros. As with his two countrymen he has not had his opponent named for this bout, but it's still great to see him making his debut, at long last!  It's fair to say that this coming Saturday is set to be an busy day, despite not being one lined up with super-fights. Instead we get some evenly matched bouts and some prospects in action.
Workpoint Studio, Bang Phun, Thailand For us the most interesting show this coming Saturday is the latest in the WP Boxing series thanks to NKL and Workpoint, who will be streaming the bout on their Facebook and Youtube channels. The card is a rare double header on Thai TV and in fairness both of the main bouts are very solid ones. One of those main bouts will see the unbeaten Apichet Petchmanee (7-0, 2) defending his WBC Asian Boxing Council Lightweight title against Musheg Adoian (7-2, 7) in the second bout between the two men. These two fought back in October with Apichet taking a controversial 8 round decision over Adoian, who scored 2 knockdowns and seemed to do enough to take at least a draw. The controversial nature of their first bout lead to calls for a rematch and now, just 2 months later, we see them go again. We can't help but think that Thai based Russian Adoian will be looking to make a point here following the controversial first bout, and Apichet will need to be at his very best to avoid defeat this time around. The other main bout will see highly touted prospect Thai prospect Phongsaphon Panyakum (10-1, 5) take on former WBC Light Flyweight champion Kompayak Porpramook (60-10, 41), with Phongsaphon looking to defend the WBC Asian Boxing Council Super Flyweight title. The 20 year old Panyakum has been really impressive since losing on debut to Kai Ishizawa, and has gone from a scrawny, under-developed teenage, into a promising, tough and aggressive 20 year old with real raw potential, though potential that certainly needs ironing out. Kompayak on the other hand is a 38 year old who is very much one the back end of his career, but is still a hungry and aggressive fighter who has been testing prospects regularly in recent years, and he could have the style, toughness and energy to be a real handful for the youngster here. Interestingly Kompayak did only get this bout on a few weeks notice, replacing former world title challenger Sarawut Thawornkham, who had to pull out of the bout and then retire, due to health issues. Also on this card will be 23 year old hopeful Chainoi Worawut (12-0-1, 11), who is already in the WBC world rankings and is tipped for big things. Chainoi, also known as Thattana Luangphon, will be up against Anurak Madua (7-5, 5), in what should be little more than an early blow out win for the unbeaten youngster. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan As well as the action in Thailand we also have some televised action in Japan thanks to Yokohama Hikari and G+ with the latest in the Dynamic Glove series of shows. Compared to many Dynamic Glove cards this is a smaller show, but the two main bouts are certainly worthy of attention. The chief support bout will see former Japanese Welterweight champion Yuki Nagano (17-3, 13) take on the somewhat limited Masafumi Ando (6-10-2, 3) in an 8 rounder. For Nagano this will be his first bout since losing the Japanese title to Keita Obara back in February, so we do under-stand him having an easier bout, especially when his last 5 have included Riku Nagahama, Yuki Beppu, Ryota Yada and the aforementioned Obara. Whilst Ando is no world beater, and his record makes it fairly clear he's pretty limited, he is only a few fights removed from a big upset win over Toshio Arikawa and if he's in the mood he could be a potential banana skin here. Yes, Nagano is the clear favourite, but this isn't the gimme the records may suggest, especially not after Nagano took a beating to Obara. In the main event the very promising Mikito Nakano (4-0, 4) will be looking for win #5 as he takes on his first Japanese opponent, Ruito Saeki (7-3-1, 1). The very talented Nakano has looked like a potential star in the making since turning professional in October 2018, and he has been matched hard recently with two good wins against solid Filipino visitors. A win here and we suspect Teiken will begin looking at title fighters for the 25 year old Featherweight hopeful. Saeki on the other hand is a 22 year old in need of a big performance. Entering this bout Saeki has failed to win any of his last 3, but has been matched hard, facing the likes of Takenori Ohashi, Shingo Kawamura and Ken Osato. On paper this should be the best test so far for Nakano, but one we expect him to pass on route to bigger and better things. RCC Boxing Academy, Ekaterinburg, Russia After the two cards in Asia we get another card that will be streamed on the RCC YouTube channel for those interested and will feature several notable and interesting Asian fighters. The most notable of the Asian fighters on this card will be 29 year old Uzbek Welterweight Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (8-1, 5), who won an Olympic gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Sadly since turning professional Gaibnazarov has failed to light up the pros, and had struggled before losing to Mykal Fox in May 2019. This will be his second bout since then and he'll face off with Russian based Armenian Manuk Dilanyan (11-4-1, 4), who should have real size advantage over Gaibnazarov, but we suspect the skills and amateur pedigree of the Uzbek should be enough to see him to a victory here. Another notable Asian on this show will be unbeaten Kazakh Middleweight Meiirim Nursultanov (13-0, 8), who looks to be fighting in tune up bout after a year away from the ring. The talented Nursultanov will be up against Ilya Balandin (4-3-1, 2), and it's hard to see anything but an easy win for Nursultanov, who we suspect will be looking to shake some ring rust and move on to bigger things in 2021. Another Asian on this show will be Turat Osmonov (4-0, 3), from Kyrgyzstan, who will be seeking his third win of 2020 as he takes on Zafar Parpiev (8-2, 1). This is a very clear step up in class for Osmonov who has been treat with kid gloves so far, so it'll be interesting to see if he can develiver against someone coming to win. The 32 year old Parpiev tasted a loss last time out and will be looking to avoid successive defeats here. On paper not a great bout, but a fairly interesting one and one that could end up being pretty competitive, more than we can say for some bouts on this show. Also on this card will be Uzbek opponent Sardor Muzaffarov (4-3, 2), who clashes with former world title challenger Evgeny Chuprakov (22-3, 12). On paper this should be an easy win for Chuprakov, who has struggled mightily since losing to Masayuki Ito at the end of 2018, however this might not be the gimme it first appears. Muzaffarov has been unlucky in all 3 losses, that could easily have swung his way and is likely to be a nightmare for Chuprakov, if he's got any doubt at all in his mind. Yes the Russian former world title challenger should be the favourite, but this should be regarded as a genuine test given his inconsistent recent form  This coming Saturday is an incredibly busy day for Asian boxing, with a two notable shows in Japan and very high profile bouts in the US.
California, USA The most notable of the bouts takes place in California, and is world title fight, with a supporting that also features an Asian fighter. The main event will see IBF Super Flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas (31-1-2, 21) battle against Mexican challenger Jonathan Javier Rodriguez (21-1, 15). For Ancajas this will be his 8th defense, though it's not the type of defense which will really improve his profile. Ancajas is incredibly talented, but seems to have been kept away from most of the other top Super Flyweights, which is incredibly disappointing and frustrating. For Rodriguez this bout is a big step up, and despite a win over Felipe Orucuta last time out there's very, very little quality on his record. Our full preview of this bout can be read here IBF king Ancajas takes on Rodriguez On the same show we'll see Japan's Hiroki Okada (19-1, 13) attempt to bounce back from his first loss, as he takes on 2008 Olympian Javier Molina (20-2, 8) in a very interesting looking bout. Okada was stopped last time out, by Raymundo Beltran in a very entertaining bout, and is not being given an easy comeback bout here. Molina isn't a big puncher, but is skilled and has won 3 in a row since his most recent loss, a 2016 decision loss to Jamal James. Las Vegas, USA A second US show of note will see two very interesting looking match ups. The most interesting of those will see the once beaten Romero Duno (21-1, 16) take on unbeaten American Ryan Garcia (18-0, 15). The talented Duno has won 12 in a row since suffering his sole defeat, a 2016 loss in Russia to Mikhail Alexeev. During his winning run he has scored some solid wins but a win here would put him on the map in a big way. On the other hand Garcia is a hotly tipped prospect, and is a hugely popular fighter who will be expected to get a real test here. Garcia has been able to build his record with noteworthy wins over the likes of Jayson Velez and Jose Lopez, but has yet to fight a young prime fighter. This is a big step up for both men and the winner will be ear marked to go a very long way. The second bout featuring an Asian fighter will see Kazakh fighter Meiirim Nursultanov (12-0, 8) take on tough Mexican fighter Cristian Olivas (16-5, 13). The talented Kazakh has looked good coming through the ranks but this is set to be a genuine test against a flawed but tough and heavy handed for. A very interesting match and a great test, on paper, for Nursultanov. Tokyo, Japan The most significant show in Asia for the day is at the Korakuen Hall and will be shown on G+ in Japan. The card has 6 bouts scheduled for it, but 2 of those really stand out. The main event of the show will see Japanese Light Middleweight champion Hironobu Matsunaga (15-1, 9) defending his belt against Koki Koshikawa (9-1, 6). The talented and exciting Matsunaga will be looking to make his first defense of the belt, following his title win over Nobuyuki Shindo earlier this year, and is riding a real hot streak with 9 straight wins. For Koshikawa, who was once tipped as a future star following a strong amateur background, this will be a big step up and marks his first title fight. A very interesting match up, and a very hard one to call. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Matsunaga seeks first defense as he goes up against talented Koshikawa The chief support bout on this show will be a Japanese Light Middleweight title eliminator, as former champion Nobuyuki Shindo (20-5-2, 8) takes on Yuto Shimizu (13-4-2, 5). This a match that will decide who challenges for the title in next year's Champion Carnival and is another hard one to call. Shindo is the more accomplished fighter but Shimizu has impressed in recent fights and will be there to build on a recent win over Charles Bellamy. Our preview of this eliminator can be read here Shindo and Shimizu battle in eliminator As well as the two main bouts there will supporting bouts featuring former world title challenger Ryohei Takahashi (17-4-1, 7) and the once beaten Kai Chiba (11-1, 7). Tokyo, Japan A second show at Korakuen Hall on Saturday, though the one which will actually take place first, is a Teiken show featuring 6 of their brightest hopefuls all in 8 round bouts. One of those hopefuls is Shuya Masaki (13-1, 5) who looks to be heading towards a title fight in the near future. He will be up against Filipino foe Roman Canto (14-13-3, 8) in what should be a relatively easy bout for Masaki. The Japanese fighter is only a bout or two from a title of some kind, though is likely to head for an OPBF or WBO Asia Pacific title fight in 2020. Canto has lost in 5 previous visits to Japan and it's hard to imagine him getting a win here. Another bout pitting a Japanese hopeful against a Filipino will see unbeaten Japanese puncher Hayate Kaji (13-0, 9) take on Diomel Diocos (14-4-3, 4). Early in his career Kaji looked like a star in the making, he looked like he had all the tools to go to the top, combining skills, power, speed and ambition. Sadly he's not really progressed as we'd hoped and his career seems to faltered, and he's had disappointing performances in his last two bouts. The Filipino has lost 2 of his last 3 and was stopped in 4 rounds last time he fought in Japan, being stopped in 2017 by Daigo Higa. Former amateur stand out Kuntae Lee (2-0, 1) takes his next step up as he takes on unbeaten Indonesian hopeful Rivo Kundimang (9-0-1, 5). As an amateur Lee really was a stand out, and he is hotly tipped to be a a future star in Japan. Despite only being a novice Lee he has already taken one unbeaten record, beating Marlon Paniamogan back in July. Kundimang will be fighting outside of Indonesia for the first time, and has win his last 9 bouts in a row, following a draw on his debut back in September 2017. In a good step up we'll also see Mikito Nakano (3-0, 3) take on Filipino foe KJ Natuplag (8-1-2, 7), in an excellent bout. The talented Nakano has adapted well to the professional ranks and looks to be on his way to real success at Featherweight in the coming years. On paper this is a step up, but Nakano has looked very good, and last time out he really impressed against Arvin Young. Natuplag has shown real promise, and back in March he stopped Robert Udtohan, but was beaten last time out by Joe Tejones. We're expecting an excellent showing from Nakano who will likely find himself in the title mix next year. Also on this card will be Kenshin Oshima (6-1-1, 3) and Masaya Tamayama (12-2, 6), who look to continue their rise through the ranks and move towards a title fight in the coming 18 months or so. Ekaterinburg, Russia One of the other interesting bouts for the day will see the unbeaten Tajik fighter Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (14-0, 9) take on the once beaten Abraham Montoya (18-1-1, 13), in what will be Yaqubov's second defense of the WBC International Super Featherweight title. The talented Yaqubov has impressed recently and moved towards a world title fight thanks to wins over the likes of Mark Urvanov, Victor Alejandro Zunigaabd Emanuel Lopez, and another win here would leave him on the verge of a shot. Montoya, from Mexico, is unbeaten in 19 but this will be his first bout outside of Mexico. Unbeaten Kazakh Heavyweight Issa Akberbayev (20-0-0-1, 15) takes on his biggest test so far as he battles against 2016 Olympic champion Evgeny Tishchenko (5-0, 3), who is of course best known for his controversial Olympic win over Vasiliy Levit in the Olympic final. Despite being unbeaten the Kazakh will be the very clear under-dog and the Russian will be the favourite. Notably Akberbayev has been away from the ring for almost 2 years, and it's hard to not imagine that being a major issue here, against his most notable foe so far. Queensland, Australia In Australia we'll see the unbeaten Chris Brackin (7-0, 3), an Australian local, take on Indian fighter Balkar Singh (3-1, 1). Singh lost last time out, when he was out pointed by the unbeaten Andrew Hunt over 4 rounds, and we suspect he will suffer another loss here to the talented Brackin. |
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