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Barba Sports Complex, Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines
The most notable Asian show this coming Saturday is a small card from Cebu, featuring several promising prospects, though sadly there is a feeling that they are, on the whole, being matched a bit softly A great example of what we mean in regards to the matchmaking is a bout between the unbeaten Angilou Dalogdog (10-0, 4) and the limited Jason Mopon (11-21, 1). The 28 year old Dalogdog is a promising hopeful, who has scored decent wins, shown a will to win and come through some tough tests. Sadly however he's being matched against someone who isn't going to provide any real test here. Mopon is a 29 year old who lacks power, with just a single stoppage in 32 fights, and 13 stoppage losses, including his last 2 and 3 of his last 4. This is very much a bout that doesn’t do anything for the prospect. A slightly better bout will see Sugarey Leonard Pores (7-0, 5) face Jovanie Tagusi (8-10-2, 4). Pores is not someone who is getting much acclaim yet, but a win over Justine Darap in December was notable and should clue people in to his potential. He has power, an unbeaten record, potential, and just needs the tougher development fights to build on his potential. Sadly he won’t be getting that here, given Tagusi has scored just 2 wins in his last 10. Tagusi has gone the distance with some decent fighters, but with 4 stoppage losses, all in the first 4 rounds, it does seem like he can be taken out very early on and Pores will be looking to do that here. Another unbeaten hopeful in action on this card is the touted Richard Laspona (7-0, 5), who will be going for win #8 as he takes on Justine Digamo (4-3-1, 3). Laspona has been stepping up his opponents recently, beating Carlo Diaz VII and Vergilio Silvano in 2024, and sadly this feels like a lateral step from those bouts, even though it is his first 10 rounder. Digamo was stopped last time out, by Kenneth Rapistam and has never gone beyond 6 rounds, so we're unsure how he'll fare over 8 rounds with the dangerous and promising Laspona here, but he is, clearly, the under-dog. One other prospect of note is the once beaten John Vincent Pangga (12-1, 7), who takes on the once very durable Renoel Pael (23-16-1, 12). Pangga is a very good prospect, who has bounced back since his 2023 loss to Alvin Camique, with 4 wins including a very good one against Danrick Sumabong last June. He's heading places, and will almost certainly find himself in the regional title mix sooner rather than later. Pael on the other hand is a rugged 34 year old veteran, who has never been stopped in 40 bouts, despite taking on a who's who of the regional scene, with bouts against the likes of Edward Heno, Andrew Moloney, Suguru Muranaka, Ardin Diale. At his best he was a very serviceable and game fighter who travelled to win, and had mixed results. Nowadays however he has been collecting defeats, losing his last 8 and 12 of his last 14. Pael will take Pangga rounds, but we don’t expect him to put up a competitive fight. Beijing, China Over in China we have some low key action, with Beijing hosting a very small show. There is no notable name on this show, with the two main bouts being 6 rounders at Super Featherweight. One of those bouts will see Lin Cheng (2-3-1, 2) take on Gang Fang (1-0-1), with Cheng looking to end a 3 fight winless run, including a loss last year to Lite Dawuxi, and Fang is hoping to build on a win last time out. Notably Cheng has fought in a number of 6 rounders, whilst Fang hasn’t and that could prove to be a different maker here. The other bout is a women’s bout, as the unbeaten Haini Mulataiaili (3-0, 2) takes on the Manli Lei (1-2-1). Standing at around 6 foot Mulataiaili is a very tall, rangy fighter, with a long reach and at just 23 years old she could end up becoming one of the most notable names on the Chinese scene over the coming years. She’s a southpaw who has stopped her last two inside the opening round and appears to be someone with the size and potential to go places, if her team can hone her natural assets. Lei on the other hand ended a 3 fight winless run with a win in March but despite that win will be the big under-dog here, as she moves up in weight to take on her most talented foe so far. Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA Over in New Jersey Uzbekistani hopeful Shakhram Giyasov (16-0, 9) looks to get back into the ring and focus on his career after a recent family tragedy, as he takes on Argentina’s Franco Maximiliano Ocampo (17-2, 8). Giyasov is likely to be emotional here, with reports emerging in March that his young daughter had sadly passed away, and our thoughts are with Giyasov at a time like this. There are things more important than boxing and we hope the Giyasov family are holding on strong for each other. If Giyasov is focused on the fight there is little doubt he gets past Ocampo here, with Ocampo not close to the level of Giyasov, though of course it really does depend on the mental state of the Uzbekistani man.
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Bohol Wisdom School Gym, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines
The most notable card this coming Saturday will be in Bohol, and is a really solid looking card, even if the bouts perhaps won’t be as competitive as they look on paper. One of the most notable bouts on the show will see Virgel Vitor (22-3, 15) defending his WBO Oriental Super Featherweight title against Chinese challenger Yeerjialahasi Laayibieke (9-2, 6). Vitor, who won the title earlier this year when he stopped Tae Sun Kim in a war that saw both men being dropped, is a solid fighter at regional level, and whilst he is certainly not world class, he is a very good regional level fighter, with plenty of power, some solid performances and a the heart to get up and fight on. As for Laayibieke, it’s hard to say too much, though he has won his last 9 after losing his first 2 bouts. This is a huge step up in competition for him, but he’ll also know that a win here puts him on the regional map. Another WBO Oriental title bout on this card will be at Bantamweight as local hopeful Gerwin Asilo (8-0, 3) takes on Thai youngster Surat Eaim ong (19-5-1, 14). On paper this looks like a really interesting bout, and a good step up for Asilo, but in reality this is cynical matchmaking for Asilo, who is taking on someone with a good looking record, but one that’s all smoke and mirrors. The Thai, who’s just 17, has been stopped in 2 of his last 3, is 0-2 outside of Thailand, and has lost every time he’s faced someone of any note. He has 19 wins, but they have come against very, very weak opposition. Cynical match making, but it does keep Asilo busy, with this being his 4th fight in 12 months. In a potentially more interesting match, unbeaten puncher Reymart Tagacanao (8-0, 7) will take on fellow Filipino Renoel Pael (23-15-1, 12). Of the two men Pael is the more well known, with the 39 fight veteran having proven himself as a very tough regional journeyman who has faced the likes of Ardin Diale, Go Onaga, Suguru Muranaka, Andrew Moloney, Renz Rosia, Ryusei Kawaura and Edward Heno, and has never been stopped. Sadly though he’s not always been the most aggressive, and can be seen covering up and giving little more than a work out for fighters, rather than real competition. Tagacanao has gone 31 rounds in 8 fights, and we suspect this will be a good 8 rounds work out for the unbeaten fighter, rather than an out and out test. One other fighter who looks to continue an unbeaten run is Christian Balunan (10-0, 6), a 24 year old who was last seen stopping Clyde Azarcon. Sadly he’s not stepping up here, and actually goes from fighting in a scheduled 10 rounder to fighting in a 6 rounder against the once promising Dexter Alimento (13-13, 9). Alimento looked like a star in the making back in 2016, when he stopped Natthaphon Chaiudom in Thailand for a WBC Youth title. Sadly he has gone 3-13 since then, and been stopped 9 times, including his last 6 straight. It’s a real shame to see how badly Alimento has fallen off after his promising start, and we suspect this will be another loss for his career as things continue falling apart. The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines A second Filipino card is set to take place in Metro Manila, and this is a much smaller, less noteworthy card. The main bout here appears to be an 8 rounder as the hard hitting but flawed Argelo Samson (5-3-1, 4) takes on Fernan Agencia (6-2, 2), in what looks like a pretty competitive match up. The 23 year old Samson has only gone the distance 3 times, though surprisingly those 3 bouts were his most recent 3. His most notable bout came in 2022, when he was stopped by Japanese prospect Jinya Yamaguchi, and despite going 1-1-1 since that loss it does seem like he has improved, at least defensively, since then. As for Agencia he started his career 5-0 though has since gone 1-2. Whilst that looks bad those losses were a TKO to the monstrously hard hitting Miel Fajardo and a decision loss to the capable Aljum Pelesio. This really could be a very good bout, despite the underwhelming looking records of the two men involved. Gyeongju Boxinggym, Gyeongju, South Korea Over in South Korea will be putting on a mall card. The more notable of the bouts confirmed for this show is a 6 rounder at 168lbs, which will see the unbeaten Turgynbek Yelsultan (3-0-1, 3) take on Woong Chan Song (2-3-1). Although not looking like he has the tools to mix at regional level Yelsultan certainly seems to have the style to be in some exciting fights, as we’ve seen in some of his 4 rounders, with aggressive, flawed styles based around his power and work rate. We’d be surprised if Song can do enough to get his respect and this is likely to be a 4th win for the unbeaten slugger, Nova Boxing Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea Staying in the Korean peninsular, there is also a small card in Incheon. The card is so small that all the bouts are 4 rounders, with all the fighters being novices. The most experienced man on the card is 23 year old Tae Wan Choi (3-2-3), with 8 fights, and he will be in a Welterweight clash with unbeaten 30 year old Jae Sung Park (3-0), who has won all his fights by majority decision. Notably Park is penciled for a fight in September, in what is expected to be his first 6 rounder, though obviously he needs to get through this one without taking too much damage. Little Ceasars Arena, Detroit, Michigan, USA Over in the US we’ll see hard hitting Uzbekistani fighter Shohjahon Ergashev (24-1, 21) in something of a stay busy fight, as he takes on Julian Smith (8-2, 5), and looks for his second win since losing to Subriel Matias in November 2023. The talented Ergashev is one to watch, and despite being stopped in 5 round by Matias, in what was a nightmare match up for him from a styles perspective, we expect he will manage to earn another shot at a title in the future, aged 32 however he will need to hope that shot comes soon. As for Smith, the 33 year old dubbed “The Quiet Storm”, has never been stopped, and on paper looks durable, but both of his losses have come to relative novices, sporting 5-0 and 2-0 records, and he should have little in the locker to worry Ergashev. Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
The most notable bout to involve an Asian fighter this coming Saturday doesn't actually take place in Asia, but instead Canada as Chinese Heavyweight Junlong Zhang (19-0, 18) takes on German foe Erdogan Kadrija (18-5, 12) in Ontario. The Chinese fighter, dubbed the "Dragon King", was long regarded as something of a mystery man, but surfaced in Canada earlier this year, and took his first decision win. The hard hitting Chinese fighter, who won his first 18 official bouts inside the first 2 rounds, will be looking to prove his power here after losing his stoppage streak. As for Kadrija he has been stopped 4 times, with 3 of those stoppages coming in his last 6 bouts. Notably he is a blown up Super Middleweight, who was stopped by Juergen Braehmer way back in 2019 and really shouldn't pose any questions for Zhang. Consolacion, Cebu, Philippines Whilst the single most notable bout with an Asian will be in Canada, we do get a really notable card in Cebu where a number of prospects will be looking to move their careers on in step up bouts. One of those prospects is John Vincent Pangga (6-0, 4), who looks like he could in for a test as he takes on Vergilio Silvano (21-9-1, 12), however the bout really isn't the competitive match up some might expect. Silvano is best known for facing Katsunari Takayama, in an IBF world title fight, where he came up short. His form since that is hit and miss and he has little momentum coming in to this. More notably however is that and isn't a natural Super Flyweight-come-Bantamweight like Pangga, who should be too big and too strong. A much more competitive looking bout will see the once beaten Berland Robles (5-0, 2) face off with the once beaten Jerven Mama (12-1-1, 7), in what is an excellent match up. Robles is a 22 year old who has stepped up his level of fights in one way or another every time since his debut, and recently showed he could do 10 rounds. He might not be a world beater in the making, but there is no denying that his team are moving him well and putting trust in him to continue to develop. Mama on the other hand was once tipped for big things, but a KO loss last year to Mark Vicelles has killed the momentum he was building, and he'll be desperate to get things back on track here. Another prospect taking a genuine step up is the unbeaten 21 year old "Wild Fury" Bryan James Wild (9-0, 6), who battles the experienced and battled hardened Carlo Demecillo (15-6-1, 8). Wild is quickly capturing the attention with string of solid wins for someone at this point in his career, and whilst he is still very much a developing fighter this is a positive step up for him from his team. Demecillo is no world beater, or even a regional contender, but he has proven to be a tough guy and he doesn't roll over for anyone, so he should have the tools to ask Wild some real questions and force the youngster to prove what he can do, and whether he has the tools to move onto regional level bouts. Other prospects on this card include the once beaten April Jay Abne (10-1, 5), who takes on Ramel Antaran (5-18-2); Ian Abne (6-0-1, 4), who faces Charlie Malupangue (9-5-4, 6) in a rematch of their technical draw from August, and Ramil Macado (3-0, 2) who takes a huge step up to face off with Renoel Pael (23-12-1, 12). This really is a show of Pinoy prospects. Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines On a second Filipino card former world title challenger Michael Dasmarinas (31-3-2, 21) looks to get his career back on track as he faces Ryan Rey Ponteras (23-16-3, 12) for the GAB Super Bantamweight title. Dasmarinas, who is best known for losing in 3 rounds to Naoya Inoue in 2021, has failed to get going since that loss with a technical draw against Ernesto Saulong and a win over domestic journeyman Danny Tampipi. He knows another set back here really would be a nightmare for his career, and for any hope he might have of getting a second world title fight down the line. As for Ponteras, he has long been one of the best Filipino journeymen out there, with a really gritty toughness and the 32 year old might not have a great record, but he is a potential banana skin here who has been robbed of wins in numerous bouts during his career. This might look like a mismatch, but Ponteras really should be regarded as a very, very live underdog. New Delhi, India We also get a show in India, but sadly this feels like a rather underwhelming card. That main bout here will see Satnam Singh (10-2, 4) look to bounce back from a loss to Billel Dib as he takes on Varun Phartyal (1-2), in what is the second bout between the two men. These two fought in October 2021, with Singh taking a 4 round majority win over the then debuting Phartyal, and suspect that over 8 rounds this should be a clearer win for Singh than their first bout was. Yñares Sports Arena, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines
This coming Friday attention turns to the Philippines for a really interesting card, mixing notable names and prospects. Amazingly the title has two former world title challengers on it, a long with a former Lineal Flyweight world champion making for one of the more notable Fiilpino shows of recent years. The main event of the card will see former world title challenger Edward Heno (14-1-5, 5) take on Renoel Pael (23-11-1, 12), in what looks to be a genuinely interesting test for the talented Heno. The talented Heno was last seen in action back in October 2019, when he suffered a hotly contested loss to the then WBO Light Flyweight champion Elwin Soto, giving Soto a really close run. Sadly though that was almost 3 years ago, and the inactivity saw him fail to build on an excellent performance. Not only has he been inactive but he's also stepping up in weight for this bout, which is listed as a Bantamweight bout, as he takes on the capable Pael. The 31 year old Pael was 19-1-1 back in 2015, and whilst he has fallen off the radar since then, going 4-10, he is a naturally bigger fighter and does put up a fair effort in the ring, having pushed the likes of Suguru Muranaka, Giovanni Escander and Tatsuya Takahashi close. Sadly though he's also been out of the ring since 2019, however he will know a win here will do a lot to kick start his dwindling career. One of the hottest young fighters on this card is the heavy handed Weljon Mindoro (7-0, 7), who's a 22 year and a rare Filipino Middleweight. The hard hitting Mindoro will be seeking an 8th straight stoppage as he takes on veteran southpaw Jason Egera (24-24-3, 11). To date Mindoro's 7 wins have come in just 13 combined rounds, and he has never been beyond the third 3rd round, leading to question marks about his stamina and his chin. Sadly we don't expect to see any questions about him being answered here given that the 37 year old Egera has been stopped 12 times in his 24 losses, including 3 stoppage losses in his last 4 bouts. If he can make it into round 4 however Egera might have the tools to ask something new of Mindoro. The most accomplished fighter on this card is Sonny Boy Jaro (45-15-5, 32), though sadly the former WBC and Lineal Flyweight champion is no spring chicken, and aged 40 he seems to be getting rolled out to allow prospects to get a big name on their records. And that certainly seems to be the case here as he takes on 22 year old RV Deniega (6-0, 3). At his best Jaro was a tough, rugged, heavy handed fighter, who famously stopped Pongsaklek Wonjongkam for the WBC title in 2012. Since that win he has gone 11-5, which isn't terrible, but he is 2-2 in his last 4, and has been out of the ring for more than 3 years. As for Deniega this is a big step up from his last 6 fights, but it seems a calculated risk and a chance to get a win over a very faded former world champion. Former world title challenger ArAr Andales (13-2-1, 5) will be hoping to get back to winning ways as he takes on the experienced, but limited, Bonjun Loperez (12-16-1, 6). The talented Andales was helped to a draw last time out, against Joey Canoy, and is 3-2-1 in his last 6, so him getting an easy win isn't a bad idea here, but it does feel like this bout should be a bit too easy for him. Loperez has lost his last 5, 4 by stoppage, and it's really hard to know what ambition he has here given that recent form. He did go the 8 round distance with Orlie Silvestre last year, but since then has been blown out and we wouldn't be surprised at all by Andales stopping his man here. Another hopeful on this card is the unbeaten Jenel Lausa (10-0-1, 6), who will be fighting for the first time since September 2019, when he stopped Carlos Lopez. Given the lengthy lay off it's hard to complain about Lausa taking on a less than testing opponent, but we would have hoped he'd be facing someone with a bit more ambition than Michael Escobia (12-21-1, 3), who who has lost his last 5 bouts, and is a long way removed from his win, which came at Super Bantamweight in 2017. Notably Escobia has been stopped in his last 2, and we suspect he'll be stopped again here. This coming Saturday was supposed to be a huge day for female boxing, as well as a huge day for Heavyweight boxing. Sadly the Coronavirus forced the cancellation of the big female bout, which would have been a major unification at 130lbs, but thankfully there is still a lot to look forward to over the day!
Nevada, USA The biggest show of the day comes from Las Vegas where we see the highly anticipated rematch between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. Whilst that bout doesn't have an Asian interest one of the supporting bouts. The bout will see WBO Super Bangamweight champion Emanuel Navarrete (30-1, 26) defending his title against Filipino challenger Jeo Santisima (19-2, 16). The unbeaten Mexican champion has been one of the busiest champions since winning his title in late 2018, but his competition is somewhat disappointing. On paper this isn't really a step up for the heavy handed Mexican, who will be expected to defend against a worthwhile contender sooner rather than late. For Santisima this is a big chance, but one we don't think he's ready for. The Filipino is an exciting fighter but really isn't yet experienced enough to be given much of a chance with Navarrete. Our preview of this fight is available here Santisima challenges Navarrete, but will he stand a chance? Metro Manila, Philippines For a second weekend in a row we get action in Metro Manila as the fast rising, and amazingly exciting, Carl Jammes Martin (15-0, 14) takes on the rugged and experienced Renoel Pael (23-11-1, 12) in a bout for the PBF Bantamweight title. This will be Martin's second defense of the title and whilst he will be expected to win, this is a legitimate test as he takes on a man who doesn't ever get blown away. Pael has been shown up to be a long way from world class, but he's an excellent regional gatekeeper, and a stoppage win for Martin would be a massive, and surprising statement. We expect to see the young being forced to answer new questions, and for us that's exactly what a bout like this is for. Bangkok, Thailand The next card under the Evolution Fight Series takes place this Saturday as well, with a show in Bangkok. This show has massively changed of the weeks in the build up to it, and has sadly seen Ongen Saknosiwi being listed, and then removed from it. The show will have 3 title bouts in total, one of those is a Thai Middleweight bout between Thai based British fighter Thomas Newton (3-3, 2) and 17 year old Apisit Sangmuang (1-0, 1), in what could be an interesting match up. Another title fight will see Artavazd Aroyan (6-1, 4) battle with Yousof Mohammadiosmanvandi (4-0-1, 4), for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver Cruiserweight title. The third of the title fights will see Gaganpreet Sharma (9-2, 5) battle against former OPBF champion Ratchasi Sithsaithong (9-8, 7) for a regional WBC title Middleweight. Sadly it's hard to care much about any of those title bouts, which appear to be title bouts, just to try and add some kind of silverware to the show. It's cynical and not-really needed given that none of the fighters are actual title level fighters Ontario, Canada Canadian based Indian Sukhdeep Singh Bhatti (7-0, 3) looks to continue his development as he takes on 32 year old Jamaican Richard Holmes (19-11, 9). On paper this looks like a logical next step forward for Bhatti and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him really needing to work for this win. Holmes is no world beater, but has the experience to ask questions of someone like Bhatti. Bohol, Philippines
The big show of the day this Saturday is in the Philippines, where we see a top prospect take on a former world champion and several under-card bouts worthy of some attention. The main bout will see the unbeaten Mark Magsayo (19-0, 14) battle against former WBO Bantamweight champion Pungluang Sor Singyu (53-6, 35) in a bout for a couple of minor regional titles. For Magsayo this will be his second bout since a 2017 in over Shota Hayashi, in what was a really tough bout, whilst Pungluang will be looking to build on a recent win over Carlo Magali. Despite the two men having very, very, different careers it's worth noting that only 5 years separate these two men, yet their debuts were almost 9 years difference between their debuts. Pungluang is a true veteran, and will be here to win, but Magsayo will be favoured and has long been regarded as a special talent. In an excellent GAB Bantamweight title fight we'll see Giovanni Escaner (19-4, 12) take on Renoel Pael (23-9-1, 12), with both looking to rebuild following a loss on foreign soil. Escaner was beaten in February by Joshua Greer Jr in the US, though had given a really decent account of himself before the stoppage. Pael on the other hand was taken to school in Japan by Ryusei Kawaura May, suffering his 5th loss on the road. With the GAB title up for grabs and a chance to get some momentum in to their career, we're expecting this to be a very hotly contested match up. Another supporting bout of interest will see Filipino Roldan Aldea (14-7-1, 8) go up against Malaysian based Uzbek Anvar Turapov (5-1, 4). Coming in to this Aldea is riding a huge boost following his big upset win in Russia against Mikhail Alexeev whilst Turapov has notched 5 straight wins following a loss on debut. Given Aldea's recent win this could be interesting. Qingdao, China For a second day in a row we get action from Qingdao, and this is potentially just heavily stacked in favour of the locals as the other card. The main event will see Ainiwaer Yilixiati (15-1, 11) drop down to Middleweight to take on Japanese Light Middleweight contender Ryosuke Maruki (16-6-1, 11) in a bout for two regional Middleweight titles. The hard nosed Chinese puncher suffered his only loss 3 years ago, when he was beaten in Australia by Jayde Mitchell, and has since reeled off 5 straight wins. Maruki on the other hand has lost 2 of his last 3, including a blow out loss to Akinori Watanabe a year ago and this will be a very tough bout for him in what will be his international debut. Another bout on this card will see Tonghui Li (11-2, 5) take on Tanzania's Maono Ally (9-4-1, 5). Li lost in August 2018, to Jung Kyoung Lee, and had bounced back with a win over Arnel Tinampay last September but has been inactive since that win. Ally has lost in 3 of his 4 bouts outside of Tanzania, and was beaten last time out by Oliver Meng. Ally may not be the best fighter but we do love his nickname "The Monster of Bagamoyo". One local who is looking to bounce back from a couple of recent set backs is Wuzhati Nuerlang (11-3, 9), who has been beaten twice on the road recently and needs a confidence building victory. He will be up against Tanzanian veteran Said Mbelwa (47-29-5-2, 31), who at the age of 41 really is on the back end of his career. Given Nuerlang's recent losses we can't hold this bout against him, and expect him to rebuild some of his broken confidence here. Macao S.A.R., China Staying around China, Macau hosts a small card, which on the whole isn't too interesting, though local hopeful Lap Cheong Cheong (6-0, 4) is in the headline bout, as he takes on Yu Fen Wu (0-0). Cheong isn't a big name but he is an incredibly fun to watch youngster. Aged 22 he looks like he might be the face of Macao boxing over the coming years, sadly though this is a clear step backwards for him to take on a debutant at this point in time. Pocheon, South Korea Staying in Asia there's also a low key card in Pocheon, though this really is a card that won't get much attention. The main bout here is a 6 round Middleweight clash that will see Seung Hee Lee (3-5, 1) take on Hyo Joon Jang (1-1-1). Given this is the main event you can understand how low level this show really is. Technically this show is a KBM 4 round parade show, and should be fun to watch, as they usually are, but it's very to talk about before hand as it's a card of novices and debutants, with not stand out bout on it. Victoria, Australia In Victoria, Australian fans will see one of their unbeaten hopefuls go up against a former world title challenger. The former world title challenger is Filipino fighter Ernesto Saulong (22-4-2, 9), who challenged the then IBF Super Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Iwasa in 2018, and will now be taking on Australian youngster Brock Jarvis (16-0, 15). Since then however he has gone 1-1-1, including a huge KO loss to Waldo Sabu in July 2017. Jarvis is a really talented, hard hitting 21 year old prospect, but needs to step up his competition, and on paper this is a very good step up. A win for Jarvis is expected, but we expect to see him given something of a test after 15 straight wins in the first 3 rounds. Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesday we see an interesting card at the Korakuen Hall, featuring a top Japanese prospect taking a huge step up and a former Japanese national champion looking to end 2 fight losing run. The prospect of note on this card is former amateur standout Ryusei Kawaura (5-0, 4), who steps up and goes up against Filipino visitor Renoel Pael (23-8-1, 12). The highly talented Kawaura turned professional in 2016 and looked fantastic when he was taking out Thai novices to begin with. He stepped up big time in 2018, beating Marjun Pantilgan, and is looking to take another big step forward here. A win for Kawaura will likely move him towards a title fight later in the year. Pael on the other hand is a former OPBF title challenger and has given good tests to the likes of Ardin Diale, Suguru Muranaka and has yet to be stopped. Pael will be the clear under-dog, but will know that a win here really will resurrect a faltering career. Talking about somone needing a win to keep their career going Toshio Arikawa (15-6, 13), the former Japanese Welterweight champion, really is in last chance saloon right now. The heavy handed Arikawa went on a great run in 2014-2017, scoring 7 wins in a row including victories over Akinori Watanabe and Nobuyuki Shindo. That run came into an end last year and he has been stopped in his last 2 bouts, by Ryota Yada and Kudura Kaneko. Despite his lack of current form he will be strongly favoured to pick up a win here, as he takes on the very limited Masafumi Ando (5-8-2, 2) in a 6 round bout. A loss for Arikawa and this will be the end, though he has been matched very softly here.  Tokyo, Japan
Kadoebi will be putting on a pretty stacked card at the Korakuen Hall, headlined by a Japanese title fight and littered with notable names from the Kadoebi stable. The main event of the card will see Japanese Featherweight champion Takenori Ohashi (15-4-2, 10) make his first defense of the title, as he battles fellow puncher Taiki Minamoto (14-5, 11) in a Champion Carnival bout. Ohashi won the title last year in bizarre fashion as he stopped Kosuke Saka as Saka misheard the end of round clacker, and this will be his first defense since that win. Prior to the stoppage Ohashi had looked a monster against Saka, but with 3 stoppages against his name it's clear he's not the toughest. Minamoto is himself a bit of a glass cannon, with 2 stoppages against his name, but he did show good skills last October when he defeated Dai Iwai to earn this shot. This could well be a shoot out, and could be something very exciting. The chief support bout is a mouth watering ,match up between Akinori Watanabe (35-7, 30) and Ratchasi Sithsaithong (10-4, 7). Watanabe has lost 3 of his last 5, including an 8th round TKO loss last time out to Magomed Kurbanov, but is still a really dangerous puncher and will know that a win here will see him back in the OPBF title mix. For Ratchasi this will be his first bout in Japan since losing the OPBF Light Middleweight title to Takeshi Inoue last October, and prior to that he had been on a role with wins against Cobra Suwa, Yutaka Oishi and Jumbo Oda Nobunaga Shoten Petagine. We're expecting this to be two men each fighting to remain relevant, and could be very special. Fast rising Kadoebi prospect Kazuki Saito (4-0, 4) will be continuing his development as he faces off with Marbon Bodiongan (14-6-2, 11). Despite only having 4 bouts to his name Saito is already ranked by the JBC and OPBF and looks to be racing towards a title fight thanks to good wins over Jimmy Borbon and Alvin Lagumbay. This is, on paper, a slight step up in class for Saito as he takes on his most experienced opponent. Bodiongan is 0-3 on his travels, but has has mixed with the likes of Nihito Arakawa and Masaru Sueyoshi, and should give Saito a chance to compare himself to those two men. They both stopped Bodiongan though if Saito can stop him in 4 rounds he would have bettered both men's win over the Filipino visitor. Last November we saw Shoma Fukumoto (11-2, 9) being stopped in a 90 second war with Kazuto Takesako, who has since gone on to win the Japanese Middleweight title. Fukumoto makes his return on this show as he goes up against Indonesian foe Maxi Nahak (7-14-3, 3), who has been stopped in his 3 previous visits to Japan. Another man looking to get some momentum into his career is Cristiano Aoqui (11-7-2, 7), who has lost his last 3 bouts, and 4 of his last 5. The Japanese-Brazilian will be expected to pick up an easy win here as he takes on a poor Thai visitor. The under-card also has a really interesting match up on it as the 21 year old Tsuyoshi Sato (5-1-1, 2). who was the 2017 Light Flyweight Rookie of the Year, takes on the unbeaten Yuma Wada (4-0-1, 1), also 21. Sato had a big year in 2017 going 4-0-1 with an opening round win over Yusei Nagai in the All Japan Rookie of the Year final, to put himself in the JBC rankings. He will be risking that rankings here against Wada, who looks a very capable young fighter himself. Cebu, Philippines As well as the action in Tokyo there will also be a pretty notable Asian show in Cebu. The main event of this card will see Joe Noynay (13-2-1, 4) defending his WBO Asia Pacific Youth Super Featherweight title against Mexican Hector Garcia (12-6-2-1, 7).We're really unsure how Garcia qualifies for this title, given that he's not from the Asia Pacific region, but he is battle tested and will be a very tough test for Noynay. The Mexican has never been stopped and gave decent tests to Devin Haney and Juan Carlos Burgos last year. Noynay is a genuine talent, and gave Reiya Abe real problems last year, so should be able to come out on top here, but he should get well tested by the Mexican visitor. One of the main bouts will see Cris Alfante (13-6-1, 5) hunt a third straight win as he takes on Renoel Pael (21-8-1, 11) in a 10 rounder. Coming in to this one Alfante has got a big of momentum with back to back wins, though he has suffered 2 losses in his last 5 bouts, including a 4th round KO defeat to Daigo Higa. Pael once looked like he could be a diamond in the rough, but with 4 straigth losses his career is floundering now and there is a risk that he has resigned himself to being little more than a regional gatekeeper, which would be a shame given his competitive bouts with Ardin Diale and Suguru Muranaka. Other undercard bouts on this card will see Cris Paulino (16-3, 6) take on Jason Tinampay (8-8-1, 7), in what could be much better than it looks, and Ronel Sumalpong (4-0, 4) risk his unbeaten record against fellow unbeaten Justin Darap (2-0, 2). Alberta, Canada In Canada fans will be able to see former world title challenger Michael Farenas (42-5-4, 34) take on Guadalupe Rosales (34-14, 18). Filipino banger Farenas has had a pretty stop-start career in recent times, with a couple of low key bouts in 2015, none in 2016 and one last year. Aged 33 there is still life in Farenas' career, but he will need a big and busy 2018, with this bout being a perfect chance to shake some ring rust. Rosales on the other hand is a relatively low risk opponent for someone like Farenas and despite being tough, shouldn't have the legs to avoid Farenas. This coming weekend is a big one with Asian boxing, especially on Saturday where we get a host of big fights. Friday however is a much quieter day with significantly less action of note.
Rizal, Philippines The only confirmed card for the day is taking place in Rizal and will be a card with a number of noteworthy names in action. In one of the headline bouts fans will see Rogelio Jun Doliguez (22-4-2, 16) take on Landy Cris Leon (10-16-4, 4). The 26 year old Doliguez will be heavily favoured here, despite being 3-3 in his last 6, and he is with out a doubt the more talented and proven fighter, despite his current lack of form. As for Leon he has actually lost his last 3, but is showing a new found grit, have not suffered a stoppage loss in over 2 years, after having had 10 through his career so far. Loen's determination might see him survive the distance with Doliguez, but it's hard to see him scoring the upset here. A much more attractive looking bout will see Renz Rosia (15-3, 7) take on Renoel Pael (21-7-1, 11) in what looks like a bit of a 50-50 bout. Aged 29 Rosia is a man with some inconsistent form. He's lost 2 of his last 3, and 4 of his last 5, but has mixed against very good opponents, such as Moruti Mthalane, Giemel Magramo and Makazole Tete. Pael is also struggling for form, and has lost his last 3, and 6 of his last 8, but has never been stopped and is much better than those numbers suggest. This could be a genuinely intriguing contest. One other bout of note here will see unbeaten Malaysian Aiman Abubakar (6-0, 2) look to extend his unbeaten record as he takes on Germaine Dela Rosa (4-8-2, 1). The Malaysian is slowly stepping up, and this will be his first 8 rounder, but it's hard to see what Dela Rosa has to offer in terms of competition.  Texas, USA
The most notable bout for Asian fight fans this Saturday is in Texas where we'll see a Filipino icon in action as Nonito Donaire (37-4, 24) returns to the ring for the first time since losing the WBO Super Bantamweight title to Jessie Magdaleno last November. The “Filipino Flash” has been training in Japan for his return, which sees him moving back up to Featherweight to face Ruben Garcia Hernandez (22-2-1, 9) in a contest for the WBC Silver title. Although he has been inactive, and is 34, Donaire should have far too much for Hernandez. California, USA In California there is another notable Filipino in action, as the heavy handed Romero Duno (14-1, 13) returns to the States for the first time since his break out win over Christian Gonzalez. The hard hitting Pinoy puncher will be up against Mexican veteran Juan Pablo Sanchez (30-13, 14). Duno should have too much fire power for his Mexican foe, who has been stopped 8 times, but Sanchez does appear to be than his record suggests and his last couple of losses, have been in competitive decisions against Rene Alvarado and Antonio Moran, both solid punchers. Louisiana, USA More Asian fighters are in action in the US as a number of fighters from Central Asia fight on a card in Louisiana. In the main event we'll see 21 year old Tajik hopeful Mekhrubon Sanginov (4-0, 3) take on American Cameron Burroughs (4-1-0-1, 3) for the WBC Youth Middleweight title. Sanginov has been a professional for just under a year but has impressed with 3 quick wins and a bizarre split decision in Poland where one judge appears to have been watching a different fight to everyone else. This should be a really interesting and looks to be very well matched, though neither man has has got many rounds under their belt, which could make this contest sloppy if it gets to the later rounds. Also on this card are Balaussa Muzdiman (0-0), Iskander Kharsan (1-0, 1) and Ali Baloyev (1-0, 1) who will all be facing limited looking opposition as they look to take their next step in their professional journey. Ibaragi, Japan Fight fans in Japan are set for a bit of a strange card with a trio of notable names, all taking on very weak opposition. In the main event the always fun to watch Tatsuya Takahashi (26-7-5, 19) will be up against limited Thai visitor Chatphet Saithonggym (0-2) in what should be an easy win for Takahashi, following a technical decision loss to Jetro Pabustan earlier this year. Although Takahashi is a very fun to watch fighter it's unlikely this will be too exciting, with the bout likely designed to give Takahashi an easy win. Another mismatch will see big punching Japanese Welterweight Yuki Beppu (15-0-1, 15) take on an unnamed Thai foe. This will be Beppu's second bout since drawing with Charles Bellamy back in January and we're expecting another early finish for the 26 year old banger. Arguably the most interesting bout on this card will see novice Tetsuya Watanabe (1-0), who is touted as once to watch, take on the always entertaining and charming Takuya Yamaguchi (3-8-2, 2). It's hard to imagine Yamaguchi winning, but he will throw leather with bad intentions and could well test Watanabe's resolve and chin in a potentially interesting contest. Johore Bahru, Malaysia We get yet another Asian show with action in Malaysia, as we see FH Promotions give several fighters a chance to shine. One of those looking to impress here is Azizbek Abdugofurov (7-0, 4), who was originally scheduled to face Ibrahim Tamba (21-8-1, 14) but is now listed as facing a TBA, presumably a late replacement for Tamba who appears to be out of the bout. Abdugofurov is regarded as one of the top Uzbek prospects and has quickly climbed into the top 25 on boxrec due to notable wins over the likes of Chaloemporn Singwancha, Sirimongkol Singwancha and Martin Fidel Rios. It's likely his bout here will just be a stay busy, but he really is one to watch. Another unbeaten man looking to extend his record is local favourite Muhamad Farkhan (4-0, 4), who will want to shine in front of his loyal fans as he takes on Thai visitor Khundon Chaiyonggym (8-3, 8). It's fair to say that Farkhan will have all the fans behind him and should win, but this is a small step up for the local hero. On paper one bout that does have promise will see Filipino fighters collide as Jeson Umbal (15-5, 10) takes on Jon Jon Estrada (10-3-1,9). For Umbal this bout will be his 4th in Malaysia, where he is 3-0 (1) and will see him look to continue his 7 fight winning run. As for Estrada this bout will be his first outside of the Philippines. Given his power Estrada is a real threat to the rise of Umbal and this could be a very exciting and hard hitting bout, which should thrill the fans. Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines In the Philippines there will be two shows, but the most notable is in Metro Manila. In the main event of this card we'll see the talented pairing of Glenn Suminguit (19-3, 10) and Renoel Pael (21-6-1, 11) battle for the GAB Bantamweight title, with Suminguit looking for his firs defense of the title. Suminguit won the title a year ago, stopping Alvin Bais in 3 rounds for the vacant title, but has only fought once since then, losing in Super Bantamweight bout, and could well have some ring rust coming in to this one. As for Pael the bout will see is confidence being checked, with the once touted Leyte man being 2-5 in his last 7, and really struggling for form. In supporting bouts we'll see the Elorde brothers take on two over-matched Indonesians. Juan Miguel Elorde (23-1, 12) will be up against Afrizal Tamboresi (11-6, 6), who has lost his last 4 and been stopped in his last 3 and Juan Martin Elorde (22-1-1, 9) will be up against veteran Arief Blader (23-24-2, 8), who has won 1 of his last 5. It's hard to imagine of the Elorde's losing here in what are really mismatches. What could turn out to be an interesting contest is set to see Wilbert Berondo (10-2-1, 4) take on the tough and under-rated Jayar Diama (7-11-7, 3). Although it looks one sided on paper it needs to be noted that Diama is much better than the numbers suggest and he could be a real handful for Berondo, who is best known for suffering a stoppage loss to the exceptional Hinata Maruta. Benguet, Philippines In a second Filipino show we'll see a card headlined by a bout between Roilo Golez (16-18-1, 7) and Diarh Gabutan (19-6-3,10). Coming in to this one Golez is totally out of form, losing 7 of his last 8 bouts by stoppage. Whilst Golez has mixed with some good company he's also suffered lossesto limited foes, like Geboi Mansalayao and it's fair hard to say that Gabutan should pick up the win here. Saying that however Golez' only win in his last 8 bouts, was actually a 5th round KO against Gabutan, who knows he cannot afford another loss, especially not to Golez. Singapore, Singapore Also in Asia there is a show in Singapore, featuring a number of fighters from across Asia. In a high profile female bout local star Nurshahidah Roslie (6-1, 4) will take on Thai visitor Sriphrae Nongkipahuyuth (12-4-2, 5) in a bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Female and OPBF Female Featherweight titles. This will give both fighters something to fight for, and we do expect them to have a proper fight here, but it's hard to imagine the visitor having the power needed to really test Roslie. Another local in action is unbeaten Super Middleweight hopeful Rafi Majid (5-0, 5), who takes on Indonesian visitor Maxi Nahak (7-13-3, 3) in a bout for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver Super Middleweight title. Majid has blitzed his first 5 opponents, in a combined 7 rounds, and will likely do the same here, against a naturally smaller man who has been stopped 9 times already n 23 fights. Another fight where we'd expected to see someone beat an Indonesian is a contest that will feature Filipino fighter Jun Tapale (22-9-1, 8) battling Indon Rusmin Kie Raha (15-13-3, 3). Although Tapale isn's a huge puncher Raha has been stopped in 8 of his 13 losses and we could see a 9th here. Raha's best hope is to see out the final bell, but it's hard to imagine him really testing the Filipino. |
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