Hyogo, Japan After a small break in Japanese action we see things return this coming Friday with an interesting show in Hyogo. The main event of the card will see two former world title challengers face off in a bout for the WBO Asia Pacific Minimumweight title. The match up will see Japanese teenager Riku Kano (11-2-1, 6) battle against Filipino Jerry Tomogdan (22-8-4, 10). For the 19 year old Kano the bout will be his second since suffering a technical decision loss to Katsunari Takayama last August whilst Tomogdan will be looking to get his career back on track following following a 4-3-2 in his last 9 bouts. On paper Kano will be favoured, but this is certainly no foregone conclusion. The chief support bout will also be a Japan Vs Philippines bout as the unbeaten, and heavy handed, Futa Akizuki (8-0, 7) takes a step up in class and takes on Vincent Bautista (5-6-4, 1). On paper this looks like a real mismatch but the 19 year old Akizuki hasn't yet faced a foe with much of a pulse and this is his stiffest test on paper. Although his record isn't great Bautista has been matched hard and has gone in with Petch Sor Chitpattana, Palangpol CP Freshmart and Masataka Taniguchi showing his level of competition. This really could be a great test for the unbeaten man. In another supporting bout we'll see the once beaten Rikito Hattori (7-1, 2) take on Takayuki Teraji (7-12-1, 4) in what should be another bout that will be better than the records of the two men suggest. Teraji is very beatable but always puts up a good effort and could well be a potential banana skin for Hattori. Ekaterinburg, Russia We also have Asian action in Russia with two Filipinos fighting in interesting bouts. One of those bouts will see Russian based Tajik Shavkat Rakhimov (9-0, 7) battle with Filipino Jimmy Paypa (19-3-1, 7) in a 10 round contest. Rakhimov has picked up wins over other Filipinos, stopping both Jerry Castroverde and Rogelio Jun Doliguez, and should be favoured again here, especially given that Paypa was stopped inside a round by Shingo Wake in his most notable bout to date. Although Rakhimov should be favoured it's worth noting that Paypa has won his last 3, including wins over Bernabe Concepcion and Jerry Nardo. The other bout with a Filipino will see the unbeaten Evgeny Chuprakov (17-0, 9) take on experienced Filipino Eden Sonsona (36-6-2, 13) in a bout for the WBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight title. The talented Sonsona hasn't lost in over 5 years, going 10-0-2 during that run, and has the experience against very good opponents to be a real banana skin for Chuprakov. Saying that however the Russian will be favoured given he is the naturally bigger fighter and has home advantage. Despite being the away fighter Sonsona won't be turning up to lose, and will instead be looking to replicate his huge 2015 upset over Adrian Estrella.
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This coming Sunday is a busy day in Japan with 3 shows taking places in the country. Hyogo, Japan The most notable of those shows is in Hyogo, whee we see a former world title challenger and several other bouts of note. That former world title challenger is teenager Riku Kano (10-2-1, 5), who is fighting for the first time since suffering a technical decision loss to Katsunari Takayama earlier this year. The teenager was supposed to fight in a second bout with Thai veteran Pigmy Kokietgym but Pigmy was replaced, several weeks out, by Thoedkiad Weerachon (0-5) giving us a very disappointing headline bout. In a supporting bout we'll see Hikaru Matsuoka (12-3-3, 1) hunting for a 5th straight win as he takes on the inform Tenmei Serizawa (8-3, 4), who has turned around his career after a 3-3 start. On paper this looks like it should be a win for Matsuoka but his lack of power is an issue and has struggled with fighters he would have been favoured against before. Interestingly one of the men to beat Matsuoka will be on the card as well, that's Seizo Kono (17-8-1, 11), who stopped Matsuoka in a round last year. Kono will be up against the limited Ryota Kihara (8-9-4, 6) and will be looking to build on an upset win over Hideo Sakamoto this past August. Kihara has won his last two bouts but this is a big step back up in class for him. Also on this card will be teenage puncher Futa Akizuki (7-0, 6) who will be looking to score his second win on home soil after starting his career in Thailand. Osaka, Japan The day also features 2-shows at the L-Theatre in Osaka with one of those show's being much more interesting the the other. The more interesting of those shows is first of those shows, promoted by Taiho. The main event here will see Japanese based Mexican Kenbun Torres (11-2, 9), the son of former world champion German Torres, battle against Filipino foe Engelbert Moralde (9-3, 6). Torres, who debuted way back in 2003, ended a 9 year sabbatical from the ring earlier this year and will be looking to score a career best win as he takes on Moralde. The Filipino has come up short when he has faced anyone of any note but could potentially pick up a win here in a very competitive looking match up. In the chief supporting bout we'll see Japanese ranked Super Featherweight Ken Osato (9-1-1, 3) battle against Toshiya Yokogawa (7-10-1, 6). On paper this isn't a great bout and Osato has proven he's a genuine prospect with solid results against the likes of Kento Matsushita and Retsu Kosaka. Despite that Yokogawa will come to fight and Osato will have to work for his win and it won't be handed to him here. One bout that probably will be a mismatch will see Japanese ranked Super Bantamweight Yuta Uetani (18-5-1, 9) take on Takuya Yamamoto (7-5, 4). Uetani isn't a top tier domestic fighter, but he's not far off and holds a number of notable wins including, a stoppage against Mark John Yap, with really only title level fighters beating him, including Shinsuke Yamanaka. Yamamoto on the other hand has done little of note and shouldn't really be a test for Uetani. Arguably the most interesting bout on the card will see Akiyoshi Kanazawa (13-6-4, 7) battle against the under-rated Shunji Nagata (10-15-2, 3). On paper this looks like another mismatch but it's genuinely a more interesting fight than it first appears. Kanazawa has the much better record but has gone 2-4-1 in his last 7, whilst mixing with good company on the hole. The first of those 4 defeats however came in 2014 to to Nagata who will be hoping for a repeat here. Kanazawa will obvious but hunting revenge and given their history this could be a very good and competitive bout. Osaka, Japan The other show at the L-Theatre will be headlined by an intriguing lower level bout between Shachihoko Dragons Keita (6-5-1, 1) and Yu Konomura (7-4-1, 1). Neither guy has much of a punch and neither will go on to win titles, unless something changes massively, however they should make for a competitive and close bout which is better than a total mismatch. A lot of pride will be on the line here and it should be good. Queensland, Australia In Australia fans will see local novice Tino Tanuvasa (2-0, 2) take on Australian based Indonesian veteran Aswin Cabuy (19-58-4, 7), in what should be a straight forward win for the unbeaten man. Hyogo, Japan We've had a bit of a break from major fighters recently but thankfully that break ends this weekend when we get a major show in Hyogo, a major that will sadly only be featured on TV in Osaka and not Tokyo. A lot of the attention, rightfully, will be on the brilliant main event which pits 18 year old sensation Riku Kano (10-1-1, 5) up against veteran Katsunari Takayama (30-8-0-1, 12) in a wonderful match up for the vacant WBO Minimumweight title. Takayama, a multi-time champion, will be looking to show there is still life in the old dog here and will be looking to become a world champion one more time. For Kano the bout is about history and if he wins he will be come the youngster ever Japanese world champion. This bout really could be something very special. In another world title bout we'll see the unbeaten Kei Takenaka (11-0, 3) battle Australian Louisa Hawton (6-0, 3) in a contest for the vacant WBO female Light Flyweight title, a title last held by Eun Hye Lee of South Korea. Originally Hawton was signed to face Lee for the title but Lee has since given up the title and we'll instead see these two fight in what looks like a really interesting match up between two fighters looking to make the most of their first big chance. A third title bout on this card will see Mika Iwakawa (5-4-1, 1) face off against Nonggig Sithjaanart (0-0) for the vacant OPBF female Light Flyweight title. It's hard to say anything at all about the Thai however Iwakawa is nothing special, despite winning 2 of her last 3, both at Minimumweight. Another notable “Japan Vs Thailand” bout on this card will see Futa Akizuki (6-0, 5) make his Japanese debut, as he faces Saijuea Tosandet (0-3). Akizuki has fought his 6 previous bouts in Thailand, where he has claimed the WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver Bantamweight title. At just 18 years old he will be looking to make an immediate impact as he gets his first chance to impress Japanese fans and he'll soon be looking to follow stablemate Kano into world level. Guerrero, Mexico In Mexico fight fan will be able to see Filipino Lightweight Rosekie Cristobal (12-0, 9) battle against Marcos Villasana Jr (19-6, 11) for the WBC Latino Lightweight title. There was real hope for Cristobal to become a real prospect but this is a real gut check of the youngster, who is stepping up in class in a big way here. It's fair to say that Japanese fight fans have been left somewhat short changed during this year's “Golden Week”, and where theirs often 2 or 3 major card there wasn't really any, with the recent Watanabe card coming just before the Golden Week and the next big card, an Ohashi one, coming on the Sunday after the Golden Week. Saying that however the wait until this Sunday is a worthy one with their being several notable shows throughout Japan. Tokyo, Japan Of those Japanese shows it goes without saying the biggest, and the best, is in Tokyo and is going to be the highly anticipated Ohashi card from the 10,000 seater Ariake Colosseum. The card, which we strongly suspect will have more than 10,000,000 viewers, will see only two bouts televised live but they are both likely to feel a little bit special. The first of those bouts is expected to be an all out war as IBF Light Flyweight champion Akira Yaegashi (23-5, 12) defends his title against the aggressive and very fun to watch Martin Tecuapetla (13-6-3, 10). This bout really does promise a lot of excitement, and for fans who like a war this is as sure fire a slugfest as we can think of with both men enjoying a tear up. Yaegashi will be the favourite but we wouldn't be surprised to see him taken to hell and back to retain his title. Of course whilst Yaegashi's bout promises real 2-way fireworks it's unlikely to be the bout that gets international attention. Instead that attention will be focused on 23 year old sensation Naoya Inoue (9-0, 8), who defends his WBO Super Flyweight title against mandatory challenger David Carmona (20-2-5, 8). The bout will be Inoue's second defense of his title and is likely to be his final bout in Japan before making a highly anticipated US debut later in the year. Although the bout is anticipated, because of Inoue's incredible appeal and ability, it's a mismatch and is unlikely to be more than a cameo-like appearance from the “Monster”, who has fought just 4 rounds in the last 18 months. The two world title bouts are of course the bouts getting the most attention but their will also be a third title bout on the show, as youngster Takuma Inoue (6-0, 1) defends the OPBF Super Flyweight title against Indonesian challenger Afrizal Tamboresi (12-4, 6). The bout really should be a mismatch in favour of Takuma, who should make the second defense of his title here, but Tamboresi knows there is nothing to lose and their will be no pressure on him coming into this bout against the much touted Inoue. The card featured a third fighter from the Inoue clan, with the touted Koki Inoue (2-0, 2) taking on another Indonesian, in Bimo Jaguar (0-0), in what is unlikely to be anything other than an early blow out win for the biggest of the Inoue's. Koki, for those unaware, is the cousin of Naoya and Takuma and, like the brothers, is trained by their father Shingo who may well be the best young trainer in world boxing. One other notable name on this card is world title contender Ryo Matsumoto (17-0, 15), who risks his rankings and unbeaten record against Victor Uriel Lopez (8-5-1, 3). This seems likely to be Matsumoto's final bout before a world title fight, later in 2016. That talented Matsumoto has been treading water for a while, and this seems to be another stay busy, but he is insanely talented and is viewed as another fighter who is going to be part of a Japanese revolution over the coming years. Hyogo, Japan Talking about the next wave of Japanese fighters their will also be one of the youngest in action in Hyogo. That's 18 year old Riku Kano (9-1-1, 5), who faces former world champion Merlito Sabillo (25-2-1, 12) in a bout for the OPBF interim Minimumweight title. Kano has his eyes on setting the Japanese age record, for the youngest world champion from Japan, but knows that he will need to beat Sabillo here. For the Filipino form champion this is a must win and he knows his career will essentially be over as a top contender if he loses the 18 year old Kano. Sadly we do need to say that although listed on boxrec, Futa Akizuki (6-0, 5) will not be making his Japanese debut on this card. Osaka, Japanese In Osaka fans will get a show at the Mierparque Hall in Osaka City. Here the main event will see the promising 20 year old Takuya Uehara (8-0, 5), an OPBF ranked Super Featherweight contender, battling against Indonesian ranked Ramli Pasaribu (4-7, 1). Uehara is OPBF ranked already though hasn't really proven himself against anyone of actual quality. A win here won't change that, but we suspect that this could his final bout before facing a known opponent, possibly this coming summer. In the chief support bout fans will see Japanese ranked Flyweight Shunji Nagata (10-14-2, 3) face off with former Japanese Super Flyweight title challenger Masato Morisaki (10-4-1, 6). For Morisaka this will be his second bout since he was stopped, in 5 rounds, by Sho Ishida back on December 31st 2014 and although the “more proven” fighter he has fought just 2 rounds since that Ishida bout. Nagata might not be a great fighter but he's someone who has been battle tested and should give Morisaka a very good fight. A third bout of note on this card will see OPBF and JBC ranked 140lb fighter Ryusei Yoshida (27-8, 14) fight in what really should be a stay busy contest against Tatsunori Fukunaga (7-6, 3). If Yoshida wins, as is widely expected, he could potentially be the next Japanese title challenger later in the year, and will almost certainly call out Hiroki Okada. Aichi, Japan A fourth Japanese show is set to take place in Aichi, with this one having 4 bouts that caught our eye. The main event of the card will see veteran Daiki Koide (22-7-2, 9) battle against OPBF ranked Korean visitor Dong Hee Kim (2-0-1), who incidentally claimed the KBF 140lb title last time out. On paper this looks like a horrible mismatch but Kim has been fast tracked and has already proven that he can go rounds, with 22 career rounds already, and he may well see Koide as just the next step on his way through the OPBF rankings. Another Japan Vs Korea bout on this card sees former Keita Obara opponent Kazuya Maruki (19-3, 12) face off with Chan Hee Park (5-6-1) in what looks likely to be another good bout for fans, though with Park lacking power it's hard to see what he has to compete with the talented Maruki. For those who haven't seen Park before we suggest watching his fight with Kyoo Hwan Hwang from last year as it really was so fun and just a crazy battle. Maruki's brother, Ryosuke Maruki (11-3-1, 7) will also be up against a Korean visitor, in the form of Joon Yong Lee (5-3-3, 3). On paper this is a mismatch but Lee is the Korean Middleweight champion and may well be a real handful for Maruki, in what could be a genuinely fun bout for fans at the venue. Notably Lee enters the bout as a highly ranked contender by the OPBF so will be fighting to defend that ranking. The final bout of note is an all-Japanese bout at Heavyweight. The bout will see the unbeaten Ryu Ueda (5-0, 2) risk his perfect record against veteran fighter Kotatsu Takehara (12-11-3, 6). This is a big step up in class for Ueda however Takehara has won just 2 of his last 4, and was stopped in both of his losses. It's a good test for the 23 year old novice who knows a win could see him move towards a Japanese title fight, and perhaps even a chance to become the third ever Japanese Heavyweight champion. Incheon, South Korea As well as all the action in Japan there is also a card in Korea, under the KPBF banner. The main event here is a PABA “interim” title bout that sees Korean Jong-Min Jung (6-7, 2) battle Ghana's Razak Nettey (17-4, 13) at Featherweight. Notably this Nettey is a replacement for Filipino Jason Redondo and unfortunately for the Korean it seems Nettey may not have been an easier option. This card will also feature two other PABA affiliated title bouts, one at Bantamweight and one at Light Middleweight. From what we understand the Bantamweight bout will see Woo Hyun Kim (5-1, 1) battle Michael Barnor (15-7-2, 11). The Light Middleweight bout will see Youn Bae Kim (4-0, 1), the current PABA interim champion, battle Joo Hun Kim (7-1, 2), the KPBF champion. *Note several Korean records have been provided by the KPBF. So there we go, Christmas has been and whilst we wish you all had a great one boxing does continue and continues in style with December 27th being the first really notable day post Christmas. Kyoto, Japan Attention turns back to Kyoto for one of a multitude of Japanese sjhows. The main match up here is possibly the fight of the day and sees a youngster look to establish himself a genuine star in the making. That youngster is Ken Shiro (5-0, 2) who will be taking a huge step up in class to face Japanese Light Flyweight champion Kenichi Horikawa (30-13-1, 7). The bout is Ken Shiro's first bout against the best in Japan but he has looked brilliant so far into his career whilst Horikawa will be defending his title for the first time since his emphatic win over Shin Ono back in September. This really could be something very special. The only supporting bout worth noting here will see Atsushi Aburada (10-8, 6) battle against Takahiro Murai (11-6-2, 4) in what looks like a really good match up. Aburada has gone 3-3 in his last 6, but those losses have included a defeat in a Japanese title fight and a loss to the solid Tetsuya Hisada. Murai has never been stepped and will see this as a great opportunity to claim a Japanese ranking, though will know that Aburada is a tough test. A really good bit of match making has gone in to this one. Osaka, Japan The first of two Osaka shows is the more notable with a title fight and a bout featuring a former world title challenger. In the main event of this one fans will get the chance to see Japanese Light Middleweight champion Yuki Nonaka (27-8-3, 9) defending his title against multi-time challenger Koshinmaru Saito (22-7-1, 12). On paper this is genuinely a great bout, though one that Nonaka should win given his more intelligent boxing. Given that both fighters are well in to their 30's this is a must win to keep their careers alive and we expect a very good bout, even if it's not likely to lead either man to a bigger and better fight down the line. The only supporting bout worth mentioning here will see former 4-time world title challenger Hiroyuki Hisataka (24-13-1, 10) battle against Japanese based Filipino Mark John Yap (22-12, 10). Whilst both men have got double figure losses both are talented fighters and both tend to be in entertaining bouts suggesting that this really could be the bout of the day. Both have lost to their best opponents but they are about the same level and could potentially put on a barn burner Osaka, Japan The second of the Osaka shows comes after the first, in the same venue and it put on by Hiroki Ioka Promotions The main event here will see world ranked Featherweight contender Hiroshige Osawa (28-3-4, 17) in a 10 round bout. Osawa, a former OPBF champion, will be hoping to record his 7th straight stoppage win and continue an unbeaten run that began back in 2009. Talented but yet frustrating Osawa seems to be a man who has wasted the last few years, with suspension and mismatches, but hopefully we'll see him kick on in 2016. The co-feature bout will see former world title challenger Pablo Carrillo (17-4-1, 10) take on Thai visitor Jaipetch Chaiyonggym (5-4, 1). Carrillo, who fought Kazuto Ioka in 2014, is now based in Japan and will be making his debut as a Japanese based fighter with the hope of moving towards a world title shot in the future. This however is just stay busy for the Colombia, who has fought just once this year. A final bout from this card worth noting sees the Japanese ranked Kosuke Saka (11-3, 8) in action. This bout was put together on late notice after Saka had a bout with Andres Gutierrez fall through earlier in the year. Hyogo, Japan Another Japanese card comes from Hyogo where Taisei hope to show case some of their most notable fighters. The most notable of those Taisei gym fighters is Riku Kano (7-1-1, 4) who takes on former world title challenger Pigmy Kokietgym (58-8-2, 23). Pigmy is currently world ranked and it's cleat that Kano's team are looking at this bout as a chance to get their man into the world rankings as quickly as possible, with their task being to get him a world title fight before the year is out. The match up is however a risky one and Pigmy cannot be written off, despite a recent defeat to Jaysever Abcede. Another notable bout featuring a Taisei fighter will see Hiroki Taniguchi (6-7-1, 2) battle against the Japanese ranked Toshimasa Ouchi (18-8-3, 5) . This is a really harsh match up for Taniguchi, who has won just 1 of his last 6, but it's the sort of match up that sums up the Taisei gym, where they don't protect their fighters just for the sake of it. Ouchi will be the big favourite here, but has lost 2 of his last 4 and will likely be seeing this as a confidence builder. Tokyo, Japan Tokyo also gets some action with a small show courtesy of Hanagata. The main event of this card sees Japanese ranked Bantamweight Yuta Saito (8-7-2, 6) battle against Yoshiyuki Takabayashi (8-6, 3) in a strangely well matched bout. Although ranked by the JBC Saito has gone 1-4-1 in his last 6, though did beat Keita Nakana in that win and has generally been competitive despite piling up the losses. Takabayashi however is 3-3 in his last 6, though has been fighting at a higher weight and could well bee too physical for Saito. This isn't a top tier bout, but it is an intriguing one. A second bout of note here is a female bout that sees former world title challenger Saemi Hanagata (10-6-2, 4) battle against Chie Higano (4-3, 1). In all honesty this looks like a stay busy fight for Hanagata who will likely be hoping to have another world title fight in 2016. Higano should prove no threat for Hanagata but could go the distance. Seoul, South Korea The day also features a KBF show in the Korean capital The main event here sees former WBO world champion Su Yun Hong (12-1-1, 6) battle against Chinese visitor Jian Li Liu (6-0-1, 3)*. The bout is a WIBF Light Flyweight title defense for Hong, who claimed the title last year and will be hoping to record the third defense of the belt. Although talented Hong's run of recent opposition has been poor and we hope in 2016 she will step it up, significantly. Cebu, Philippines The most interesting of the match ups sees former OPBF Super Bantamweight challenger Jimmy Paypa (16-3-1, 6) battle against Jason Egera (21-15, 10). For Paypa this is his first bout since he was stopped, way back in February, by Shingo Wake. He'll be looking for a win though does appear set to move up in weight to Featherweight for this match up. Whilst Paypa was beaten last time out it does need to be said that Egera has lost his last 7 with 4 of those coming by stoppage. The other 10 rounder will see 19 year old hopeful Elmo Traya (9-1, 7) battle against the out of form Gabriel Royo (10-13-2, 8). Traya comes in to this on an 8 fight winning run whilst Royo is 1-6 in his last 7 bouts, dating back just over 2 years. *Record reported by the KBF September 27th-Ioka Vs Sosa, Takayama Vs Hara, and a lot more to help close out the month!9/25/2015 This coming Sunday looks to be the perfect closing day to a month that hasn't been the most exciting for boxing fans. Osaka, Japan One of the cards of the month comes from the newly named EDION Arena Osaka where Ioka put on what may go down as one of the cards of the year. It feature 4 title fights, 2 notable prospects and more action than you shake a stick at. The headline bout sees Japanese Kazuto Ioka (17-1, 10) defending the WBA Flyweight title against Argentinian foe Roberto Domingo Sosa (26-2-1, 14). This is Ioka's first defense of the title that he narrowly won earlier this year, when he over-came Juan Carlos Reveco, and it could be another tough night for Osakan star. Whilst this bout could be a very tough one for Ioka it needs noting that the winner will have a tough one next time out, as they are mandated to face with Reveco by the end of the year. Another world title bout on this show will see IBF Minimumweight champion Katsunari Takayama (29-7-0-1, 11) defending his belt against Ryuji Hara (19-1, 11) in what looks like a potential FOTY contender. Takayama, who struggled last time out with Fahlan Sakkreerin Jr, is now 32 and has had a very hard career however Hara will be going into his first world title fight and was stopped in his most notable bout to date, by current WBO champion Kosei Tanaka. In a Japanese title fight fans will see Super Flyweight champion Sho Ishida (19-0, 10) defending his title, for the 3rd time as he takes on Hayato Kimura (23-7, 15). The unbeaten champion has looked impressive in 18 of his bouts however he was run very close last time out by Taiki Eto and it that bout left question marks regarding Ishida's stamina. If he impresses here he may find himself heading to a world title bout in 2016. However Kimura cannot be ruled here and the experienced challenger has waited for his shot at Japanese title. The fourth title bout on this show will see the unbeaten Kei Takenaka (9-0, 3) defending her OPBF Light Flyweight title against Thailand's Krikanok Islandmuaythai (4-4-1, 2). This looks like a mismatch though Takenaka may well be just one or two fights from a world title shot and will be hoping to get some much needed ring time here before a potential fight at world level. As for the prospects one of those is 17 year old Riku Kano (6-1-1, 4) who faces Kenta Matsui (6-4, 1) in what will be the teenager's second bout in Japan. The hope is that a win here will be followed in 2016 with a move towards a domestic title bout then a potential world title bout as he chases the record to be Japanese youngest world champion. Matsui is a safe option but also the type of fight who is physically tough enough to get Kano some competitive rounds. A less competitive bout will see Super Flyweight hopeful Masayoshi Hashizume (8-0, 5) face Thailand's Petchnamnung Sor Thiebkhun (0-10) in what looks like like a horrible mismatch. Petchnamnung has been stopped in 8 of his 10 bouts and we expect stoppage loss #9 to come here in what is, supposedly, his international debut. Of course The Thai probably has an incomplete record but what the data we have suggests that this is a horrible match up and that the talented Hashizume should win without ny problems. The two world title bouts from this card will be aired on TBS, though it's unclear at the moment if they will be “live” or on tape delay. Looking at the scheduled of the card however the odds are that Takayama Vs Hara will be aired on tape delay whilst Ioka Vs Sosa will likely be live, and will also be shown live on Argentinian TV. Osaka, Japan Staying in Osaka there is also a Rookie of the West card, in fact it's the Rookie of the West final. Sadly though it will be massively over-looked give the other card. Rather than going through all 12 bouts we've picked a few that interested us the most. At Super Flyweight unbeaten teenagers collide as 18 year old Shion Tamada (2-0) takes on 19 year old Kensei Hirano (4-0, 2). Tamada is a prospect of the Ioka gym and will have sparred with some top quality partners though given his age he's certainly a baby and could will find himself being pushed all the way by Hirano, who is more experienced and has shown more power. Another all unbeaten contender will come at Light Flyweight where Kaminoko Okamura Kentokid (5-0-3, 2) takes on Seigo Yuri Akui (3-0-1, 1). Although both men are unbeaten both have been relatively fortunate with draws and it's fair to say that neither is expected to be raced through the ranks if they do end up being crowned the Rookie of the Year. One other all unbeaten bout that has us excited is at Featherweight where teenager puncher Ryuya Yanagida (2-0, 2) takes on Yuto Nagano (4-0, 2). It's fair to say that Yanagida is completely unproven but he has shown solid power so far and may well need that power to get beyond the 21 year old Nagano, who had to gut out his most recent win, against Yu Konomura. Nonthanburi, Thailand As well as all he action in Japan Thai fans will also get their share of televised action with Mono 29 airing a Kiatkreein show, form 3PM local time. In the main event of this show fans will see Thailand's experienced Mike Tawatchai (35-8-1, 21) take on Filipino foe Junny Salogaol (9-7-4-1, 9) in a bout for the IBF Pan Pacific Super Bantamweight title. This is Tawatchai's first bout since being dominated by Shingo Wake in an IBF world title eliminator back in June and although that loss was a wide one he shouldn't struggle at all with Salogaol. Despite Salogaol's record being less than great he is coming into this bout in form, with 5 straight T/KO wins. Tawatchai isn't the only notable name on this show. Another is 2-time Olympic medal winner Manus Boonjumnong (1-0) who faces Indonesian Marco Tuhumury (10-11-2, 3). Although Manos is 35, and looked out of shape last time out against Jamed Jalarante, he has got a lot of skill and shouldn't struggle, at all, with Tuhumury. In fact if anything we're expecting the Thai to stop his foe here. Another fighter on this card is recent world title challenger Fahlan Sakkreerin Jr (27-4-1, 15) who will face Indonesian fighter Oscar Raknafa (12-10, 5) in a stay busy fight. This is Fahlan's first bout since his controversial loss to Katsunari Takayama back in April. A win here could see Fahlan's team moving him towards another title fight at some point in 2016. (Image courtesy of boxmob.jp) This coming Sunday will be an emotional but busy day in Japan with 3 shows in the land of the rising sun as well as a single show in the Philippines. Hyogo, Japan Possibly the most notable, and easily the most emotional, of the Japanese cards comes from Hyogo where we see several fighters of note in action on a Taisei promoted card that is being held in memory of Kaito Hattori, who sadly passed away earlier this year. The main event of the show will be the Japanese debut of youngster Riku Kano (5-1-1, 3), who battles against late replacement Marihot Hutajulu (1-2). Kano, who has fought in Thailand and the Philippines so far, is tipped to go a long way however he will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders coming in to this bout. The talented youngster has been matched easily here but knows that this is just the beginning of a journey expected to take him a very long way. In the chief support bout we'll see Rikito Hattori (2-0, 1), the older brother of Kaito, take on an Indonesian foe. This won't be a major bout but it will be a hugely emotional one for Hattori. In an interestingly matched 8 round bout fans will see Hikaru Matsuoka (8-2-3, 1) battle against Seizo Kono (14-7-1, 9). This will be Matsuoka's first bout since he was stopped by Yuki Strong Kobayashi in April and he'll know that back-to-back losses will push him a long way from a major bout. As for Kono he's can't afford a loss after back-to-back defeats. A very peculiar looking bout will see Japanese based Filipino Mark John Yap (20-12, 10) take on former WBA interim Minimumweight champion Juan Jose Landaeta (26-7-1, 20). The 36 year old Landaeta is well known on Japan for his bouts with Yutaka Niida and Koki Kameda though he is likely to be giving away a lot of natural size here against Yap. Kanagawa, Japan We have a lesser show in Kanagawa that has an interesting main event but, over-all, looks to be a much less interesting card that some of the others. The main event will see Middleweight hopeful Shoma Fukumoto (6-1, 5) attempt to claim his 5th straight win as he faces the more experienced Kazuaki Irisawa (8-6, 5). On paper this is a big step up for Fukumoto though one that he should come out on top of given that Irisawa has already been stopped 5 times, including last time out. In a support bout Keita Nakano (13-9-3, 4) will be taking on Yuta Saito (7-6-2, 6). Coming in to this bout Nakano is ranked by the JBC and would likely lose that ranking if he was to be beaten here. Notably however Saito has gone 0-3-1 in his last 4 bouts and is win-less since the end of 2012. A second support bout will see Emika Himuro (4-1-1, 1) battle against Kai Johnson (5-7-3, 2). These two fought in November 2013, fighting to a 6 round majority draw, and will be hoping to settle the score here. Yamaguchi, Japan Another Japanese card is being promoted by Kanmon Japan. The main event here will see recent OPBF title challenger Accel Sumiyoshi (4-4-1, 1) take on Leonardo Doronio (14-9-3, 9) in a 10 round bout. This is a rematch from a contest the two men had last year, which resulted in a split decision draw. Since their first bout Sumiyoshi has challenged for the OPBF Lightweight title, losing a wide decision to Masayoshi Nakatani, whilst Doronio has been inactive, perhaps giving the Japanese fighter the slight edge. Sadly the rest of this show is relatively weak. Cotabato del Sur, Philippines In the Philippines fans get an interesting show with a number unbeaten fighters or notable fringe contenders. The main event will see the once beaten Daryl Basadre (14-1-1, 10) take on the once touted Kenny Demecillo (8-3-1, 5) in a bout for the WBA Oceania Bantamweight title. This s a great opportunity for both with the winner possibly able to claim a fringe WBA ranking. On paper Basadre is the favourite though Demecillo will not be coming in to this bout to roll over. Of the many prospects in action on this show we tend to think the best is Jack Tepora (13-0, 9), who has been dubbed “The Golden Boy”. Tepora will be up against tough veteran Eric Barcelona (53-23-5, 19). This should be a good test for Tepora but a test that he should pass comfortably whilst getting some good rounds under his belt. On paper the bout of the show looks to be a contest between Rimar Metuda (6-0, 3) and Jerry Castroverde (5-0, 3). We believe this bout was expected earlier in the year though has been rescheduled. This could be a very good test for both men, or could see one man “exposed”. The biggest name in action is former IBF Light Flyweight world title challenger Jether Oliva (22-3-2, 10). Oliva, who was stopped last time out by Luis Nery, will be up against Jonathan Ricablanca (7-47-2, 1) in what looks to be an easy comeback fight for Oliva. (Image courtesy of boxmob.jp) The action really does continue through much of December and this coming Tuesday is no different with notable shows in 4 of the Asian countries and in fact all 4 countries play host to at least 1 title fight. Tokyo, Japan The most notable of the title fights is in Japan where heavy handed OPBF Super Middleweight champion Yuzo Kiyota (26-4-1, 24) defends his belt against unknown Fijian challenger Abhay Chand (16-13-4, 10), a man we really don't know a lot about. Kiyota, who is best known for his loss to Robert Stieglitz last year, will be making the first defense of his current reign and we suspect he'll make light work of Chand though we haven't managed to find much of Chand's footage and our view is just based on his record. Sadly whilst this Japanese card has the biggest title bout of the day it lacks markedly in terms of it's under-card. There will 7 undercard bouts but the only one worth noting is the 8 round contest between Kenta Nakagawa (7-2, 5) and Ryo Nakamura (7-4, 3), in what looks to be a very even match up. Metro Manila, Philippines Although the best title fight is in Japan we believe the best card comes from the Philippines with 4 bouts that have caught our eye. The most exciting of those bouts is one of two main events as the promising Rene Dacquel (12-3-1, 4) attempts to defend the WBC Youth Super Flyweight title against unbeaten compatriot Jhaleel Payao (10-0, 6). Dacquel impressed earlier this year fighting to a draw, in Japan, against Ryotaro Kawabata, and has since stopped Menard Abila in 8 rounds. On the other hand Payao is unbeaten and a former PBF champion who has scarcely lost a round in the last 2 years. A really interesting and genuine well made contest. The other main event will see highly ranked Super Flyweight Warlito Parrenas (22-6, 19) defending his WBO Oriental title against Indonesian visitor Hengky Baransano (11-4, 4). At the time of writing Parrenas is the #2 ranked Super Flyweight according to the WBO and is also one of the divisions most exciting and heavy handed fighters. We suspect the champion will stop the Indonesian visitor though as is often the case with Indonesian fighters, we don't know how good they are and every so often an Indonesian fighter does have some surprising talent so this could be interesting. A third bout to make a note of is a Light Flyweight bout featuring monster puncher Richard Claveras (10-0-2, 10). The heavy handed and much touted puncher will be fighting against experienced journeyman Rodel Tejares (20-31-6, 5) in what could be an interesting test for the young man who is with out a doubt heavy handed and one to keep a real eye on in the coming years. The fourth bout will see see former world title challenger Ardin Diale (25-9-3, 12) stepping up to Super Flyweight to fight against the experienced Ricky Manufoe (23-21-2, 10). On paper this is a mismatch however Manufoe's record is misleading and he has lost to numerous world champions including Kompayak Porpramook, Suriyan Sor Rungvisai, Amant Ruenroeng and Teppaith Kokietgym and he may well be a lot better than the numbers suggest. As for Diale we all know he has been in some draining battles recently, including his war with Koki Eto from earlier this year. We suspect this card will feature another 5 bouts but we've picked out the 4 most notable ones. Bangkok, Thailand In the “land of smiles” fans will get the chance to see Japanese teenage Riku Kano (4-1-1, 3) attempt to claim the WBA Asia Minimumweigth title. Kano, a 17 year old youngster who is yet to debut in Japan, will be fighting Madit Sada (9-18-1, 3). From what we understand Kano will be hoping to become the first Japanese fighter to win a WBA affiliated title prior to his Japanese debut and if he wins here the intention is to try and move towards a WBA world title fight and beat the long standing record of Hiroki Ioka's for the youngest Japanese fighter to become a world champion. For those who haven't yet seen Kano his skills were recently on show against Wittaya Sithsaithong and going on what we saw there we suspect he'll really shine against the poor Kano. Daejeon, South Korea In South Korea we see two more titles up for grabs. The most notable of those is the KBC Light Welterweight title which will be defended by novice champion Myung Soo Sun (1-0) for the first time. Sun, who won the title back in September with a majority decision over Jae-Ho Kim will be fighting against Jin Soo Kim (6-3, 3) here. Although we don't know much about the challenger we do recognise some of his opponents, including Quaye Peter, who Kim stopped in a round, and Taek Min Kim, who beat him in 8 rounds for a different version of this title. This could a be a very good test for the champion. In the other title bout the unbeaten Eun Hye Lee (5-0, 1) will be battling Filipino visitor Lady Love Sampiton (2-2, 1) in a bout for the WBO Asia Pacific female Flyweight title. Lee, a former Korean national champion, should be facing the best test of her career here though we've yet to be impressed by Sampiton. The rest of the card, 4 bouts, will feature debutants in action in what we suspect the KBC hopes will help to grow Korean boxing. (Image courtesy of boxmob.jp) |
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