 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Wednesday we get a small card at Korakuen Hall, as Kadoebi and Dangan work together. Sadly the card isn’t a particularly stacked one, or one with many mouth watering bouts, but does have two bouts of interest on it, one of which features one of the most under-rated Japanese fighters out there and the other is a solid supporting 8 rounder. In the main event we’ll see the hugely under-rated Ryo Nakai (9-2-1, 5) take on hard hitting Korean visitor Tae Sun Kim (12-2-2, 8) in a really good looking bout. Nakai is one of the more under-rated Japanese domestic level fighters, and the 26 year old already has wins over Mirai Naito, Go Hosaka, Tsukasa Saito, Reo Saito and, most recently Wensong Liu in China, which saw him claim his first professional title. Although he’s never likely to move onto the world level Nakai is probably going to become a staple at the top end of the domestic and regional rankings, and fighters need to be very good to beat him, as seen by the fact his losses are to Shu Utsuki and Kai Watanabe. As for Kim, the 28 year old Korean is a former Korean champion at 130lbs, who went on a good unbeaten run between his two losses, going 7-0-1 before losing last year to Virgel Vitor, in 7 rounds. At his best Kim is a top domestic fighter, and has notched wins not just at home, but also in Thailand, where he took the unbeaten record of Giuliano Fantone. Although a good Korean level domestic fighter, it’s hard to see Kim really posing too many threats to Nakai here, but he has the toughness to take Nakai rounds, and maybe take a round or two off him. In the other bout of note on this card we’ll see Hisaya Kishibe (7-3-2, 4) take on Norris Yano (6-5-1). Kishibe comes into this on a good run of 6 fights without a loss, though they have been at a low level, however they have been spread over more than 5 years, showing a real lack of activity for someone who could have been fighting a good level domestically had he not been so inactive. As for Yano, who tends to make for good fights, win or lose, he has lost his last 3, but has been fighting at a good level against very solid domestic fighters, though like Kishibe has been somewhat inactive with his last 6 fights coming over the last 9 years. At their best, these two could have made for a very interesting bout but instead it just makes for a solid lower tier domestic scrap, between two solid but frustratingly inactive fighters.
0 Comments
 This coming Saturday is a hectic day in Asia with shows in 4 different countries.
Foshan, China On paper the best of the Asian shows comes from China where we see several intriguing bouts The main event will see local fighter Wensong Liu (11-2-1, 8) take on under-rated Japanese fighter Ryo Nakai (8-2-1, 5) in a brilliant bout for the WBC Asian Super Featherweight title. Coming into this Luis does have 2 losses, though one of those was a debut TKO loss and the other was a 2023 split decision loss to rising Mongolian Tsendbaatar Erdenebat, which some how one judge gave to Lui in what seemed like a clear win for the Mongolian. He’s a solid puncher who has scored notable wins not just at home, but also on the road, stopping Daisuke Watanabe and KJ Natuplag outside of China. Nakai on the other hand is someone who is much better than his record suggests and has already a number of notable Japanese foes, including Mirai Naito, Go Hosaka, Ribo Takahata, Tsukasa Saito and most recently former amateur stand out Reo Saito. Given that both of these men are very capable, and both will be desperate to grab the WBC regional title this could end up being a very, very good match up, with a mix of boxing and power from both. Also on this card is Japanese based Ugandan Olympian David Ssemujju (5-0, 3), who looks to build on a March win over Hiroya Nojima as he takes on Kazakh Nurbol Sultanbay (9-1, 5). On paper this is a really good fight, but when you scratch a little further you need to consider that Sultanbay hasn't fought since 2022, 3 of his last 4 bouts were against debutants, and he lacks any depth at all to his record. It looks pretty but it's very, very padded. A win for Ssemujju is likely to set him up for a title fight of some kind later in the year. Korme Center, Shymkent, Kazakhstan Over Kazakhstan we see more notable Kazakh’s than Sultanbay in action, sadly though no bout on this card is big, but there are two solid ones. One of those two is a clash between unbeaten 23 year old Kazakh Nurdos Tolebay (11-0, 9), who has stopped his last 8, and 20 year old Thai Anuson Thonglueang (20-4-1, 16). Given the records of the two men, it's fair to assume we will see fireworks here, for as long as it lasts, and the Thai isn't afraid of going on the road, with this being his third bout outside of Thailand in around 7 months. The local should be favoured, but this isn’t a gimmie for him. Another unbeaten Kazakh who’ll be forced to work for a win is Samat Zhetibayev (6-0, 4) who takes on the upset minded Filipino Adrian Lerasan (13-6, 6). On paper it's easy to favour the 27 year old Zhetibayev, afterall he's at home and he's unbeaten, however Lerasan has had a reputation of going away from home and playing the spoiler beating touted Thai's Tanes Ongjunta, Phongsaphon Panyakum and Nattapong Jankaew, all by stoppage. He's a very live under-dog, though we suspect he will be under-sized here against the naturally bigger Kazakh. Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines In Pasay City fans are in for an interesting card, despite a lack of name value, with a number of bright hopefuls in action. The most notable bout on the card will see Noli James Maquilan (9-1, 6) and Jason Facularin (8-1, 8) clash in a 12 rounder for the WBC Asian Boxing Continental Bantamweight title. Facularin, dubbed "The Pain", has bounced back well since a 2023 loss to Kenneth Egano, and has gone 4-0 (4) taking just 8 rounds to take out his competition. As for Maquilan, he’s riding a 9 fight winning run since losing on debut back in 2021 and will be defending the regional title that he won in March, when he stopped Benny Canete. On paper Maquilan is the more proven, but it’ll be interesting to see if he can take the power of Facularin. Another bout of note on this card will see unbeaten fighters clash, as Helario Genanda (6-0, 4) takes on Archiel Villamor (7-0, 4) in a great looking 8 rounder. Villamor debuted in 2021 and has beaten one unbeaten fighter already, and holds back to back wins over Harry Omac coming in to this, with many of his wins so far coming against live opponents. Grenada debuted in 2024, and rather notably none of his opponents have had losing records, and in fact he holds two solid early career wins over Carlo Diaz VII and James Pacamalan. Given that both men are early in their careers, both are unbeaten and both will see this as a huge chance to make a mark on the sport and really push their career on to the next level. A great match up. Singmanassak Muaythai School, Pathum Thani, Thailand We also get a low profile card in the Land of Smiles. At the time of writing only one bout has been confirmed for this card, and that’s a bout between 41 year old Australian veteran Tommy Browne (44-8-2, 19), and limited Thai youngster Channarong Injampa (15-15, 10), who has seen the final bell in just 7 of his 30 bouts. Although Browne is no puncher it’s hard to see anything but a win for “The Titan” here, as he takes on a very limited glass cannon. Injampa has been stopped 13 times and usually very early in bouts, with all 13 coming in the first 5 rounds. Although the above bout is the only one announced for this card, we also know that enigmatic Heavyweight Senad Gashi (27-4-0-1, 26), is pencilled in for the show. On paper he's a dangerous man, but he has come up short in every bout against someone of some name value, and it's clear that he's not going to be matched with anyone too notable here, in what looks like a bout made at very short notice.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesday we get the next show from Shisei Promotions, and whilst it's not a huge card it does feature a number of interesting match ups including a mouth watering regional title bout, a pair of well matched Japan Vs Philippines bouts, and the debut of someone worth keeping an eye on. We'll start with the interesting debut, as 25 year old Toshihiro Suzuki (0-0) kicks off his highly anticipated professional boxing career, and takes on Thai visitor Pornthep Wadngam (4-2, 3). As an amateur Suzuki went 82-22, won bronze at the Youth Championships and silver at the Nanjing Youth Olympics, and the expectations on his shoulders are huge given his success in the unpaid ranks. As for the visitor, this will be his first bout outside of Thailand, and should be regarded as a massive step up from the competition he's been facing at home. In an interesting match up between Japan and the Philippines we'll see the criminally under-rated Ryo Nakai (4-1-1, 2) take on Jess Rhey Waminal (14-5-1, 8), who needs a win right now. Nakai is one of the most under-rated hopefuls in Japan and has been really unlucky in his career so far, though has the tools to make a mark well above domestic level in the years to come. As for Waminal, the Filipino has struggled recently, losing his last 2, and 3 of his last 4, though he has been fighting at a very good level with losses coming to Pete Apolinar and Zhong Liu among others. Waminal is dangerous, despite recent form, whilst Nakai will know this is a chance to get some well over-due respect for his ability. In another Japan Vs Philippines bout we'll see 24 year old Japanese hopeful Ryuto Owan (8-1, 6) take on Filipino veteran Mark Anthony Geraldo (38-10-3, 19). Coming in to this Owan has stopped his last 3, and looked to have developed his man strength following a 2018 loss to Tetsu Araki. He looks to be heading places, and fighting out of the Shisei gym he is certainly training alongside top names. As for Geraldo the Filipino has been around the scene for years, and has shared the ring with a genuine who's who. He lost last time out to Carl Jammes Martin, but did give Martin a really good test over 12 rounds, and we're expecting something similar here for Owan. In the main event we'll see Yoshimitsu Kimura (13-2-1, 8) faces former foe Kanehiro Nakagawa (11-6, 5) for the WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight title. The talented Kimura is looking to build on a big win last time out against Kosuke Saka, and put some disappointment behind him, following a bout with Samir Ziani falling through. He will enter as the favourite, and be looking for a repeat of a previous win over Nakagawa. As for Nakagawa he really built himself following that loss to Kimura, and has gone 7-1 since that defeat, and will feel full of confidence as he seeks revenge. The bout might not be a huge one, but it's one that has the potential to be something a little bit special, and a real war, given the mentalities of the two men involved. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Kimura and Nakagawa battle for regional title!  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesdays Ohashi Gym put on their next card, and it's one that's very much focused on the emerging youth of Japanese boxing, with a Japanese Youth title fight along with 3 supporting bouts featuring genuine prospects. The main event of the card will see Japanese Youth Minimumweight champion Shunsuke Isa (9-3-1, 1) take on former Japanese title challenger Katsuki Mori (9-1, 2), in an excellent match up, and one that feel Mori's team should have searched for before his recent loss to Kai Ishizawa. The 24 year old Isa won the title last August, when he narrowly over-came Yuni Takada, and although he did win that bout, he really seemed to get some good luck, and there is question marks about how he's developing, and how high his ceiling will be. As for Mori he looked like a top prospect in the making before being thrown in to a Japanese title fight with Kai Ishizawa this past January, a fight that he seemed to be getting too early. If that loss hasn't damaged him too much, he should be able to bounce back, and could end up living up to the expectations we have for him going forward. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here Japanese youth champion Isa takes on Mori! The chief support bout will see the hugely entertaining, and hard hitting, Narumi Yukawa (4-0, 3) will be seeking his 5th professional win as he takes on 34 year old veteran Takaki Sakurai (8-8-1, 3). The exciting Yukawa was one of the more notable prospects last year, with his debut coming in March and by the end of the year he had notched 3 wins and seemed well on the way to bigger and better fights. He also added a good win in January, stopping Kanta Fukui, and looks likely to be in the domestic title mix in the next year or two. Before then however he does need rounds, bouts and experience and fighters like Sakurai are ideal for him. Sakurai is generally regarded as tough and is naturally bigger, so should be able to last a few rounds and give Yukawa something new to think about In another 8 rounder we'll see young battling older, as 24 year old hopeful Ryo Nakai (3-1-1, 1) faces off with 42 year old veteran Ribo Takahata (17-9-1, 7). Of the two men Takahata, who is ranked by the JBC at 130lbs, is the more well known and is a very well respected veteran, with a tricky style built around his jab, size and experience, and he has proven to be an awkward and tough fighter. As for Nakai, he's looking to climb into the Japanese rankings, and score a career best win. Although not too well known, he is a genuine talent, and pushed current Japanese Lightweight champion Shu Utsuki all the way, and holds recent wins over Mirai Naito and Go Hosoka. For Takahata this is a must win if he's to continue his career, whilst Nakai will know a win moves his career forward, massively. In a battle of youngsters the 21 year old debutant Kotoji Irita (0-0) will face off with once touted 19 year old Kosuke Tomioka (4-2, 3), in a scheduled 6 rounder at Super Flyweight. Tomioka looked really impressive in his early days as a professional, with an exciting style and a lot of swag, but has lost his last 2, and shown some fragility with his chin. As for Irita he was a solid amateur, going 36-11, and is tipped for pretty big things in the professional ranks. This is certainly an interesting under-card bout, and one where we'll see two talented youngsters face off.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Thursdays action returns to Korakuen Hall for the latest show in the Diamond Glove series of events. It's not a massive one by any stretch, but it is an interesting one, with a compelling main event, a very even looking supporting bout, and two talented former amateurs clashing in another supporting bout. The main event of the show will see former Japanese Featherweight champion Ryo Sagawa (10-2, 5) look to bounce back from his title lose, earlier this year to Hinata Maruta, as he takes on Retsu Kosaka (10-6, 4). On paper this doesn't look a great bout, though it's worth noting that these two men do have history, with Kosaka giving Sagawa his first loss, very early in Sagawa's career. Sagawa will obviously be looking to avenge that defeat, but Kosaka will be full of belief, knowing that he stopped Sagawa in the past and can, potentially, do it again here. In a really good looking supporting bout we'll see the in form Kanehiro Nakagawa (10-6, 5) take on Shinnosuke Hasegawa (13-2-1, 9) in a Japanese title eliminator at Super Featherweight. On paper this looks a 50-50 bout, or one that maybe leans towards Hasegawa, but coming in Nakagawa has a lot of momentum, having won his last 5, including big domestic victories over Seiichi Okada, Ken Osato and Taiki Minamoto. Although Nakagawa has been in great form, and is ranked #1 by the JBC coming into this, Hasegawa is ranked #2 by the JBC and is in impressive form himself, with 12 straight wins, and will feel he's the man with momentum behind him. This really could be something very special, and we expect something very brutal here. In another supporting bout we'll see the unbeaten Go Hosaka (5-0, 3) take on Ryo Nakai (2-1-1, 1) in what should be a brilliant tactical match up between two fighters who were very good amateurs. Hosaka began his professional carer in the Philippines and since return to Japan, following the decline of the ALA Gym, hasn't really shown the promise he did back in the Philippines, though it's clear he has a lot of potential and the skills to go a long way, if he can put the performances together. Nakai on the other hand was matched tough on debut, fighting to a draw with Jay Lloyd Quidlet, and was unlucky last time out, losing a close decision to Shu Utsuki. On paper his record is under-whelming, but he has been matched incredibly tough and is much, much better, than his 2-1-1 record suggests. This could be a very over-looked fight, but one that promises  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Wednesday is a solid day for Japanese fight fans in Tokyo, thanks to a Dangan and Watanabe promoted show headlined by a WBO Asia Pacific title bout, and featuring several solid match ups on the under-card. The main event is a truly brilliant match up as the much touted Ginjiro Shigeoka (5-0, 4) defends the WBO Asia Pacific Minimumweight title against fellow unbeaten Toshiki Kawamitsu (6-0, 3). The explosive Shigeoka hasn't fought since stopping Rey Loreto at the end of 2019, and has had a really frustrating 18 months or so, needing to recover from an injury having several dates slip away. Given his long break from the ring and the issues that covid has had on his career it's hard to really know where Shigeoka is at mentally coming in to this. Kawamitsu on the other hand has really made his name in the "covid-era" of boxing with a brilliant win in 2020 over Kenshi Noda, in a truly fantastic fight, and a swift win over Kosuke Ando this past January. Those wins have helped put Kawamitsu on the map and a win here would boost him to the verges of a world title fight. This is a bout that should be explosive, high tempo, and a must watch for fans of the lower weights. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Shigeoka returns as he takes on unbeaten Kawamitsu! The chief support bout is a genuinely brilliant one as the heavy handed Shu Utsuki (8-0, 7) takes on the skilled Ryo Nakai (2-0-1, 1) in a great 8 round Lightweight clash. The hard hitting Utsuki, who is banging on the door of a title fight, has stopped his last 6 opponents in a combined 21 rounds and looks like he's ready for a serious test after wins over the likes of Jerry Castroverde and Masashi Wakita. Although not too well known Nakai is no push over, and is instead a very talented boxer, who has rebuilt well since a draw on his debut. Although talented we do feel this is maybe a little bit too soon for Nakai, who perhaps could have done with 2 or 3 more fights before facing someone as dangerous as Utsuki. In another interesting supporting bout we'll see the once beaten Fumiya Fuse (9-1, 1) battle against Fuya Tomita (6-2, 2). The talented Fuse, who won Rookie of the Year in 2017, will be fighting for the first time since he beat Melmark Dignos in last 2019, and with more than 18 months out it's going to be interesting to see how he looks here. Tomita on the other hand has been surprisingly busy in recent years, and has fought 3 times since since November 2020, including his win in the All Japan Rookie of the Year in February. Not only is Tomita active and in good form, but he's also a physical freak standing at close to 6 foot, despite fighting as a Bantamweight! This is going to be a very, very tough bout for Fuse. Also on this card is the debut of 24 year old Watanabe hopeful Kyotaro Yoshida (0-0), who went 32-13 in the amateurs, who takes on the once beaten Hiroki Kinjo (5-1, 4). The talented debutant is expected to be a bright hope for the Watanabe gym and someone the gym could move quickly in the coming years. Kinjo on the other hand is 21 and debuted back in 2018, winning his first 5 before losing to the aforementioned Fuya Tomita last November. Prior to that loss Kinjo had been matched softly and this is certainly one of his toughest bouts so far.  This coming Friday is set to be an incredibly busy day for Asian fight fans, with cards of note taking place in Japan, Thailand, Russia and Tanzania. The days also has a nice mix of rising youngsters looking to make their way in the sport, a veteran looking for his 98th professional win, and several contenders also in action.
Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California, USA We'll start not in Asia but in the US, where rising Uzbek sensation Bektemir Melikuziev (5-0, 4) will be defending his WBA Continental America's Super Middleweight title against Mexican challenger Alan Campa (17-5, 11). This, in reality, should be little more than a stay busy bout for the talented Uzbek, who looks set to become a star in the coming years. Sadly the "Bully" hasn't been as active as we'd have liked, though given how 2020 has been we are glad we're going to see him get a run out here. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan One of the many cards comes from Korakuen Hall, and will be made available on demand on Boxing Raise. The card has several good looking bouts on it, and several others worthy of note. the best of the bouts on this one will see rising Japanese Lightweight Shu Utsuki (6-0, 5) look for win #7 as he takes on Takayuki Sakai (9-2-2, 6). The heavy handed Utsuki had a great 2019, scoring 4 stoppages, but has been out of the ring since October 2019, and has lost much of the momentum he had. As for Sakai he's no push over, and scored a notable 2018 win over Amphol Suriyo, aka Pharanpetch Tor Buamas, but has gone 1-1 since then. We expect Utsuki to come out on top here, but it should be a very, very fun bout. Another unbeaten man on this card will be Ryo Nakai (1-0-1, 1), who looks for his second professional win as he takes on Mirai Naito (8-1, 3). Nakai turned professional last year with some solid amateur credentials but was held to a draw in a tough debut, before picking up his first win in November. He has the amateur background but Naito has the blood line, with his father, Cassius Naito, and brother, Rikki Naito, both being notable fighters. Naito also has the edge in professional experience and has notched 3 wins since his solitary loss. We expect this one to be the hidden gem of the show. In a female bout the unbeaten Sayo Segawa (1-0, 1) will be up against Natsuki Tarui (3-6-2). The talented Segawa ran up over 30 wins in the amateurs and placed 3rd in an All Japan amateur tournament before turning professional last year and looking good on her debut. Sadly she's been out of the ring for a year as we enter this bout and her career has clearly stalled before it's even got going. Tarui on the other hand is a 29 year old domestic level fighter who isn't expected to go far, but should serve as a good opponent to help Segawa shake some ring rust and get back up to speed. Rangsit International Stadium, Rangsit, Thailand Over in Thailand we get a small show featuring two notable names, and a promising youngster. Sadly however it's hard to get invested in this show. The main event will see the young, and somewhat unproven, Kittithat Ungsrivongs (16-1, 9) fight for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental Super Featherweight title. Sadly his opponent is the win-less Omar El Ouers (0-1-1). Kittithat, also known as Wanchana Menayothin is only 21, so it's harsh to complain too much about an easy bout, but he's been a professional for almost 4 years now and is still fighting very limited opposite. Notably El Ouers did fight to a draw last time out with Kongfah CP Freshmart, but Kongfah is very much a Super Flyweight, and El Ouers success there is unlike to carry up to 130lbs. Talking about Kongfah CP Freshmart (33-1-1, 16) he will also be on the card, along with Petch Sor Chitpattana (57-1, 42). Sadly however neither man has had their opponent made clear at the time of writing. Given how Petpiya fights go, and how these two have been matched previously, we don't really expect anything exciting for either man. PTA Hall, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania On the subject of Thai's it's worth noting that former 2-weight world champion Sirimongkol Singwancha (97-4, 62) is also scheduled for action, albeit in Tanzania, where he is set to face local fighter Twaha Kassimu Rubaha (15-6-1, 8) for the WBC Asia Pacific Super Middleweight title. Despite once being a brilliant fighter Sirimongkol is now a 43 year old, former blown up Bantamweight with over 100 bouts to his name and is not the fighter he once was. Although Rubaha is moving up in weight for this bout he is the naturally bigger man, and the much younger man, and we think those advantages will take him to victory here. USC Soviet Wings, Moscow, Russia In Moscow we have some fighters from Central Asia in action. The most notable of the Central Asian fighters in action here is Kazakh female fighter Firuza Sharipova (11-1, 6), who has often received a lot of media attention but appears to be under-the-radar for this fighter, likely due to the backlash her last bout had. The frustrating Kazakh will be up against Serbian fighter Sara Marjanovic (7-7, 3), who's record is very padded thanks to 5 successive wins against very low level opposition. This should be an easy win for Sharipova, Another central Asian fighter on this show is 26 year old Kyrgyzstan fighter Turat Osmonov (3-0, 3), who looks for his next win as he takes on the win-less Mutrib Karambakhshov (0-3), a Russian based Tajik. Really is hard to get too excited about this one, though we have liked what we have seen of Osmonov and hopefully he will be stepped up in his next fight or two.  Tokyo, Japan
This coming Saturday is massive with a trio of world title bouts, to warm up for the big day we get a really interesting card in Japan on Friday, with 2 really good Japan Vs Philippines bouts and a pair of bouts involving touted debutants. The main event of the show will see OPBF Flyweight champion Jayr Raquinel (10-1-1, 7) look to make his second defense, as he takes on Japanese veteran Takuya Kogawa (30-5-1, 13), who is essentially fighting for his career at this point. The talented Raquinel won the title in March 2018, stopping Keisuke Nakayama, and impressed when he stopped Shun Kosaka in his first defense. Sadly a loss in China to Wulan Tuolehazi last September slowed his ascent and he's been out of the ring ever since. At the age of 34 Kogawa really is a veteran, and the popular Tokyo brawler has began to show signs of his career catching up with him in recent years. Since losing the Japanese title in June 2016 to Masayuki Kuroda we've not been impressed by Kogawa, who has struggled in his 3 subsequent bouts, though has been hit by stretches of inactivity. If Kogawa is half the fighter he once was this could be amazing, alternatively this could be the bout that pushes him into retirement. A full preview of this bout is available here Rising hopeful Raquinel and veteran Kogawa clash for OPBF title Another brilliant bout between a Filipino and a Japanese local will see Pinoy hopeful Alphoe Dagayloan (13-2-5, 5) take on touted Japanese hopeful Ryota Yamauchi (4-1, 4). For Dagayloan this bout will see him looking to extend a 7 fight winning streak, and build on wins over the likes of Esneth Domingo and Danrick Sumabong. A win for the Filipino will almost certainly open up big opportunities in the near future, given his run of form. For Yamauchi however the bout will be his first since suffering a controversial loss in China to Wulan Tuolehazi, the same man who has also beaten Jayr Raquinel. A win for Yamauchi gets him back on the fast track, whilst a loss will give him some real rebuilding to do. It's great to see both men taking a risk here, and we're really expecting something very special from this bout. Our preview of this bout is available here Yamauchi and Dagayloan set to battle in intriguing 8 rounder! In an interesting all-Japanese bout ranked fighters clash, as JBC and WBO Asia Pacific ranked Yuichiro Kasuya (12-2-1, 3) takes on OPBF and JBC ranked Takayuki Sakai (9-1-2, 6), in what is arguably the most over-looked bout on the card. The 22 year old Kasuya has been a professional for over 5 years and show a lot of early promise, winning the Rookie of the Year in in 2014. A 3 fight run that saw him going 0-2-1 slowed his ascent but with Kadoebi now behind him it seems like his career is back on track and hopefully he can build on the early promise he showed. Sakai on the other hand started his career 3-1-2 but has since reeled off 6 straight wins, including a very notable one over Amphol Suriyo, aka Pharanpetch Tor Buamas, last December. The winner of this one could well find themselves in a title fight very soon. One of two notable debutants on this card is Mikio Sakai (0-0), who takes on the hard hitting Elfelos Vega (7-6, 5). As an amateur Sakai went 44-22 (19) and was a pretty notable amateur and even if he didn't regularly win national tournaments he was solid with Kadoebi clearly expecting big things from him. Vega is a very tough tough debut opponent, with the Japanese based Colombian being heavy handed and able to take a good shot. Vega hasn't fought since March 2018, but has shared the ring with the likes of Takeshi Inoue, Charles Bellamy and Kazuto Takesako, with only Takesako and Ryosuke Maruki managing to stop him. This looks like it could be a baptism of fire for Sakai. Another debutant who is in tough is the 21 year old Ryo Nakai (0-0), who takes on unbeaten Filipino Jay Lloyd Quidlat (4-0-1, 2). The debutant ran up a 30-16 (15) record in the amateurs and should have the tools to handle Quidlat, who is unbeaten but has faced very limited opposition on the lower end of the Filipino scene. An interesting looking debut for Nakai, but a big step up for Quidlat. Oklahoma, USA In Okalahoma we're expecting to see two Central Asian prospects in action. The more well known of those is hard hitting Uzbek prospect Shohjahon Ergashev (16-0, 14), who risks his unbeaten record against fellow puncher Abdiel Ramirez (24-4-1, 22). On paper this looks like an interesting match up, and it should be explosive, though Ramirez is the naturally smaller man and has lost 3 of his last 4. Given that both can punch we do expect to see heavy leather thrown, but Ergashev should be too heavy handed, too big and too tough for 28 year old Mexican. The other Central Asian fighter on this card is Izim Izbaki (1-0, 1), though it should be noted Izbaki has had several fight fall through since his debut. Well regarded by those in Kazakhstan Izbaki has got potential, and should be far too good for the 26 year old Armonte Summers (1-1), who is listed as being 6'10". If this bout takes place we expect Izbaki to fight like a man with a point to prove given the issues he's had with getting in the ring since his debut last November. California, USA Staying in the US we'll also see the unbeaten Bobirzhan Mominov (10-0, 8) take on Javier Flores (14-2, 12). The talented 27 year old Mominov is one of the less spoken about Kazakh prospects but has impressed and looks like someone who needs to be let off the leash sooner, rather than later. On paper this is a big step up for him, with Flores having never been stopped, and having gone 10 rounds with the once touted Ronald Cruz just a few months ago. A good test, but one that Mominov should pass. New South Wales, Australia One other bout of note will take place in Australia and see Australian based Filipino veteran Jack Asis (38-22-5, 19) fight for the 66th time as he takes on the unbeaten Youssef Dib (12-0, 5). Asis has had a real roller coaster of a career, turning around a 21-18-4 (10) record by scoring 14 straight wins, but he has suffered back to back losses entering this bout, and was stopped last time out after being dropped a number of times. The 26 year old Dib is no puncher, and did look poor last time out, but should have more than enough to beat the 36 year old Asis. Gauteng, South Africa Under-rated Kazakh Alexandr Zhuravskiy (13-4-1, 11) ended a 3 fight losing run last time out, when he held Boyd Allen to a draw in South Africa. This coming Friday he returns to South Africa to take on 21 year old South African puncher Roarke Knapp (8-0-1, 7). This looks a tough ask for Zhuravskiy, however he continues to show that he's no easy out for anyone, and we wouldn't be surprised to see him to give Knapp a really serious test here. |
Categories
All
Archives
February 2025
|
RSS Feed
