December 15th-IBF champion Nishida makes first defense on stacked Osaka card! Action across Asia!12/11/2024 Sumiyoshi SportsCenter, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
In Osaka we get a huge show, stacked with some of the best fighters in West Japan. In total the show has 7 genuinely noteworthy bouts, headlined by a world title bout and featuring former world champions, farmer world title challengers, former national champions and very highly regarded prospects, in what could be the best card in Osaka this year. The main event will see IBF Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (9-0, 1) make his first defense, as he takes on unbeaten Thai challenger Anuchai Donsua (16-0, 7), in what appears to be something of a step back for the talented Nishida. The unbeaten Japanese fighter won the title back in back in May, as he took a well earned decision over Emmanuel Rodriguez, adding Rodriguez to a resume that also contains wins over Diago Higa, Shohei Omori and Christian Medina Jimenez. There was talk after that win of unification bouts, but they failed to materialise and instead Nishida is taking on an opponent without much of a profile, in what is certainly an underwhelming first defense for someone who showed he belonged at the top table of the division. Despite Donsua being underwhelming he’ll know all the pressure is on Nishida to not just win, but make a statement, and lay down his claim as being worthy of the attention of the other champions. The Thai, who made his debut in 2022, has never fought outside of Thailand, and has a mix of poor to decent wins on his record. The pick of the 16 are wins over Sukpraserd Ponpitak, Ricardo Sueno and Komgrich Nantapech, none of whom really serve as much of a measuring stick to world level. His other 13 wins have 17 recorded wins between. He’s taking a leap up, and will likely know that whilst the pressure isn’t on him to win, it is on him to have a good performance, as the odds are he won’t get another shot at this level, if he simply folds. A mismatch, at least from the resumes of the two men, but we are glad Nishida will fit in a first defense before the year is over. In the chief support bout we have an excellent clash at 108lbs as OPBF champion Thanongsak Simsri (36-1, 33) takes on former WBO Minimumweight champion Masataka Taniguchi (19-4, 13), to decide the #2 IBF contender, and potentially land a shot at IBF champion Masamichi Yabuki. The once beaten Thai, who's only loss actually came to Yabuki back in 2022, has rebuilt his career brilliantly, scoring 12 wins in a row including winning the OPBF title earlier this year with a win over Miel Fajardo, and defending it against John Paul Gabunilas. His competition hasn't always been great, but he's stayed busy, rebuilt his confidence, and showed real maturity to overcome the dangerous Fajardo. Unlike most Thai’s Simsri has made a name for himself on the road, as well as at home, and is a regular to Japanese rings, with this being his 8th bout in Japan. As for Taniguchi, the 30 year old turned professional with a lot of expectations on his shoulders following a very good amateur career, however his career has been somewhat of a mixed bag. Close losses to Reiya Konishi and Tsubasa Koura left him sporting an 8-2 record with losses at both Japanese and OPBF title level. A third career loss, to Vic Saludar, in a WBO title fight left him 11-3, but since then he has gone 8-1 claimed the Japanese and WBO Minimumweight titles and bounced back from an upset loss in 2023 against Melvin Jerusalem, to become a notable contender at 108lbs, with a win here potentially securing him a chance to become a 2-weight world champion. Stylistically both are heavy handed, both can box and whilst Simsri is the faster man with better movement, we expect he’ll be dragged into a war here to give us a very exciting bout, especially in the second half of the contest. In an interesting all-Japanese match up we’ll see unified WBO Asia Pacific and Japanese national Middleweight champion Riku Kunimoto (12-1, 6) defending his Regional, but not national, title against the hard hitting Kazuto Takesako (17-2-1, 15), in a rematch of what is Kunimoto’s only loss. The bout, which was originally scheduled as part of the now cancelled Prizefighter Japan tournament, where it would have been a semi-final bout, but the teams of the two men and the fighters themselves decided to go ahead with the bout, despite the tournament collapsing. Kunimoto is currently riding a 8 fight winning run, which has seen him winning the Japanese title, which he has defended numerous times since 2022, and unifying it with the WBO Asia Pacific title, which he won in March. He is skilled, but a long, long way below the top international fighters in the division. As for Takesako, he’s actually had mixed fortunes since stopping Kunimoto, inside a round back in 2021, going 4-2 since then. Takesako has suffered when he's faced international opponents, losing to both Meiirim Nursultanov and Tej Pratap Singh, with both losses coming in South Korea. It should be noted that he did beat Mark Dickinson in July, in the ill fated Prizefighter, but that bout seemed to say more about Dickinson’s lack of professional seasoning rather than anything about Takesako. Kunimoto is the better pure boxer, Kunimoto the bigger puncher, and with the history between the two men, this is expected to be a very intriguing contest, and winner will be the clear #1 in Japan at 160lbs. Another title bout will see unbeaten Filipino Kenneth Llover (12-0, 7) face off with Japan’s Tulio Dekanarudo (8-2-2, 4) in a bout for the Interim OPBF Bantamweight title, with the full version of the belt having not been defended since Keita Kurihara reclaimed the title back in January. Llover has been quietly making a name for himself back at home, scoring solid wins against the likes of Chengcheng Yang, Edward Heno, James Pagaling and Benny Canete, however this will be his first bout outside of the Philippines, and we don't know how he will travel. Aged just 21 “The Lover Boy”, could be one of the best prospects in his Pearl of the Orient, but until we know he can do it on the road, it’s hard to get too excited. As for Dekanarudo the 28 year old Japanese fighter was tipped highly when he debuted in 2018, but a 2019 upset less to Ken Jordan show some of his flaws being shown, and he is 5-1-2 since then, with his second loss coming to Toshiki Shimomachi. He is good, but we’re not sure he has the durability at title level. In a Japanese Youth title fight, also at Bantamweight, we’ll see Shunpei Kaneshiro (3-0, 2) seek his first defense of the title, as he takes on fellow unbeaten youngster Hyuga Gushiken (4-0, 3) in a mouth watering bout, and the sort of bout that has made the Japanese Youth title such a great title to follow. Kaneshiro won the title in July, when he stopped Daichi Hirai in 8 rounds. Despite only having 3 bouts, and 2 stoppages, to his name Kaneshiro has a surprising number of pro rounds, at 20, and has seen all 3 of his bouts enter the final round, allowing him to get extra ring time and test his stamina. As for Gushiken the 22 year old made his debut way back in 2021 and has just 11 rounds from his 4 bouts, with none going beyond the 4th round, so whilst he is technically more experienced, in terms of fights, he has significantly less ring time. Both of these fighters are southpaws though have different styles, with Kaneshiro being a very talented all rounder, particularly well suited at mid range, and Gushiken being a counter puncher. This will be really interesting to see how the styles of the two men gel, though it does feel like Gushiken is stepping up, for what will be his first bout outside of Okinawa. In a really intriguing bout former Japanese Super Featherweight champion Yuna Hara (14-3-1, 8), who lost the national title earlier this year to Tsubasa Narai, will take on unbeaten, and fast rising, prospect Ryusuke Sunagawa (3-0, 2), who take sa huge leap up in class, in a Strongest Challenger bout. Prior to losing to Narai, in April, Hara had been riding an 8 fight winning streak including notable wins against Yamato Hata and Kosuke Saka, with 6 of the 8 wins coming inside the distance. He was dethroned in his second defense, and will be desperate to get back to winning ways here. As for Sunagawa, the former amateur standout made his debut in late 2022 and has been matched hard, with his last two wins coming against Seira Kishida and Narumi Yukawa. Despite those two wins coming against good domestic fighters, this is a huge leap up in class, but also a chance to announce himself on the domestic rankings, in a huge way. The winner of this will secure a shot at the Japanese title in next year’s Champion Carnival. One other bout of some note will see former world title challenger Jeo Santisima (24-7, 20) take on 39 year old Japanese puncher Hiro Ichimichi (8-2-1, 6), in a bout that’s the least interesting of 7 bouts on the event. Santisima is best known for losing in 2020 against Emanuel Navarrete in a bout for the WBO Super Bantamweight title. Since that loss he has gone 5-4, but fought some very notable names, with losses to Joet Gonzalez, Toshiki Shimomachi, Hatato Tsutsumi and Kenji Fujita, and a notable win over Hiroshige Osawa. He is 1-3 in Japan, but has never been stopped and will be looking to score a stoppage of his own against Ichimichi. As for the local he is a natural Super Featherweight, who has proven to be dangerous on the domestic scene, but has fallen short against his best opponents so far, with Tsubasa Narai and Yudai Murakami both taking competitive decisions over him. Given his age Ichimichi will know he can’t afford another loss here if he wants to land a title fight, of any kind, and will also know this is a huge opportunity, against a former world title challenger on a really big show. West Japan General Exhibition Center, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan Staying in Japan we also have a card in Fukuoka, albeit a much, much smaller and less notable one with only really one bout of any note set for it. That bout, the main event of the show, will see Shido Arai (7-5-1, 3) take on the JBC ranked, and heavy handed, Yoshiki Shimomura (7-1-1, 7). Arai, is a local to Kitakyushu, and will be hoping to draw a fan given his local links, however he has lost his only fight in the area which came in his debut back in 2009. Although no world beater he will almost certainly feel encouraged by the local fan base and is expected to make the most as he competes against a JBC ranked fighter for the second time in his career. Shimomura on the other hand is a destructive 25 year old, who won the All Japan Rookie of the Year in 2023, and will be seeking to get back to winning ways after a loss in South Korea in August, against Tae Sun Kim. Given that Arai has been stopped twice and Shimomura is heavy handed, it does feel like the match up isn’t a good one for Arai. General Santos City, Cotabato del Sur, Philippines Over in the Philippines, we get an interesting card in General Santos City. The show is headlined by the once beaten Ali Canega (11-1-1, 7), who will be looking to record his second win since losing to Mikyo Watarai in February in Japan. In August he had an easy comeback fight, beating Pressl Tupas in 3 rounds, and now takes the logical step up as he takes on a better level of domestic foe in the form of Rimar Metuda (17-9-1, 11). Canega is a good fighter and someone we expect to see in and around the regional title scene over the next few years. As for Metuda the 30 year old is rugged, knows how to go rounds and survive even if he’s under-sized at 140lbs, but is a far cry from the Featherweight who started his career 10-0, going 7-9-1 since that original unbeaten run. Despite picking up a lot of losses recently he has been matched hard, with losses really coming on the road. He has lost in Russia to Mirzhan Zhaxylykov, Isa Chaniev and Ravshanbek Umurzakov, in China, to Aketelieke Jieensi and Ju Wu, and Thailand, to Phoobadin Yoohanngoh. At home however he has proven to be very good losing just to Gabby Simpo and Al Toyogon. On paper this looks like a bit of a one sided bout, but in reality Metuda will be up for this and could make life very tough for Canega. Also in action on this show is the unbeaten Kevin Villanueva (5-0. 3), with “The Spider” seeking his 6th win as he takes on Carl Jeffrey Basil (6-2-1, 4). Villanueva has been moved smartly since making his debut in August 2023, with each bout being a step up in some way, from the previous one. This will be his second 8 rounder and on paper Basil looks to be his toughest test. Not only have his opponents been improving but he's also been busy and this will be his 4th bout of 2024. Basil, known as the "Ibaloi Warrior", was matched hard early in his career, losing 2 of his first 5 to Elmar Zamora and Lorenz Dumam-ag, both of whom are still unbeaten prospects, but has won his last 2, beating the unbeaten pairing of Kasty Flores and George Sedillo earlier this year, and he'll be wanting to take a third straight 0. Villanueva will understandably be favoured, but Basil is a live under-dog. Ilagan, Isabela, Philippines A second, less notable, Filipino show will be held in IIlagan, and is very much a small card, with only really one bout worthy of attention, and even that is one that looks like it a one sided mismatch, at least on paper. That bout will see 30 year old Claudevan Sese (10-6-3, 4) seek his second win of the year, as he takes on the win some-lose some Alvin Medura (11-10, 7), who will be looking to avoid falling to an 11-11 record. Sese was unbeaten in his first 10, going 7-0-3, but had struggled since then, going 3-6-3, with 5 of the 6 losses coming on the road. Whilst he has mixed at a good level, he hasn't really been competitive in his step up bouts. As for Medura he has gone 1-5 in his last 6, and whilst he, like Sese, as come up short again his better foes, he does have some notable wins to name, including one over Mugcha Nakagawa, one over Ardin Diale and one from earlier this year against the previously unbeaten Bryan Ascano. On paper this is a mismatch, but Medura is better than his record suggests and is a live fighter here, as we’ve seen in his upsets in the past. Itaewon Primary School, Seoul, South Korea We also get a show in South Korea, which is small, but does have several noteworthy bouts on it. The main event local veteran Joo Young Kim (17-2-3, 10) will face once beaten Korean based Uzbekistani fighter Dovrugbek Ibragimov (4-1, 2). The 34 year old Kim has had a frustrating career. He debuted in 2013, and drew 3 of his first 5 bouts, and was 6-3-2 after 11, but is now unbeaten since a 2017 loss to Ma Roo Jung, who also give Kim his first loss the previous year. He has now won 11 in a row, with solid wins against Joo Hun Kim and Doniyorbek Khaitaliev, but at 34 it feels his career, which has been stop-start at times, is going to be one that could, and probably should, have been better. As for Ibragimov, he’s unbeaten since being stopped by Obboskhon Yuldashev on debut, but has reeled off 4 low quality wins, the most notable of which being a 6 round decision over the 42 year old Mark Sales. Sadly his wins say little about him, and this should be regarded as a clear leap up in class for him Also on this card is a brilliant matchup between unbeaten fighters, as Chinese fighter Tuohatasen Sailibieke (3-0, 2) takes on Uzbekistan’s Faryozbek Dustmatov (3-0, 2). Unbeaten 21 year old Sailibieke made his debut in China last year, with his last two bouts taking place on the road including a win in South Korea against Khusniddin Maraimov, who like Dustmatov was an unbeaten Korean based Uzbekistani fighter. Notably the win over Maraimov was the only time Sailibieke has had to go more than 3 rounds, and he only narrowly took the win there, with a split decision. Dustmatov, the younger brother of Hasanboy Dusmatov, Dustmatov is quickly making his mark on the Korean seen, and a win over Sang Heon Oh back in October showed that he has genuine potential, potential that we expect the 20 year old to prove again here.
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EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
Attention this coming Saturday in Asia will be mostly on Japan, specifically Osaka, where we get a really interesting world title bout, in one of the sports most interesting, yet overlooked, divisions. The bout in question will see IBF Bantamweight champion Emmanuel Rodriguez (22-2, 13) defending his title in a mandatory defense against unbeaten Japanese challenger Ryosuke Nishida (8-0, 1). On paper this is a huge step up in class for Nishida, who has had just 8 bouts. Despite the lack of experience he has already scored notable wins over Shohei Omori, Daigo Higa, Tatsuro Ohashi and Christian Medina Jimenez, going 12-rounds 4 times already, and has had 73 career rounds. In the ring he’s an excellent pure boxer, fighting outside of a southpaw stance, with a huge frame for a Bantamweight, but he lacks real power which could be an issue here. As for Rodriguez, he’s a slippery boxer, who had been a top amateur winning Silver at the 2010 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and a gold at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, before making his mark on the pros. As a professional he has had 25 fights, for a total of 139 rounds, including wins over the likes of Alberto Guevara, Paul Butler, Jason Moloney, Gary Antonio Russell and Melving Lopez. He is currently enjoying his second reign as the IBF champion, with his first reign being ended in 2019 when he was taken out in 2 rounds by Naoya Inoue. Despite having almost 3 times more fights, and being regarded as the much more experienced man, it is interesting to note that he has also only gone 12 rounds on 4 occasions, the same as Nishida. The champion will go into this as the favourite, though he will, notably, be fighting in Asia for the first time. Sadly the world title bout aside, there is very, very little of note on this show. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Over in Tokyo we also get a notable show, and whilst the main event isn’t as good as the one in Osaka, the overall card is stronger, by some margin, with two good looking Japanese title bouts and a notable debutant. The show will be overshadowed by the Osaka card, and rightfully so, but is likely to be the much better overall event. The main event of the card will be a much anticipated rematch as Japanese Welterweight champion Shoki Sakai (29-13-3, 15) takes on Ryota Toyoshima (18-3-1, 11), in a Champion Carnival bout. These two met back in 2021, with Toyoshima taking a decision win over Sakai, however since then Sakai has gone 3-0-1, won the Japanese title and recorded 2 defenses of the belt as he's gone through the best run of his career. Toyoshima on the other hand has gone 3-1, losing to Jin Sasaki, and struggling past Aso Ishiwaki last year. These styles of these two men are made for each other, with Sakai being a hard nosed pressure fighter, forcing the action and Toyoshima being a boxer-puncher who can be dragged into a war. This really should be a brilliant fight, much like their first one. The other title fight on this show will see Japanese Light Flyweight champion Toshiki Kawamitsu (9-1, 5) defending his title against Kosuke Ando (13-4, 6), in another Champion Carnival bout. Kawamitsu won the title last time out, when he stopped Toshimasa Ouchi, and seemed to show how good he really was with what was his third win since being stopped by Ginjiro Shigeoka, but there is still a lot for him to do before he gets to follow in Nishida’s footsteps and challenger at world level. Ando on the other hand is getting his second shot at a title, having fallen short in a regional title fight against Ryuya Yamanaka, and he’ll know he can’t afford another set back here if he’s wanting to be a fixture on the title scene. Sadly for Ando he was stopped by Kawamitsu back in 2021, and whilst he is 5-1 since then none of the fighters he's beat have been comparable to Kawamitsu. We also get the debut of former amateur fighter Yuichiro Taka (0-0), who is 22 years old and had been making a name for himself as far back as his days in the Under 15’s. Although certainly not an elite amateur, and he didn’t win medals in major international tournaments, he is an experienced fighter who is said to carry solid power, and is regarded as one to watch by those in the know in Japan. He’s being matched against Chinese fighter Yuqi Wang (1-1) in a 6 rounder, which should give us a chance to see what Taka can do in the ring, before moving on to bigger and better things down the line. Opal Paint Stadium, Bang Pakong, Thailand As well as the action in Japan we’re also a very small show in Thailand. The most notable bout announced for this card will see once beaten Pakistani fighter Moin Khan (6-1-1-1, 4) face limited Thai local Pornchai Srithong (11-10, 5). Khan has gone 4-0-1 since his sold loss, back in 2020, including win on Thai soil last year, and will be full of confidence. Despite his poor record Pornchai is something of a streaky fighter, and has also won his last 5 so will have confidence, though this is the equal longest winning run of his career and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see it come to an end now he’s facing someone with some ambition. Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
The main show this coming Sunday comes from Osaka where we see one of the brightest hopefuls in Japan defending a regional title. The aforementioned hopeful is WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (5-0, 1), who looks to make his second defense as he takes on Filipino fighter Aljum Pelesio (11-1, 6). Nishida, who famously dethroned Daigo Higa, will be expected to win here and move on to bigger and better things in the new year. This is technically a step from his biggest bouts, wins over Higa and Shohei Omori, but the bout will serve a purpose and that's to keep him focused, even in bouts where he is the very, very clear favourite. As for Pelesio this is a massive step up, it's his first bout over 10 rounds and his first bout outside of the Philippines. Pelesio will know he has nothing to lose, and few are giving him a chance, but he will need a career best performance to even be semi competitive with the highly skilled Nishida. Our in depth preview of this bout can be read here WBO Asia Pacific champion Nishida takes on Filipino challenger Pelesio In the chief support fight former amateur stand out Kaito Yamasaki (3-0, 1) looks to move to 4-0 as he takes on visiting Thai Adirek Meesrida (2-0, 2). The talented Yamasaki stepped up big time in May, when he beat Koshin Takeshima, and will be expected to pick up an easy win here. As for Meesrida the Thai debuted in July, scored his second win in August and is now looking for a third win in less than 4 months. Sadly for the visitor this is a massive step up in class, and also his first bout outside of Thailand. Meesrida's record suggests that he can punch a bit, and could chin check Yamasaki, but it would be a huge surprise to see him really testing Yamasaki. One other bout of note on this card will be the debut of former amateur stand out Takeru Inoue (0-0), who takes on Thai novice Piya Chaichot (1-0, 1). Inoue, no relation to the Ohashi promoted brothers, was a genuinely brilliant amateur on the Japanese scene and he went 56-14 in the unpaid ranks whilst also winning two domestic titles. There are a lot of expectations on the 24 year old and he is expected to shine here. As for Chaichot, who is just 18, he debuted in August with an opening round win, but this is a huge step up class for him here and it's hard to imagine him having the tools to cope with Inoue. Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines As well as the show in Japan there is also a card in the Philippines, with a fantastic main event, and a promising prospect competing on the under-card. The main event will see two notable Filipino Light Flyweights face off as Vince Paras (17-2-1, 15) meets Robert Paradero (18-2-1, 12), in what will be the second bout between the men who fought to a split decision draw in April. Paras is the more well known fighter, having fought for the IBF Minimumweight title in 2018, losing to Hiroto Kyoguchi. Sadly since that world title bout Paras has gone 4-1-1 and lacks a notable win, with a loss to Jonathan Taconing and the draw with Paradero. Aged just 23 he does have time on his side, but he does need to start notching notable wins, and a win over Paradero would certainly count there. As for Paradero he fought for the WBA "Regular" Minimumweight title, losing to Vic Saludar, and the "Super" title, losing to Knockout CP Freshmart, both in 2021. Those losses, and the draw with Paras, have been his last 3 bouts and he is now without a win in over 3 years. He desperately needs a victory, and whilst he is only 26 year he can ill afford another setback given his recent form. We expect this to be explosive, a little bit wild, and wouldn't be surprised to see this one ending early, despite the fact their first bout went 10 rounds just a few months ago. The under-card will see unbeaten hopeful Kenneth Llover (6-0, 4) look for his 7th win as he takes on domestic journeyman Jonathan Francisco (10-17-1, 4). It's hard to imagine anything but a win for Llover, with the real question not being who will win, but how long Francisco can last with the promising Llover. This coming Sunday is a big day in Japan, with 4 different shows, including a title bout in Osaka, several bouts with prospects and the East Japan Rookie of the Year final.
Sumiyoshi Ward Center, Osaka, Osaka, Japan The show with the most important single bout takes place in Osaka, where we see several rising stars of Japanese boxing in action. The main bout of the show will see WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (4-0, 1) defending the title he won from Daigo Higa earlier this year. The talented, and really promising, Nishida will be up against fellow Japanese fighter Tetsuro Ohashi (8-2-1, 2), who is best known as a solid and promising young Super Flyweight. Ohashi is a very solid fighter, but this is a big step up for him, and he is very much like a smaller, less polished version of Nishida. As for the champion this is a solid first defense, even if it is a step down from his last two bouts, which saw him beating Shohei Omori and Daigo Higa. Unlike those bouts this will see Nishida up against a fellow boxer, as opposed to a fighter or puncher, and we could see him needing to answer some different questions here. Our preview of this one can be read here Nishida takes on Ohashi in first WBO Asia Pacific title defense In a major supporting bout we'll see former Japanese title challenger Riku Kunimoto (4-1, 2) look to bounce back from his loss to Kazuto Takesako as he takes on the unbeaten Kazuki Kyohara (5-0-2, 3). On paper this looks a really even match up but in reality Kunimoto is the more proven and the more polished, and a very solid former amateur. Kyohara will know a win opens the door for a title fight of his in 2022, but he's meant to be little more than a game "opponent" here. On the subject of good former amateurs we'll also see Kaito Yamasaki (1-0) fight in his second professional bout, as he takes on the experienced Takahiro Hamazaki (3-7-2, 1). Yamasaki was a very talented amateur and he looked like he could go a long, long way on his debut, but does have some questions to answer, including some about how he'll adapt to the professional ranks, and how his power will hold up. Hamazaki on the other hand is there to play the role of a veteran, and we suspect the 35 year old will ask some questions on route to a wide decision loss. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Over in Tokyo we get two shows, the most notable of which is set to take place at Korakuen Hall. The reason is so notable is because it's the East Japan Rookie of the Year Final, and is a platform for future stars. In total there is 12 bouts set for this card, with bouts taking place from 105lbs all the way up to Middleweight, with the exception of 154lbs which isn't competed in as part of the Rookie of the Year. One of the most interesting match ups for this show is at Bantamweight, as Hiroto Sato (3-0-1) takes on Shori Umezu (5-0, 5) in a battle of unbeaten youngsters. Sato, aged 21, only debuted in July but has managed to squeeze 4 fights in already this year, prior to this one. Sadly he did fight to a draw on debut, has shown a lack of power, which could be a major issue here. Umezu, himself only 23, made his debut in August 2020, and has taken out his first 5 opponents in a combined 8 rounds. He has never seen round 3, and has really heavy hands. He'll be looking to show what his power can do here. Another interesting bout between two unbeaten fighters will see Ryuya Kusamura (2-0, 2) take on Minori Okamura (2-0, 1), with this bout being the Middleweight bout, and for those not aware Japanese Rookie of the Year Middleweight bouts tend to be among the most entertaining as it's usually two big, somewhat unpolished, guys landing a lot of leather on each other. Interesting both these men debuted in September, both had their second pro bout in November and will be having this bout just 3 and a half months after their debuts. Kusamura is the taller man, and the harder hitter, and has looked really fun to watch in his first two bouts. Okamura on the other hand has had attention on him, with his debut coming against Eigoro Akai, the son of a popular former fighter, and he has gone 4 rounds, which he did last time out. This should be a very, very fun 4 rounder. Arena Tachikawa Tachihi , Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan Staying in Tokyo, there is a small, but notable card in Tachikawa city. The card is certainly not a huge one but it does have a very solid main event, as JBC ranked Lightweight Shinnosuke Saito (8-4, 2) takes on Mirai Naito (8-3, 3). Coming in Saito is going to be the favourite, and he certainly is the more prove fighter, though Naito will be wanting to prove himself, especially with this bout coming less than a week after his brother's upset loss to Koichi Aso. Saito did lose last time out, with that loss ending a 5 fight winning run, but he'll be hungry to get back to winning ways here. Aioi Hall, Kariya, Aichi, Japan We'll also be getting rookies in action in Kariya as we get a show featuring only 4 rounders. Sadly it's always hard to get too excited about these shows, due to the lack of name value, but the 4 rounder format does tend to deliver some amazing action as two flawed novices put it all on the line. Despite the lack of notable names, we do like the look of these shows and this should be fun. If pushed for a bout to make a note of, it's worth noting the nominal main event of the show will be a bout between Kenta Sugawara (2-2-1, 1) and Yuya Nakazato (5-12, 5), who is the most experienced man on the card, by far. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Over in Vietnam we're going to be seeing once beaten Vietnamese fighter Van Thao Tran (13-1, 8) take on unbeaten Thai puncher Boonrueang Phayom (9-0, 9) in what looks set to be a really interesting match up. Tran was tipped for big things, following a solid amateur career, but inactivity and a loss in 2019 to Billy Dib has cost his career and he's really not reached the level that many had hoped he would. Aged 22 Boonrueang is one of the more interesting Thai prospects, and a genuine puncher, but someone who has fought at a very, very low level. For Boonrueang this is a massive step up in class, and his first fight bout outside of Thailand, but a win here would help set him up for a very interesting 2022. This coming Saturday is set to be a hectic day, with two notable Japanese shows, a world title eliminator in South Africa and a show in the Philippines featuring several noteworthy fighters.
EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan The most notable card comes from Osaka and is a lovely mix of everything Japanese boxing has to offer. It has a world title bout in the main event, a brilliant domestic bout in the co-feature role and several talented prospects in tough bouts through the card. The main event will see WBC Light Flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji (17-0, 10) look to record his latest defense as he faces Japanese veteran Tetsuya Hisada (34-10-2, 20), in a bout that has a surprising amount of history behind it. The two men were originally scheduled to fight in 2017, before Kenshiro vacated the Japanese title and went on to fight for the WBC belt. They were also scheduled to fight in 2020, before legal issues scuppered the bout. Of the two men Kenshiro is the more well known and the more proven, with this being his 8th defense, but the highly experienced Hisada is a very capable fighter, who gave Hiroto Kyoguchi a tough test in 2019 and will know that this is his last chance at a world title. We expect this one to be a brilliant bout between a strong, aggressive, veteran and a talented and intelligent champion. A genuinely fantastic match up. Our in depth preview of this can be read here 4 years in the making - Kenshiro Teraji Vs Tetsuya Hisada The co-feature for this show will see talented teenage hopeful Ayumu Hanada (5-0, 4) take on the huge punching Mammoth Kazunori (6-3-1, 6) in a 6 round bout between the Flyweight and Super Flyweight limits. Hanada began his career in Mexico before moving back to Japan last year and he made his JBC debut late last year in a very impressive performance. He's very young, but lives up to the "Flaco" nickname, with an aggressive, exciting and explosive style. Talking about explosive however Kazunori is one of the heaviest handed fighters in Japan, and if he catches an opponent clean he can wipe some one out. This is a very dangerous bout for Hanada, but a win here will likely lead him to a potential bout with a Japanese ranked opponent next time out. Another prospect on this card is Kantaro Juri (2-0, 1), who looks to score his third win as he takes on the light punching Toma Kondo (8-6-1, 1). The 24 year old Juri is a talented southpaw, who has a lot of promise and showed a lot of ability as an amateur, but is yet to show what he can really do as a professional. Fingers crossed we see him put together a better performance here than we've seen from him so far. Kondo is no world beater, but he is much better than his record suggests and 4 of his 6 losses have been by split decision. He's coming in to this on the back of a minor high, as he he surprisingly held Yuki Nakajima to a draw in December, and will feel like he can build on that result here. One other bout that deserves a bit of attention is a match up between Daiki Asai (0-1) and Yu Konomura (10-9-2, 4). Asai lost his debut, last year, to Kyonosuke Kameda, but showed a lot as an amateur and clearly has some tools in his arsenal that could see him in some interesting bouts over the next few years. Konomura is a win some-lose some, type of fighter, but has began to find his self belief and power, scoring his last 3 wins by stoppage, and we suspect he'll come in to this confident that he can get another KO. Both of these guys are better than their records suggest, and they could end up giving a genuine treat deep on the under-card of this show. Convention Center, Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan A second Japanese card, which will be aired live in Okinawa and be shown on tape delay in Tokyo, will be a card that has a very easy to over-look main event, and a solid prospect on the under-card. It's not as interesting, or as big as the Osaka card, but is a show worthy of attention. The main event here will see former WBC Flyweight champion Daigo Higa (17-1-1, 17) look to score his first defense of the WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight title, as he takes on the unbeaten Ryosuke Nishida (3-0, 1). Higa won the title in impressive fashion last December, when he stopped Yuki Strong Kobayashi, but hasn't looked the most convincing since his forced move to Bantamweight. He is certainly heavy handed and very exciting, but we do wonder whether he has the natural size to compete against the better fighters in the division. For Nishida this is a massive step up, but he has impressed since turning professional, and he looked a real talent last time out, when he beat Shohei Omori. He has the style and size to neutralise Higa, and if he can put a complete performance together here he could upset the local hero. Our in depth preview of this one can be read here Higa returns to Okinawa to take on unheralded Nishida! Higa's once beaten stablemate Ryuto Owan (6-1, 4) will also be on this show, as he takes on the tough and rugged Takafumi Iwaya (4-4). Owan won his first 5 bouts before losing in 2018, in a Japanese Youth title bout. Following that loss he disappeared for a couple of years before returning last year with a win over Tomoya Kishine and he looked really good in that win. Iwaya isn't a particularly well known fighter, but he is insanely tough and last year we saw him take a battering at the hands of the brilliant Rentaro Kimura, before finally being stopped in round 5. He's very limited but there is no doubting his toughness and he will be a potential nightmare for Owan here. Owan should have the tools to win, but he will have to work hard against one of the toughest men in the sport. Suamlum Night Bazaar, Ratchadaphisek, Bangkok Over in Thailand we get the next show from TL Promotions and it's one with a very peculiar main event. That main event will see former Welterweight contender Teerachai Sithmorseng (44-1, 31) clash with former Bantamweight and Super Featherweight champion Sirimongkhon Iamthuam (97-5, 62), with the bout taking place all the way up at Light Heavyweight. The bout will be for Teerachai's WBA Asia title and it's fair to say that neither man will look in their best physical shape and condition. The show will also feature the third professional boxing contest of Nonthasith Petchnamthong (2-0) who will be defending his WBA Asia Bantamweight title , as he takes on Suradech Ruhasiri (6-2, 5). Nonthasith is a top Muay Thai fighter who has been solid since turning to professional, and should be far, far too good for his Thai foe here. Though sadly Nonthasith has shown little power in professional boxing gloves, and it's going to be interesting to see whether or not he can stop his limited foe here. 2nd Floor, Mega Mart Burgos Poblacion Norte, Paniqui, Tarlac, Philippines In the Philippines we're set to get a show that is rather disappointing overall, but one that does feature several fighters of note. Sadly however as with many Filipino shows it has the look of "mismatch city". One of the notable fighters on this card is former amateur standout Charly Suarez (5-0, 4), who had been tipped as a future force for Filipino boxing when he turned professional. The now 32 year old Suarez turned professional disappointingly late and now, in his 6th bout, is taking on regional journeyman Lorence Rosas (9-5-2, 3). We know that Filipino fighters, like Japanese fighters, are limited right now due to travel issues brought on by covid19 but in reality Rosas is a poor choice of opponent, and he shouldn't really force Suarez to break a sweat. Rosas has lost his last 4, last fought in 2019, as a Super Bantamweight, and offers very little to test Suarez with. In a potentially better match up the under-rated Richard Pumicpic (21-11-2, 6), who is much, much better than his record suggests, will take on Landy Cris Leon (13-21-5, 6). Although Pumicpic's record is underwhelming he's a real nightmare to fight and has given the likes of Ryosuke Iwasa, Cesar Juarez and Musashi Mori fits. He record might not show it, but he is a legitimate handful at the Oriental title level and shouldn't be over-looked, even with 11 losses to his name. Leon on the other hand has gone from once being a decent regional journeyman to a man who has started to collect losses bout after bout after bout. This should be an easy win for Pumicpic, but given he's lost his last 3 we won't complain too much. He deserves an easy one if we're being honest. Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa Outside of Japan the most significant bout of the day comes from South Africa, where once beaten Filipino Christian Araneta (19-1, 15) takes on hard hitting South African prospect Sivenathi Nontshinga (9-0, 9), in what is an IBF world title eliminator at 108lbs. The talented Araneta suffered his only loss in 2019, when an arm injury forced him to retire against Daniel Valladares, in what was a fantastic though disappointingly short bout. Since that loss he has notched 2 domestic wins and appears hungry to make a statement. Nontshinga on the other hand is somewhat unknown outside of South Africa but has got notable wins over Siyabonga Siyo and Ivan Soriano. Interestingly he did go 7 rounds before stopping Muhsin Kizota in 2018, the same Kizota who looked clueless recently against Hasanboy Dusmatov, and there maybe is some doubt about how good he really is. The winner of this will be right in the mix and may well end up getting a shot at Felix Alvarado later in the year. This is easy to over-look but could be the bout that steals the weekend. Universum Gym, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany Over in Germany we'll see unbeaten German based Thai Phannarai Netisri (7-0, 4) fight for a WBC Youth title. Sadly her opponent, at the time of writing, is yet to be announced as her original opponent appears to have been pulled out of the contest due to some nasty injuries suffered in their last bout. "Fai" is a really exciting young fighter at just 20 years old, and it's going to be very interesting to see how she develops from here GK Ekaterininskiy, Krasnodar, Russia As well as everything we've already mentioned there is also set to be an appearance from rising Uzbek hopeful Ulugbek Qayumboev (4-0, 4), who will be looking for his 5th straight early win as he takes on a yet to be named opponent. The 20 year old Qayumboev, who fights around the Lightweight division, debuted last year and has been blowing out very low level competition so far. Fingers crossed we see him stepping up later this year, though sadly this bout doesn't seem like to be much of an upgrade given no opponent was named 7 days out. This coming Saturday is one that has seen a whole host of changes to what we were supposed to get, but still managed to deliver a decent day of boxing, even if two of the fights that we most wanted to see were cancelled. It's still a day that promises plenty of action and fingers crossed gives us a great great final weekend before Christmas.
Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Connecticut, USA The show that the most changes was PBC's show in Uncasville, which was supposed to see two bouts featuring Filipino's in major bouts. Originally we had expected to see Nonito Donaire (40-6, 26) battle Nordine Oubaali (17-0, 12), though Oubaali tested positive for Covid19 in November and then Donaire got a positive test in December, though it does seem like his was a false positive. As a result both of those men are off the show. As a result of the positive tests we will now see unbeaten Filipino Reymart Gaballo (23-0, 20) take on Emmanuel Rodriguez (19-1, 12) for the interim WBC Bantamweight title, in a genuinely mouth watering match up, put on on short notice. Gaballo is looking to announce himself as the next big star of the Philippines and has the power, speed and style to genuinely make a name for himself at the top level. Rodriguez on the other hand is a former IBF champion who was last seen in the ring being stopped in 2 rounds by Naoya Inoue. Since that loss Rodriguez has genuinely had no luck at all, and we do wonder what his mental state his coming into this bout. Although Gaballo took this bout on short notice he had been set to fight on the show anyway, with the Filipino scheduled to face Jose Velasquez (28-6-2, 19) for the WBA "interim" Bantamweight title before replacing Donaire in the main event, so he should be in great shape for this bout. EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Japan Over in Osaka we again see a card that had one main event planned for it, before changes had to be made, and end up getting a different bout that had already been postponed twice. Originally we were set to get a WBC Light Flyweight title fight here, with Kenshiro Teraji (17-0, 10) defending his title against Tetsuya Hisada (34-10-2, 20). That bout was cancelled when Kenshiro was contacted about a drunken incident in the summer, scrapping the bout at relatively short notice. Sadly instead of the world title bout headlining the show we will instead see 4-time world title challenger Hiroyuki Kudaka (26-18-4, 11) headline the event in a bout against the once beaten Tetsuro Ohashi (7-1-1, 2). the 35 year old Kudaka, also known as Hiroyuki Hisataka, is a true veteran of the sport having debuted back in 2002, and has been in with a who's who of the sport, including Tomonobu Shimizu, Takafumi Sakata, Denkaosan Kaovichit, Hugo Fidel Cazares, Omar Andres Narvaez and Takuma Inoue. Sadly in recent years Kudaka's career has been catching up with him and he's scored just 1 win in his last 6. Ohashi on the other hand is a 22 year old looking to bounce back from an 8th round KO loss to Suzumi Takayama last year. Although he lost there he is still very well regarded as a prospect and did win the 2018 All Japan Rookie of the Year at Super Flyweight. In a supporting bout we'll see recent OPBF title challenger Kyohei Tonomoto (9-3-1, 4) take on Kimihiro Nakagawa (7-4-2, 3), in what should be a really good, 50-50 type bout between two men each looking to pick up a win to end the year with. Tonomoto showed good ability in his July loss to Satoshi Shimizu, but lacked the power needed to get Shimizu's respect, despite the loss we are looking forward to seeing him in action. Nakagawa on the other hand is riding pretty following an upset loss against Yosuke Kawano in April 2019 and will be looking to build some momentum after 20 months away from the ring. The real one to make a note of on this show is the rescheduled match up between Ryosuke Nishida (2-0, 1) and Shohei Omori (21-3, 16), which is now on it's third date. The bout is a massive step up for the talented, and touted Nishida, who looks like he is potentially the future of the Mutoh Gym and someone that MTK's Japanese arm will be very hopeful of. Omori on the other hand is former world title challenger who will be looking to salvage his faltering career. For Nishida the bout is massive risk-reward, and he will likely enter as the under-dog, but a win would put him right in the domestic and regional title mix. For Omori a loss is unthinkable, and he needs a win. A really big match up, despite the issues surrounding it. For those wanting to watch this card, it appears it will be shown live on Boxing Real. Suamlum Night Bazaar, Ratchadaphisek, Bangkok We also get action in Thailand, as TL Promotions put on their last show of 2020. The main event here is a weird one as Chaloemporn Sawatsuk (21-6, 14) takes on former Welterweight contender Teerachai Kratingdaenggym (43-1, 31), aka Tewa Kiram, for the vacant WBA Asia Light Heavyweight title. Teerachai, best known for his bout with Lucas Matthysse, has no right fighting at 175lbs, though he should look in much better physical shape than the 32 year old Chaloemporn, who is only 5'6" and has looked very chubby when competing as a Middleweight. On paper not a bad bout, though we do, genuinely, wonder how the men will look at Light Heavyweight. For those wanting to watch this it will be aired on Thairath. This coming Sunday is a weird day, as there's shows in 3 different countries and yet there is a real lack of quality across those shows. In fact, if we're being honest, there's only one bout that really stand outs as being worthy of attention. A real shame of a day.
Aqua Bunka Hall, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan For us the one bout of note comes from Japan and pits a rising prospect against a former world title challenger. This could be a coming out party for the prospect, or a case of biting off more than he can chew. The prospect looking to shine here is Ryosuke Nishida (2-0, 1), who takes on former WBO Bantamweight title challenger Shohei Omori (21-3, 16) in a really intriguing bout. Nishida turned professional following a solid, though not spectacular, amateur career and is spoke about highly by those in Osaka. He's one of the few exciting prospects at the Mutoh Gym, and we can't help but feel he might be getting this fight a little bit too early in his career. He's clearly talented, and understands how to box, but this is a massive step up. As for Omori he's a former Japanese Bantamweight champion and a very dangerous southpaw with power and speed. Sadly though Omori's once promising career has hurt a number of hurdles in recent bouts, and two losses to Marlon Tapales have left him looking like he'll never reach the top. A win for Nsihida puts him on the map here, but this is not a foregone conclusion and Omori is very much a dangerous fighter at this level. By far and away the most interesting bout of the day. Dayao Walnut Culture Square, Chuxiong, China We also get a card in China. Sadly though this is a mega small card, sadly most of the fighters on this card are debutants and very few are expected to go on to achieve anything any time soon. The one notable exception is 21 year old LeQuan Wang (5-0, 3), who has more bouts to his name than the rest of the card combined. The unbeaten Wang, who debuted in May 2019, has a decent looking record, but 4 of his 5 wins have come against debutants. He'll be looking to beat another debutant here as he takes on Jiabao Yu (0-0). It's hard to know if Wang is decent, though his record being as padded as it is it's fair to say his team are going for the slow build tactic of developing someone. As for Yu, well this is his debut and he seems to lack any amateur experience to read into. On paper this looks like a mismatch, but may end up being more interesting than it first looks. Jai Balaji Sports Academy, Sonipat, India We also have a relatively small card in India. The show here really isn't one worthy of much attention, though there is a somewhat notable fighter on the card. That somewhat notable fighter is Shiva (11-3, 5), who takes on Shivam Shivam (0-0)*. It's fair to suggest that Shiva is expected to pick up a win here, and record a 6th successive win as he continues to move his career forward. Despite Shiva being a somewhat notable fighter it's a shame the 25 year old isn't being matched a little bit tougher than this. *Shivam was scheduled to debut earlier this month though it's unclear if that bout ever took place. Originally this coming Wednesday there was supposed to be two shows at the Rose Bunka Hall in Toyonaka, but due to issues with the "on going global situation", and more specifically the Osakan gym cluster, the shows were merged into one after 6 bouts were cancelled.
Originally the plans were to have a 5 bout show and an 11 bout show. Sadly due to the cancellations essentially now just a single 10 bout event. Most of the show will be part of the West Japan Rookie of the Year, though a number of bouts will be just regular 4 rounders. Rose Bunka Hall, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan Sadly with this show now only being rookie bouts no one involved is a particularly well known fighter, but there are some good looking bouts on the show, as there always is for rookie events. One of the better match ups will be a Rookie of the Year bout at Super Featherweight, with Seika Fukuda (2-0) and Yoshitaka Goto (1-0, 1) facing off. Both of these unbeaten men are 21 and both will be looking to build on wins they scored in 2019. Coming in Fukuda has the edge in experience, having 8 rounds to his name, but Goto seemingly has more power, and is slightly taller. Not much to pick between the men, and that tends to make these bouts pretty interesting in the ring. Another Rookie of the Year bout that caught our eye is a Super Bantamweight bout between Sora Fukunaga (4-0, 1) and Kairi Suetsugu (0-0-1). On paper Fukunaga has a clear edge in experience but Fukunaga will not be in the ring to just lose. Fukunaga has been a professional since 2018 and has scored some notable wins, with a win over Keisuke Iwasaki aging very well. Suetsugu on the other hand is a bit of a mystery, having only fought once, but that could work to his favour here. In regards to a non-Rookie of the Year bout we'll see Yusa Toyonaka (1-1, 1) take on Tomoya Ichikawa (1-0, 1) battle in a 4 round Welterweight bout. Sadly one of the cancelled bouts was an intriguing match up between exciting hopeful Ryosuke Nishida (2-0, 1) and former world title challenger Shohei Omori (21-3, 16). We're hoping that this one gets re-arranged for later in the year. ![]() We really are closing in on Christmas, and even though we're a few days away we are set for one of the annual treats boxing calendar, the All Japan Rookie of the Year final. As well as the Rookie of the Year's there's a lot of other stuff going on, with a title bout, an eliminator and a host of prospects in action. This Sunday is big for Asian boxing! Tokyo, Japan Our attention is obvious focused on the All Japan Rookie of the Year final from Korakuen Hall, with G+ airing the show live, and in full. For fans who want to know what makes Japanese boxing special at the lower end this is it. This is the culmination of a tournament that covers the whole country and takes the better part of a year. To get to the final you need to have won your regional final, and you don't get this far by chance. You get here on merit alone, and as a result we get some amazing match ups. We won't be going through all 12 bouts, but we have picked out favourite match ups from the line. It's always great to see all-unbeaten fights in the final and at Minimumweight we have one such bout, as Katsuki Mori (5-0, 1) takes on Takumi Chono (5-0, 3). This is a brilliant fight, with both men being young, having very similar records and both proving themselves to get this far. Mori is a sensational pure boxer from the Ohashi gym and will be looking to show case his skills, but Chono is not a push over, and has looked strong and powerful through out. The winner of this will really be one to watch in 2020. At Featherweight we expect to see fire-works as Kyonosuke Kameda (5-1-1, 4) and Jinki Maeda (3-0, 2) face off. It's been an emotional year for Kameda, the cousin of Koki, Daiki and Tomoki, and only 2 weeks ago there was a a real chance he'd miss out on this bout due to the politics at the Kyoei gym. Now here the hard hitting 21 year old will be wanting to make the most of his opportunity. Maeda has quietly made his way to the final, blowing out his first two professional opponents before shutting out the then 4-0 Hikaru Fukunaga. We expect this one to be the standout bout of the day. More fireworks are expected up at 140lbs where Kodai Honda (4-1, 3) and Yasutaka Fujita (5-0, 5) will face off. The 20 year old Honda lost on debut, more than a year ago, but has reeled off 4 wins since then, and he has stopped each of his last 3 opponents. Fujita on the other hand has been blitzing opponents and his 5 bouts have lasted just 10 rounds. Expect bombs to be thrown, and to be thrown early here! Osaka, Japan Whilst the Rookie of the Year show is the biggest it's certainly not the only show of note, and at the Sumiyoshi Ward Center the Muto Gym will be show casing some of their brightest young talents, as well as a regional champion. The main event of the show will see WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight champion Yuki Strong Kobayashi (15-8, 9) defending his title against Korean challenger Ki Chang Go (8-3, 4). This will be Kobayashi's first defense since winning the title in May with a minor upset against Ben Mananquil, and he'll be looking to go into the new year with some real momentum behind following a bizarre decision loss to Keita Kurihara at the end of 2018. It's really hard to see what Go offers here, and it was only last year that Go was stopped by career Flyweight Masahiro Sakamoto, a stablemate of Kobayashi's at the time. Our full and in depth previous of this regional title bout can be read here Kobayashi defends against Go in Osaka! In supporting bouts we'll see a trio of Muto gym prospects taking on Filipino foes. The most notable of the trio is Yusuke Mine (2-0, 1), who takes a huge step up to take on veteran Ardin Diale (35-15-4, 17). This is a brilliant bit of match making from the Muto team, who know that Diale is on the slide, but still very live and has been in there with a who's who of the lower weights. A risky match up for their star prospect, but a win here will instantly launch him into the mix for regional titles. High risk and high reward for Mine here. Another stellar prospect is Tulio Kuwabata (3-0, 2), who will be fighting as Deka-narudo Torio, who takes on hard hitting Pinoy Ken Jordan (8-1-2, 7). The 23 year old Kuwabata is tipped very highly by those in Japan and has been matched aggressively so far, with this being a pretty logical looking step. Jordan is unbeaten in over 2 years and recently claimed an ABF title, back in August. This is a bout between two youngsters each coming to win, and it should give us some very competitive action over 8 rounds. The third prospect of note is Ryosuke Nishida (1-0, 1), who made his debut in Thailand back in October. Unlike his fellow hopefuls he won't be in an 8 rounder, but instead he'll be scheduled for 6 rounds against the tough Pablito Canada (7-17-4, 1), and will likely be taken the distance by Canada who has only been stopped twice in his 28 bout career. Osaka, Japan A second Osaka, card, this time from the EDION Arena, will also be worthy of some attention. The main event here is a Japanese Super Flyweight title eliminator, the final of the eliminators to take place this year, and will see former world title challenger Hiroyuki Kudaka (26-18-3, 11) clash with Yuta Matsuo (15-4-1, 8) for the chance to fight Kenta Nakagawa in the new year. At 34 years old a loss will likely send Kudaka into retirement, ending an incredibly interesting and often exciting career, so we expect to see him being fired up for this. Matsuo is no world beater, but he is better than his record suggests and is hoping to secure a second Japanese Super Flyweight title fight, following a loss to Takayuki Okumoto earlier this year. Our in depth preview of this eliminator is available to read here Kudaka and Matsuo to clash in final Japanese eliminator of 2019! In an 8 round supporting bout Kenta Nomura (6-3, 3) will battle Ryo Suwa (11-2, 2), in a very interesting looking contest. Nomura is looking to bounce back from an August loss to Toshiki Shimomachi, in a Japanese Youth title fight, and although he's nothing special he does tend to make for good fights. Suwa on the other hand has won 4 of his last 5 and will see this as a chance to take a huge step towards a potential youth title fight of his own. This show will also feature the debut of former amateur standout Kantaro Juri (0-0), who fought in the Asian and World Youth Championships back in 2014, who will be in a 6 rounder at a contracted 53KG's. Sadly his opponent here hasn't been confirmed, though we have been told it will be an Indonesian opponent. Golaghat, India As well as the Japanese action there is also a low level Indian card in Golaghat. This card will be headlined by Sagar Narwat (9-1-1, 3) taking on Shiva (9-3, 3) in an 8 round bout. For Narwat this is a chance to get back to winning ways following October's loss to Troy O'Meley in Australia. As for Shiva he's now wheeled off 3 straight wins after he suffered a trio of losses on the road in 2017. Sadly this bout aside the card isn't really worth getting too excited about. Bangkok, Thailand
Strangely Thailand plays host to two highly regarded Japanese prospects, as they look to make a mark early in their careers. One of those is the 23 year old Yusuke Mine (1-0), who looks to build on his July debut win over Jessel Guardario. Sadly, given Mine's debut came against a decent opponent, this bout looks to be little more than a tick over as he takes on Thai local Kamon Singram (0-28). On one hand it feels like a waste of a bout for Mine, who has the ability to be fast tracked into the Japanese rankings, however we understand that his team are wanting to keep him busy and are looking to get him some experience of fighting outside of his homeland. The other Japanese fighter on this card is the debuting Ryosuke Nishida (0-0), who took part in his B license test in September. The talented Nishida is tipped as a major one to watch from those at the Mutoh gym and apparently they struggled to get him a suitable domestic opponent, hence him travelling for this bout. Sadly, though as with Mine, he's facing a very limited opponent in the form of Sakol Ketkul (0-5-1), who has been stopped in his last 3 bouts. Camarines Norte, Philippines As well as the Thai card there is also a low profile one in the Philippines, and this really is no better than the Thai card. One of the bouts here will see the limited Jerome Clavite (8-4-2, 4) take on Pit Anacaya (9-28-2, 2). Given that Anacaya has lost his last 4, and last scored a win in November 2014, it would seems obvious he is there to pad Clavite's record, but Clavite himself has been out of the ring for over 2 years. In another match up the 21 year old Remon Basas (4-4, 3), who lost 3 of his last 4, will be taking on Jerry Mae Villagracia (6-8, 2). Whilst Basas hasn't had great form it is better than that of Villagracia, who has been stopped in his last 7. |
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