Cultur Center, Namyangju, South Korea
This coming Saturday the biggest Asian show will be in South Korea, not something we’ve been able to type much, in what is a really interesting card, featuring 4 genuinely notable bouts.

One of the 4 bouts will see Korean based Uzbekistani prospect Siro Choi (9-0, 6) take on former triple crown champion Shuichiro Yoshino (17-1, 13), in what is a big step up for Choi and a must win for Yoshino. Choi, also known as Sirochbek Ismoilov, is a 24 year old who debuted in 2023 and has already taken 3 unbeaten records, won a South Korean title, and started to face imported opponents. Notably he has stopped his last 6 and appears to be on a tear, and ready to move into regional title bouts. At his best Yoshino was a very solid fighter, though one trapped between the regional level, where he unified Japanese, OPBF and WBO AP titles, and world level, as shown when he was stopped by Shakur Stevenson back in 2023. Since his loss to Stevenson we’ve only seen Stevenson in the ring once, stopping the over matched Jules Victoriano in June last year, and it;s really hard to know what he has left to offer aged 33 and with just 2 rounds in the last 2 years.

In a regional title bout unbeaten Korean Seung Yeol Kim (6-0-0-1, 4) will take on Japanese veteran Kenta Nakagawa (25-5-1, 13) in a bout for the WBO Oriental Super Flyweight title. The 26 year old Kim has claimed a South Korean title, winning that belt last time out, but this bout will be a major step up in class for him, having so far feasted on novices, with an exception being his recent win over the very limited Artid Bamrungauea. As for Nakagawa the Japanese fighter is a genuine veteran, but aged 39 he knows he can’t afford another loss. At his best Nakagawa was a dangerous regional level southpaw, with good speed, solid power, and a good boxing brain. During his long career he has scored notable wins over Joe Tanooka, Hayato Kimura, Takayuki Okumoto, Hiroyuki Kudaka, Hayate Kaji, Akio Furutani and Joe Shiraishi, whilst being a 3-time Japanese and one time WBO AP champion. If Nakagawa is half the fighter he was he should be too good, but aged 39 and coming in on the back of a hard 29 fight career it’s hard to know what he has left in the tank.

In an all Korean bout we’ll see Korea Heavyweight champion Jung Hyun Kim (4-0, 4) take on Tae Kwang Kim (5-0, 5), in a bout that promises fireworks. The champion is 30 years old and debuted in 2013 and won the title in his third bout, with this being his second defense. To date he has fought just 15 rounds as a professional, with his longest bout going 8 rounds, and there are a lot of questions for him to answer before potentially mixing with regional level fighters, but that appears to be the next step for him. Aged 32 the challenger is slightly older but also more experienced, with 5 bouts in total, however he has fought just 8 professional rounds, with none of his bouts going beyond round 2. Notably he is a natural Cruiserweight, but a very dangerous fighter at this level. We are expecting explosive and exciting action here, with both likely to feel they have the power to hurt the other.

Another title bout on this show will see the unbeaten Nuri Ye (7-0-1, 5) take on Jamshid Rikhsiev (14-6-1-1, 10) in a  bout for the OPBF Silver Middleweight title. The 22 year old Ye, also known as Egamberdi Nuriddinov, is a Korean based Uzbekistani fighter. Ye fought to a draw on his debut, but has since reeled off 7 wins, albeit at a very low level with the best of them being a 6 round decision over Mielifeier Dalielibieke. Notably he has looked incredibly dangerous recently, stopping his last 4 bouts in a combined 7 rounds. As for Rikhsiev, who is a 32 year old Uzbekistani, he has fought much of his career in Uzbekistan since making his 2011 debut. Sadly his bouts at home have come at a very low level, and whilst he has travelled, having 6 fights on the road, he is 0-5-0-1 away from home. We can’t help but feel this bout has been set up to make Ye look good, claim a stoppage and move towards bouts for the full version of the OPBF title later in the near year.

Central Gym, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
As well as the show in Korea we also have a show in Kobe, where we get title action, along with two other bouts ot note

The main event will see Tomonori Nagao (9-2-2, 5) and Shunpei Odagiri (5-1, 3) both look for the most meaningful win of their careers as they face off for the vacant WBO AP Flyweight title. For Nagao, the under-dog, this will be his first bout scheduled for more than 8 rounds, a distance he has been scheduled for 5 times and gone once, a draw with Temple Kamihara. Despite having 9 wins it's hard to find a win that really stands out, with the best probably being a 2022 win over Kanta Kawamura, a win that was followed by 9 months of inactivity then a blow out loss to Shugo Namura in 2023. As for Odagiri he was marked for big things immediately, and won his first 4 before losing to Vencent Lacar last year. Since then he has bounced back with a low key win over a Thai and now looks to build on that with his first title fight. Like his foe he has never been beyond 8 rounds but has shown a lot to like, and it’s fair to say his team will feel he has the tools needed to pick up a win here, without too many questions being asked.

In a very interesting supporting bout former WBO AP Super Flyweight champion Tetsuro Ohashi (13-4-1, 4) will take on Haruki Igarashi (7-3-1, 4), in what is likely to be something of a tune up for Ohashi before another title fight later in the year. The 26 year old Ohashi has had a solid career so far, and despite his one title reign only lasting 4 months, he has had a very solid domestic type career, with an All Japan Rookie of the Year win, a bout for the Japanese youth title, a regional title reign and a 2021 loss to Ryosuke Nishida. Without being a star, he’s had a good career and is still only 26. As for Igarashi , who is also 26, he reached the Rookie of the Year final in 2022, but is 1-1 since then and hasn't fought since late 2023. It’s hard to imagine he has the tools needed to beat Ohashi, but he has never been stopped and should serve as something of a tune up for Ohashi here.

Also on this card is the unbeaten Yamato Moriguchi (8-0-1, 3), who looks to build on his 2023 All Japan Rookie of the Year triumph, as he takes on Filipino visitor Kier Clenton Espere (8-7-1, 2).  Sadly for Moriguchi his 2023 All Japan win was followed by a 10 month lay off, losing all the momentum he had been building, and this is now only his second fight in around 16, months with his last one lasting just 34 seconds and incidentally all 3 of his stoppages have come in the opening round. On paper this is a step up in class, but Espere is still no world beater, or anything even close, with 3 losses in his last 5, including 2 by stoppage. He will come into this as a man looking to bounce back from an 8th round KO loss in December, and it's hard to know what his ambition will be like for his first bout outside of the Philippines.

Suzhou, China
Staying in Asia, we also have a card in China, headlined by a 6 rounder between the unbeaten pairing of Fuwei Wang (2-0-1, 2) and Saipaier Rouzi (3-0-1-1, 3), who are both unbeaten, both seem to have solid power at this level, and both are looking to extend their unbeaten runs. Aged 20 Wang started his career back in October, fighting to a draw with Pengfei Cao, but has scored 3rd round TKO's in both of his subsequent bouts and will be looking to continue to build on those results. Rouzi on the other hand is 19 and has scored 3 opening round wins, showing real power early on, though was held to an 8 round draw last time out, when he was unable to put away the experienced Yihao Wang. He’ll likely be thinking that bout with Yihao Wang will prepare him to take on better, tougher and more resilient foes, and shows he can do 8 if needed. With their bouts so far Rouzi should be favoured, but this is a great 50/50 style match up, at least on paper.

Park Community Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Over in the UK former multi-time world champion Josh Warrington (31-4-1, 8) is looking to score his first win in over 3 years, after 3 straight losses, as he takes on Indian fighter Asad Asif Khan (19-6-1-1, 5). Warrington, at his best, was genuinely world class, and wins over Kiko Martinez, Lee Selby, Carl Framtpon, Kid Galahad, all coming in just over 2 years, was really solid. Sadly however those wins came between 2017 and 2019. Sadly after once being 30-0 Warrington has gone 1-4-1 in his last 6, dating back 4 years, and aged 34 he is very much a man coming to the end. As for Khan, the 31 year old from Calcutta, is very well travelled, and although he lacks a major win he is upset minded, as he showed when he beat Aiman Abu bakar in 2019, pushed Defry Palulu all the way in 2022, before beating Palulu in 2024, and put up a credible effort against Michael Conlon earlier this year. Warrington will be the favourite, but Khan should do enough to keep the Englishman honest here.

Commerce Casino, Commerce, California, USA
Over in California we’ll see unbeaten Kazakh hopeful Sadriddin Akhmedov (15-0, 13) look for his first win of 2025 as he takes on Elias Espadas (23-6, 16), in what will be the third bout in the US for the unbeaten "Soldier of Q". Akhmedov is one of the very best prospects from central Asia, and after running up a solid record in Canada has now headed south of the border, where he scored two wins last year. On paper this is a slight step up from those bouts, but is expected to be another early win for the unbeaten prospect, who will be looking to move to a world title fight in the next year or two. Aged 34 Espadas, dubbed the "Latin Kid", has been stopped in 2 of his last 3, including a 2022 bout with Xander Zayas, and has just a single win since 2022. He has only been stopped twice, but unfortunately they were both against the best fighters he has faced, and on a similar level to Akhmedov, who will be looking to show that he deserves to be mentioned alongside the top emerging contenders at 160lbs.

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Sultan Kudarat, Philippines
This coming Saturday is a busy day of Asian action, but the biggest, by far, is in the Philippines, where we see a recent world title challenger in action, along with several prospects.

The biggest name on the show, by far, is recent WBC Bantamweight title challenger Vincent Astrolabio (19-5, 14), who looks to bounce back from a 2024 loss to Junto Nakatani. The talented Astrolabio, who has now come up short twice at world level, will be hoping to secure a third shot in the future, and to do that he will need to get past Thai veteran Prasitsak Phaprom (41-4-2, 26) here. The Thai, also known as Kwanpichit OnesongchaiGym, is a 43 year old veteran who has a good looking record, but is 1-3 in his last 4 bouts, dating back to 2016 when he lost to Zou Shiming. At his best Kwanpichit was decent, though his 40-1-2 record at the time was very padded, though now he’s very much someone selling his record, and he’s unlikely to give any sort of test to Astrolabio.

Another fighter facing a veteran is the once beaten Arnel Lofranco (7-1, 4), who takes on Jonathan Refugio (22-11-5, 8). Lofranco has bounced back well from a 2023 loss to Arvin John Sampaga, scoring 3 wins since then, but this is very clearly a step up in class for him from the fighters he has been fighting. At his best Refugio was a fringe regional level fighter, who claimed various minor titles, sadly however his best days were almost a decade ago and he has lost 5 of his last 6, with his last 3 losses all coming inside the distance. Lofranco is stepping up, as mentioned, but Refugio is a long way removed from the guy who went the distance with Knockout CP Freshmart, Melvin Jerusalem and Hiroto Kyoguchi.

Other prospects on this show include 21 year old Flyweight hopeful Kenneth Rapista (5-0, 4), who takes on the experienced Ramel Antaran (6-28-3), and the pairing of Angelou Lofranco (3-0, 3) and Joshua Varquez (2-0, 2), who face off in a bout between unbeaten punchers which should be really exciting and really short, given their 5 combined bouts have gone 7 rounds.

Clean Hit Boxing Gym, Pyeongtaek, South Korea
Whilst the most notable card, by far, is the Filipino card, there is some interest and intrigue in a Korean card, in Pyeongtaek. The show isn’t big by any stretch, but does feature two fighters of note.

The main event will see the unbeaten Seung Yeol Kim (5-0-0-1, 3) take on Thai veteran Artid Bamrungauea (40-37, 37) in a bout for the vacant South Korean Super Flyweight title. Kim is 26 and whilst this will be his biggest bout to date, he has shown some promise and his hard fought win over Se Gi Lee in December will serve him well for this bout, as will the fact he has now gone 11 rounds in his last 2 fights, and went a total of 19 rounds in 2024. As for Bamrungauea, who is eligible to fight for an Korean title under an OPBF rule that allows fighters under the OPBF to fight for national titles, the bout will eb the 40 year old’s 78th bout

Also on the card is Siro Choi (8-0, 5), though he hasn’t had his opponent confirmed at the time of writing. Choi, also known as Sirochbek Ismoilov, is a Korean based Uzbekistani fighter who debuted in 2023 and has quickly made an impact on the Korean scene, He notably went 6-0 (5) last year, stopping the likes of Juanito Paredes, Ji Sun Oh and Mark Sales in the second half of the year, and looks like he can move well beyond the Korean scene this year, and begin to make an impact on the OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific title scenes by the end of 2025. Aged just 23 there is no need to rush him, but if they don’t move him aggressively they may struggle to find suitable opponents able to give him any sort of a test.

Singmanassak Muaythai School, Pathum Thani, Thailand
The land of Smiles has a small card in Pathum Thani, which will see 43 year old Turkish fighter Metin Turunc (11-1, 11) [her record appears to be missing a result at the time of writing] takes on limited Thai local Ukrit Noiubon (2-6, 2). Turunc isn’t going places, and the 43 year old is facing very low level competition, and there is a reason for that, given he was stopped very quickly back in 2023 by Oguz Bilgi. Sadly though it does make bouts like this really pointless, especially knowing that Noiubon has been stopped in all 6 of his losses. One good thing to say about this bout is it’s not likely to go long, with all 20 bouts the fighters have fought so far ending early.

Johore Bahru, Malaysia
Over in Malaysia we have a small card, headlined by hard hitting local Muhamad Farkhan (12-0, 11), who will be up against fellow puncher Jaskaran Singh (10-5-0-1, 9), from India. Farkhan, who could quite fairly be described as a chubby fighter coming in at and above the Cruiserweight limit despite standing at 5’9”, blew out his first 11 opponents, mostly smaller and older men with limited ability, in just 42 rounds. Last time out however he went the distance, against Yousof Mohammadiosmanvandi, and squealed a win. Notably he has now been out of the ring for 14 months. As for Singh, the Indian fighter is 27, made his debut in 2020 and he has lost 2 of his last 3, with 4 of his 5 losses coming inside the distance, suggesting he is an easy stoppage for Farkhan, who likely wants to retire on the back of another early win.

Singapore, Singapore
Malaysia isn’t the only “non boxing” country to have a show, with neighbouring Singapore also hosting an event, as unbeaten local Amanda Chan (7-0, 1) takes on Thailand’s Noppaket Srisawas (10-3, 8). The 25 year old Chan has been out of the ring for close to 2 years, since getting a draw over-turned against Harma Yesti, with the bout being scored in her favour on review, and from her results she was never really a fighter with world title potential, even before her lengthy lay off. The Thai on the other hand has really been scraping the barrel for her opponents, with only a single win against a fighter with a win, when she faced, and that came in her 4th pro bout against a 1-3 fighter. Chan, a bit like Farkhan, appears to have selected a very poor opponent, to score a win against after a layoff.

Ariake Arena, Koto-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
The main card this coming Sunday is a stacked one form Tokyo, with 4 world title bouts on it, and several bouts on it as Amazon Prime and Teiken Promotions give us one of the best cards of 2024. In fact the day is day 1 of a 2 day event from Teiken and Amazon Prime.

The main event of the card is a mouth watering clash at Bantamweight, as WBA champion Takuma Inoue (20-1, 5) makes his third defence and takes on unbeaten mandatory challenger Seiya Tsutsumi (11-0-2, 8) in a truly brilliant match up. Takuma, the younger brother of Naoya Inoue, is a skilled fighter who has impressed in recent fights, winning his last 7 including notable wins against Shingo Wake, Liborio Solis, Jerwin Ancajas and Sho Ishida. He is still, unfortunately, in the shadow of his bigger brother, but is carving out a solid legacy of his own and has a really under-rated resume. Sadly although a genuine talent Inoue lacks the power of his brother and a lot of his performances, whilst solid, have not been spectacular leading some to believe he is the weak link at 118lbs. As for Tsutsumi the hard hitter from the Kadoebi Gym is one of the top contenders at Bantamweight, having won the Japanese title 2022 and really making the belt his, with 4 defenses over the likes of Jin Minamide, Riku Masuda and Kazuki Anaguchi. Although his reign was solid, arguably the most notable result on his record came before he won the title, when he fought to a draw with Daigo Higa back in 2020. Tsutsumi, in many ways, embodies the Japanese boxing style, with under-rated skills, solid power and incredible determination. He can mix things up, boxing or brawling, but where he really stands out is his will to win, and that should bring the best of of Inoue in what could be a very, very special fight.

The co-feature of the show is mouth watering Flyweight clash, as former unified Light Flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji (23-1, 14) moves up in weight to take on former champion Cristofer Rosales (37-6, 22) for the vacant WBC Flyweight title which Rosales did hold back for 8 months back in 2018. Aged 32 Kenshiro is one of the few fighters who truly made a home for himself at 108lbs, becoming a 2-time WBC and 1 time WBA champion there, with wins against Ganigan Lopez, Pedro Guevara, Milan Melindo, Jonathan Taconing, Randy Petalcorin, Masamichi Yabuki, Hiroto Kyoguchi, Anthony Olascuaga, Hekkie Budler and Carlos Canizales, among others. He avenged his only defeat, to Yabuki, and carved out a genuine legacy at Light Flyweight whilst amassing one of the best runs in the division. It’s going to be interesting to see if he can match that success at Flyweight. As for Rosales, who is somehow only 30, the Nicaraguan is a true veteran with 43 fights to his name and with bouts in Nicaragua, the UK, Italy, Japan, the USA and Mexico he's proven to be a road warrior. Sadly for him his most notably success came back in 2018, when he upset Daigo Higa for the WBC title, and saw him make one defense, against Paddy Barnes, before losing the belt to Charlie Edwards. Since then he has gone 9-2 (3) with a loss to Julio Cesar Martinez and a loss to Angel Ayala Lardizabal, whilst his most notable wins since losing the belt coming against Joselito Velazquez and Abraham Medina. Rosales is tough, he comes to fight, has under-rated skills and will be looking to repeat the upset he scored last time he fought in Japan, though in many ways he’s up against a more skilled fighter here than he found in Higa, who had failed to make weight. Given the styles this has the potential to be a real thriller, with Kenshiro often happy to be dragged into a firefight and Rosales having the toughness to stand and trade. A potential instant classic here.

Another Flyweight bout on this show will see WBA champion Seigo Yuri Akui (20-2-1, 11) seek his second defense as he takes on Tha challenger Thananchai Charunphak (25-1, 15), in what could well be a really compelling bout, even if it lacks the name value of the WBC title bout. Akui is a dangerous fighter with under-rated power especially early on, with 10 wins coming in the first 3 rounds, but also someone who is capable of pressing and taking rounds, with under-rated skills, as we saw in his first defense against Taku Kuwabara. He’s not without his flaws, but he’s a very strong and very overlooked fighter who’s only losses have come against Junto Nakatani, early in his career, and Jaysever Abcede, when he suffered a hand injury. He’s had a lot of success without a major backer, and it’s fair to say if he keeps his winning run going he’ll finally get a chance to have a huge fight in Okayama. As for Charunphak, the Thai is a very solid fighter who's only loss came very early in his career, against Phongsaphon Panyakum. Since that loss he has scored 24 wins including notable domestic wins against Wittawas Basapean, Suriyan Satorn, Wicha Phulaikhao and Komgrich Nantapech as well as Filipino fighters Jeny Boy Boca and Roland Jay Biendima and most notable Japanese hopeful Kento Hatanaka. Given the styles of both this could be less exciting than some of the others on the show, but is very unlikely to be dull, with styles that should give us a very solid, technically sound, bout.

The lowest weight to be covered on the card is 108lbs, as we’ll see a bout for the vacant WBO Light Flyweight title. In one corner is Japan’s Shokichi Iwata (13-1, 10), who many feel should actually hold this title following a controversial loss to Jonatan Gonzalez in 2022, whilst his opponent will be Spanish fighter Jairo Noriega (14-0, 3). The talented Iwata has long been groomed for success following an excellent amateur career, he won the JBC title in 2021, unified it with the WBO Asia Pacific and OPBF titles in 2022, and as mentioned many feel he should have won the WBO world title later in 2022. Since his loss to Gonzalez he has shown a bit more of a mean streak and gone 4-0 (4) including a notable win over former world champion Rene Mark Curto. As for Noriega the Spanish fighter is stepping up massively for this bout, though he has scored noteworthy wins over Angel Moreno and Azael Villar, and won European honours showing he's a very capable fighter, though this is a step up in class for him. Notably this will not be his first but outside of Spain, having fought Villar in Nicaragua in March, but it's fair to say it's the biggest stage he's fought on, by far.

Yokohama Budokan, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
A second notable Japanese card, run by former world champion Masayuki Ito and his Treasure Boxing Promotions, is set to feature numerous former world champions in a card that could well have gotten major attention, had it not been staged on the same day as the Ariake Arena event.

The main event has the potential to be the best fight of a hectic weekend as former multi-weight world champion John Riel Casimero (33-4-1, 22) takes on the always fun to watch Saul Sanchez (21-3, 12). Casimero is, at best, an enigma who can be sensational, destructive, and a scintillating fighter to watch or can be passive and do nothing and give away rounds. Amazingly he can often be both in the same fighter. He’s a 4 weight champion who has given up two of those titles due to issues making weight, he’s a road warrior who has picked up wins all across the world, from Argentina to China, UK to South Korea, but has also managed to throw away major opportunities, including potential showdown with Naoya Inoue. Now aged 35 it’s hard to know what he has left to offer, but in fairness it’s always been hard to know what he will offer in any round, never mind fight. As for Sanchez the 27 year old from California, is a must watch fighter, with an aggressive style who really could have an unbeaten record had he had some luck. All 3 of his losses are razor thin, with 2 split decision losses and a majority decision loss. Whilst he lacks in terms of "big wins" he has beaten Arthur Villanueva and Franklin Gonzalez, among others, and gave Jason Moloney a real 50-50 fight back in January. Sadly for Sanchez he does lack power, and this will hold him back, but his style makes him popular and this could well be a thrilling 10 rounder.

Whilst the main event is a tasty match up the most interesting, potentially, will be the co-feature which will be a rubber match between Vince Paras (21-2-1, 15) and former 2-weight world champion Hiroto Kyoguchi (18-2, 12). These two clashed back in 2018, with Kyoguchi taking a clear win over Paras to retain the IBF Minimumweight title. The two men would fight again this past May, with Paras taking a much questioned decision over Kyoguchi, who made it clear that he didn't agree with the decision and felt the result was a joke. Now we get a rubber match with both men fully aware a win here likely puts them on the verge of a world title fight in a Flyweight division that, right now, is wide open. We suspect Kyoguchi will fight with the intention of stopping Paras, after the result in May, but Paras is no push over and the aggression of Kyoguchi might come back to haunt him here, much like his passivity at times did in their May contest.

Another former world champion on this show is Yukinori Oguni (21-2-3, 9) who faces Fillipus Nghitumbwa (14-2, 12) in a battle between two former Casimero opponents. Oguni is a former IBF Super Bantamweight champion who is now coming to the end of his career, at the age of 36 and following a previous retirement, though still has plenty of skills and tricks up his sleeve. He is a long way removed from the fighter who beat Yonatan Guzman Pena in 2016, but is still an awkward fighter who can cause problems for much younger fighters. Notably he is unbeaten since 2017, when he was stopped by Ryosuke Iwasa, but he has only gone 2-0-2 since that bout more than 7 years ago, including a technical draw with Casimero. As for Nghitumbwa, he’s a 28 year old from Namibia who lost on debut, in September 2017, and lost to Casimero last year, in his only bout outside of his homeland. As for wins the most notable names that Nghitumbwa has beaten are Korean fighter DeKang Wang and Jonas Matheus, who he has beaten twice after losing on debut against. There is little on his record, but he did give Casimero a real fight last year and could be too hungry for the faded Oguni.

One other former world champion on this card is former WBO Minimumweight champion Masataka Taniguchi (18-4, 12), who faces former WBA “interim” champion Pai Pharob (38-5, 29). On paper, and on paper alone, this looks a really good match up pitting two former world level fighters against each other with each battling for another chance at the top. In reality however it’s hard to see it as anything other than a chance for Taniguchi to get some career momentum going as he looks for a third straight win since losing the WBO world title. Aged 30 he still has ambition to reclaim gold whilst the Thai visitor is 41 years old has lost 4 of his last 8, and 5 of his last 11, and is 0-3 outside of Thailand. And the visitor took this bout on about 2 weeks notice. 

Dongdaemungu Gymnasium, Seoul, South Korea
As well as the action in Japan we also have a pretty noteworthy show in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

The main event will be a 12 rounder between unbeaten fighters as Sirochbek Ismoilov (6-0, 3) and Ji Sub Oh (8-0-1, 4) put their 0’s on the line. Ismoilov, one of many Korean based Uzbekistan born fighters on this show, is 23 years old and has had his entire pro-career, so far, in South Korea. His competition has been rather limited, to say the least, however he does have a notable win over Juanito Paredes back in August for the KBM Lightweight title. He’s clearly early in his career but has shown enough to get excited about and could well be one of the fighters on this card with the tools to make a big name for himself in the future. Oh on the other hand is just 21  made his debut in 2022 and although he looks good on paper, this will be only the second time he has faced a fighter with a winning record, the other being Hyung Shin Chae back in 2022. Oh is the naturally bigger fighter, fighting mostly at Welterweight but is clearly stepping up to take on his most notable opponent to date.

Another good looking and well matched bout will pit Shakhzodbek Sharobiddinov (6-2, 2) against Yang Ji Kim (7-1, 4). The 24 year old Sharobiddinov is a Korean based Uzbekistani fighter who has won his last 4 in a row, including wins over Dong Kwan Lee and Conrado Tanamor, and it's going to be interesting to see what he can do on the Korean scene going forward. Kim on the other hand was beaten on debut, back in 2017, and has had a very stop-start career since then, though has won 7 in a row including one against experienced Filipino Gerpaul Valero. This is an interesting bout on paper and one where both will be coming into the bout looking to continue their unbeaten run.

Arguably the most notable bout on this show will see Korean fighter Sang Heon Oh (9-3-1, 6) take on Faryozbek Dusmatov (2-0, 2). Sang is a 24 year old with mixed results who showed his toughness in March, when he lost a decision to Katsuya Fukui, and recently scored a notable win over Ranelio Quizo. Although no world beater he is tough and his only stoppage came in the 10th round against Runqi Zhou, with the men subsequently fighting to a 10 round draw in a rematch. It is, however, Dusmatov who is the interesting part of this fighter with the former amateur fighter being the younger brother of Hasanboy Dusmatov, and the 20 year old Korean based Uzbekistani fighter is tipped as a major one to watch over the coming decade. It’s still very early to get too excited about him, but this is a solid step up in class, and a win here would certainly help put him on the map, at least regionally, at this early stage.

Antipas Gymnasium, Antipas, Cotabato (del Norte), Philippines
The least notable of the Asian shows comes from the Philippines, where we see some unbeaten prospects look to continue their successful starts.

One of the unbeaten men is Nathaniel Dorona (5-0, 2), who competes in his second 8 rounder as he takes onThai visitor Thani Narinram (3-7), in what is really just another match up to pad Dorona’s record. The Thai has been stopped in 5 of his 7 losses, appears to have no power, and whilst he has fought some good competition he isn’t expected to do much more than be a body here. As for Dorona, questions have to begin regarding when will he began to step up his competition

In a much better looking bout we’re expecting to see fireworks as Angelou Lofranco (3-0, 3) faces Mohaleden Kalibo (2-0, 2). Thai really is anticipated to be a shoot out, and between them they have bever seen round 3, with their combined 5 wins coming in 7 rounds. Don’t blink with this one. Sadly it is a low level fight, and it’s hard to know much about either man, but we don’t expect either to want to wait around in what could be a very fun, short, action packed fight.

Liloan Sports Complex, Liloan, Philippines
We get a really interesting card in the Philippines, with several notable bouts on it, both featuring unbeaten prospects in very notable steps up in class.

One of the bouts will see Albert Francisco (12-0, 8) risk his unbeaten record against the once beaten Mark Vicelles (18-1-1, 11), in a mouth watering clash at Flyweight. Francisco is a 24 year old southpaw who has looked impressive since starting his career, but lacks a stand out win to put himself on to the fringes of the world scene. He'll know a win here will do just that and put him in the mix for big international fights. Vicelles on the other hand who has looked impressive since starting his career, but lacks a stand out win to put himself on to the fringes of the world scene. He'll know a win here will do just that and put him in the mix for big international fights. Given this is southpaw Vs southpaw this could be messy at times, but is clearly a really meaningful match up.

Another unbeaten hopeful on this show is Arvin Jhon Paciones (8-0, 5), who is risking his unbeaten record against former world champion Rene Mark Cuarto (22-5-2, 12). For the 19 year old Paciones, a Vietnamese based Filipino, this is a huge leap up in class, and whilst he has been impressive, and scoring notable wins on the road in Vietnam and Thailand, but one that his team will probably feel he's ready for. Part of why Paciones team will feel their man is ready for Cuarto, is Cuarto’s own form, which has seen him losing 3 of his 5 bouts since winning the world title in 2022, and being stopped in 2 of his last 3. He's not old, at just 27, but does appear to have a lot of ring miles on the clock from the last few years. Cuarto can’t afford another loss, and a Pacioned will know a win rapidly sees his standing in the sport improve, and put him in, or around, the world rankings.

The card also features two Japanese fighters making their international debuts. One of those is hard hitting Kakeru Mashimo (8-0, 6) who takes on former world ranked fighter Jason Canoy Manigos (28-12-2, 19). This is a huge step up for Mashimo, but one his team will feel comfortable with, with Canoy losing 5 of his last 6 and only having a single win since 2018, though regularly being competitive in his losses. This should be a good test for Mashimo, but a test he passes, despite maybe a rocky moment or two.

The other is former amateur stand out Hiroki Horiike (1-0, 1), who made his debut in April. He will be expected to pick up an easy win here as he takes on 35 year old veteran Ryan Maano (6-19-2, 2). On paper this looks pointless, but Maano has proven himself as a stalwart on the Filipino scene, and has been in with a who's who, since his 2011 debut. In recent years he's been fighting outside of his best weight class, but will be expected to show Horiike a few veteran moves as the youngster looks to gain some valuable experience away from Japan.

Hiokayama Gymnasium, Kakogawa, Hyogo, Japan
We get another interesting show in Japan, as JM Kakogawa Promotions put on a card with two really good match ups on it, even if one might not look amazing on paper.

The best looking bout on the card will see Filipino fighter Vencent Lacar (6-0, 3) take on Shunpei Odagiri (4-0, 2) in a battle of unbeaten hopefuls, both of whom will likely go into this knowing a win will boost them towards a regional title fight. Lacar made his debut in late 2022 and had an excellent 2023, picking up 4 wins including taking the unbeaten record of Jemar Layom and winning the MinProBA Flyweight title. Odagiri, an experienced former Japanese amateur fighter, who has impressed since turning professional, and looks like someone being fast tracked. On paper Lacar is a step up for the Japanese fighter, but the 24 year old from Hyogo will feel confident of coming out on top here, and racing towards a title fight in the next 12-18 months.

The second bout of note on this card will see experienced former amateur Ryusei Baba (3-2, 1), who hasn’t had the success many tipped him to have in the pros, take on 2018 All Japan Rookie of the Year winner Yoshiki Minato (11-6, 6), in what has the potential to be a very good technical fight. Baba was a very good amateur who lost 2 of his first three, one being a highly controversial decision in the Philippines and the other being a TKO loss to the hard hitting Sugo Namura. Since then however he has scored 2 solid domestic wins, and will feel that another win here will see him begin to prove himself as a professional, something we genuinely expect to see him do over the coming years. As for Minato he was once 8-1, but has gone 3-5 in his last 8 whilst facing the likes of Seigo Yuri Akui, Joe Shirashi, Taku Kuwahara and Masayoshi Hashizume. He's a solid boxer, but it does feel like his career is already starting  to fall apart, and he's never come close to building on his 2020 upset win over Kohei Oba, who looked a shadow of the fighter he had once been.

Wat Pak Bo School, Suan Luang, Bangkok, Thailand
We also have a show in Thailand, with two minor regional title bouts on  it.

One of the title bouts will see Chinese fighter ShaoKang Huang (5-3, 3) take on Vietnamese fighter Phu Thuy Nguyen (2-4, 2), in a bout for the Asian Boxing Federation title at 140lbs. Nguyen, who is 32, debuted way back in 2016, fell to 0-2 before taking more than 5 years away from the ring. He returned in 2023 and has gone 2-2 (2) since then, beating two opponents without a win, and losing to men who had previously scored wins. Huang, who also had a stop start career, debuting in 2018, spending a year out then having an almost 4 year break, has been particularly active since July 2023, going 4-2 in less than a year. Sadly he was beaten last time out, with Chan Sala stopping him in 4 rounds, though that was at Welterweight, which isn't his natural weight.

The other title bout is a really odd one and will see 34 year old Chinese fighter Yifeng Zhang (5-6, 3), take on 42 year old former world title challenger Wicha Phulaikhao (64-28-2, 18), with the men battling for the Asian Boxing Federation title at Super Featherweight. Zhang made his debut in 2012, and has had a career with several multi-year breaks in activity, though is on something of a busy run with this being his 4th fight in just over 8 months. However they have all been at a very, very low level in Gym fights in Thailand. The 42 year old Phulaikhao, who debuted in 1999, is almost 14 years removed from his most notable career bout, a loss in a  fight for the WBA Minimumweight title. After that world title bout he sported a 42-6-2 records,  but since then he has gone 22-22, moved way up the weights from Minimumweight and been stopped a frankly ridiculous 18 times, including his last 5 bouts, and 6 times in the last 12 months. Phulaikhao doesn’t really fight to win any more, and we wouldn’t be surprised at all by another stoppage loss for him here.

Nova Boxing Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea
Staying in Asia, we also get a small Gym show in South Korea, with most of the bouts on the card being 4 rounders.

Whilst much of the card is 4 rounders, there is an 8 rounder on the show, as Uzbekistani Sirochbek Ismoilov (4-0, 1) takes on limited Indian Sunil Kumar (3-5, 3). The 21 year old Kumar was 3-1 (3) after 4 bouts, but has now lost his last 4 and has been stopped in his last two bouts. He's young, and could improve, but we're certainly not expecting him to go far, and feel those 4 recent losses show not just where he is now, but also his longer term potential. Ismoilov on the other hand is a 23 year old who debuted last year, and despite going the distance in his first 3 bouts, appeared to find some belief in his power last time out, as he blew away Bhinder Singh inside a round. It wouldn’t be a shock at all to se another early win for Ismoilov here.

Olympia, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom
We also have a bout with Asian interest in the UK as unbeaten English fighter Jack Rafferty (22-0, 13) takes on Indian fighter Sabari Jaishankar (11-2, 5) in a bout for the IBO Inter Continental Welterweight title. The 28 year old Rafferty has a very good looking record, having run out to 22-0 since his October 2017 debut, but scratching below the numbers, it does appar Rafferty has been matched very softly so far whilst fighting between 140lbs and 154lbs. He certainly has plenty of promise, but it does feel like he needs a step up sooner rather than later and his competition has been very poor. Jaishankar, who is surprisingly well traveled with bouts in Australia, Tanzania, Turkey and Thailand as well as his native India, lacks wins of any note, but has done well since a loss on debut, and his only other loss came last year in Turkey at 154lbs against Fatih Keles. Rafferty should win, but this should be seen as a small step up for him.​