 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Thursday we get a really notable show from Korakuen Hall as the Ohashi Gym put on a show that not only has 3 title bouts, but also 2 tournaments on what is one of the more notable domestic cards of the year. The main event is one of the 3 title fights, and is sadly the “least” interesting. That’s because it sees the hard hitting, unbeaten, Japanese Super Flyweight champion Suzumi Takayama (8-0, 7) defending his belt against the experienced but limited Isao Aoyama (14-12-1, 4). The 27 year old Takayama, who is world ranked by all 4 world title bodies, won the title last year and will be seeking his third defense of the belt, though there is a feeling he and his team should be pressing on with landing world ranked opponents and moving towards a world title fight, rather than treading water at the domestic level. Sadly Aoyama, despite being experienced, isn’t even close to being at the top of the domestic picture. The JBC rank the 35 year old Aoyama towards the bottom of their top 15 and he has just 2 wins in his last 7 bouts, dating back to late 2020. He is not expected to provide any real test for Takayama, though is rugged and should last a few rounds with Takayama. In some ways this is viewed as a shot for Aoyama less from achievement, and more for his services to the sport, as he has fought a who’s who of the domestic scene, but sadly that won’t be much help against someone as talented as Takayama. A much more interesting looking Japanese title bout will see Japanese Bantamweight champion Fumiya Fuse (14-3, 3) make his first defense, as he takes on the extremely dangerous Riku Masuda (4-1, 4), who is getting his second shot at the title, in what is a rematch between two men who fought last year. Fuse has been a professional since 2017 and first made a name for himself that year, as he won the All Japan Rookie of the Year. He would win his first 8 before losing a technical decision to highly regarded prospect Toshiya Ishii. Since that loss he has gone 6-2 with the other losses coming to Sam Goodman and Riku Masuda, the same Masuda he is facing here. Despite those losses he has actually scored two of his best wins in recent bouts, beating Ryosuke Nasu and Taichi Sugimoto, with the win over Sugimoto in April being his title winning performance. As for Masuda he debuted in 2022 and blew out his first two opponents, before stepping up and stopping Fuse last year, before losing a close and hotly contested 10 round decision to Seiya Tsutusmi in a Japanese title bout in August 2023. Following that bout we've only seen Masuda once, though it was a career best win as he blasted out former world title challenger Jonas Sultan in just 141 seconds, giving Sultan his first stoppage loss. Fuse will be hoping to have learned from his loss to Masuda, who will himself be looking for a repeat performance in an attempt to claim his first title, and move onwards and upwards towards regional and world title fights. The other title bout on this card is a Japanese Youth Bantamweight title bout, as 23 year olds Daichi Hirai (8-4, 1) and Shunpei Kaneshiro (2-0, 1) clash in a really solid looking match up. Hirai, from Osaka, will be fighting in Tokyo for just the second time in his career, with the other being a loss in an All Japan Rookie of the Year final. Since that loss Hirai has gone 3-2, which looks under-whelming, but includes a very close loss and a win on foreign soil, against Korean Seong Yeong Yang, which will serve him well coming into this bout. As for Kaneshiro, he was a former amateur standout who has been moved quickly into this opportunity and will see this as a great chance to win his first title and move onwards and upwards. As well as the three title bouts, we’re also set to get the semi-finals of the Asia Strongest Lightweight Tournament, as two Japanese fighters take on two visitors with the 4 fighters all looking to move onwards to winning the tournament, and landing a big international fight in 2025. One of the two bouts will see the flawed but heavy handed Yoji Saito (7-3-2, 7) battle against the once beaten Chinese fighter Hanyun Wu (4-1-0-1, 1). Saito is not the best boxer out there, but he is a rugged, heavy handed fighter, who has proven to be incredibly dangerous throughout his career and is riding a 4 fight winning streak since a 2022 loss to Yamato Hata. If a fighter can take his power, and that’s a big if, Saito can be in trouble, but given his power there’s not many tough enough, at this level, to win a shootout with him. Wu on the other hand is a 21 year old Chinese fighter who lost on debut and hasn't faced anyone of any note coming into this. On paper this looks interesting, but in reality it’s hard to see anything but a blow out for the powerful Saito. The other semi-final should be much more interesting, as the unbeaten Taiga Imanaga (5-0, 4) takes on experienced Filipino Marvin Esquierdo (17-3-1-1, 11). The talented Imanaga, who some have viewed as the favourite for the tournament, has shown impressive power, good boxing skills and was a former amateur standout before making his debut in 2022. He is a work in progress, and does need some rounds after having just 21 in his first 5 bouts, but there is no doubting his potential and his ability. As for Esquierdo, the Filipino is a highly experienced fighter who debuted in 2015, suffering a loss on debut. He has picked up international experience, fighting in Russia and Japan, and his only losses, outside his loss on debut, have come to Mark Urvanov and Kenichi Ogawa, and he actually went 10 rounds with Ogawa. This should be a genuine test for Imanaga against a sturdy, solid, opponent.
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 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
The main action this coming Thursday comes from Tokyo, where we get a title double header, and the quarter finals of an intriguing tournament. The main event of the card will see hard hitting Japanese Super Flyweight champion Suzumi Takayama (7-0, 6) make his second defense, as he takes on mandatory challenger Akio Furutani (11-6, 4) in a Champion Carnival bout. Takayama has been a wrecking ball since debuting in 20119, with only the naturally bigger Kai Chiba managing to see the final bell with him. He won the title last June, when stopped Ryusei Kawaura and made his first defense 3 months later, stopping Tsubasa Murachi. He’s on the verges, or just in, the world rankings but it does seem like he’s going to need tougher tests before getting a world title bout. Furutani on the other hand is an under-rated fighter, who has suffered 6 defeats in 17 bouts, but has managed to prove himself. He started his career 4-4, but has since gone 7-2, with his only losses in that 9 fight run being close and competitive ones in regional title fights against Masayoshi Hashizume and Kenta Nakagawa. Furutani is tough, and should ask questions of Takayama, but it would be a real surprise to see the title change hands here. A second title bout will see Yuma Saeki (3-0, 3) and Rento Miyazawa (6-2-1, 2) battle for the JBC Youth Minimumweight title. Saeki turned professional following a solid amateur career which saw him going 22-7 (7), and since turning professional he has notched his first 3 wins in a combined 10 rounds, including a 5th round TKO win over Takatora Suzuki. For a guy at 105lbs he has looked hard hitting, and incredibly promising, but this bout will be a clear step up for him. As for Miyazawa he's had mixed results so far, and enters this on the back of a 3-fight unbeaten run, including a win over Masashi Ikeda and a draw against Sei Miyagawa. Whilst Miyazawa has fought through much of Japan, including Osaka, Sakai, Kariya and Uruma, this will be his first bout in Tokyo, and the first time he steps into the ring at Korakuen Hall. As well as the title bouts, this card will also feature the first round of a tournament, dubbed the Asia's strongest lightweight tournament, that’s expected to see the winner not only receive a notable cash prize, but also be left on the verge of a regional title fight. One of the tournament bouts is Saito Vs Saito, as the monstrously hard hitting Yoji Saito (6-3-2, 6) takes on Shinnosuke Saito (12-5, 3) in a really solid 6 rounder. Yoji Saito is a genuinely monstrous puncher, , who has scored all 6 of his wins in the first 5 rounds, and notably dropped Rentaro Kimura twice when they met in 2021. He is however a pretty crude, slow fighter, with limited defensive skills, and when fighters have been able to take his power he has struggled with coming up with a Plan B, as we saw in his thriller with Aso Ishiwaki. Shinnosuke Saito on the other hand is a much better technical boxer, who has impressive speed and movement, and good combinations. Notably coming into this both men are ranked in the top 15 by the JBC, with Shinnosuke Saito being ranked #2 domestically. The other tournament bout will see former amateur stand out Taiga Imanaga (4-0, 3) take on Chinese fighter Qiang Ma (6-3-2, 4). Imanaga made his professional debut in 2022 and looked great through his first 3 bouts, but was tested last year by Indonesian Hebi Marapu. In the ring Imanaga is a talented southpaw, and we dare say his bout with Marapu will help his development, rather than suggest he’s close to his peak, and a test like that early in his career is possibly the best thing for him. As for Ma, the Chinese fighter, he has made his name at Featherweight, and took part in a similar tournament in 2019, where he lost to Shingo Kusano in a thrilling war. Since that loss he has gone 1-1, and was stopped last time out, by Tae Sun Kim last April. Hard to see anything but a win for Imanaga here. Spaceplus Bangkok RCA, Bangkok, Thailand Over in Thailand we also get some title action, with several bouts taking place in Bangkok for titles. One of the title bouts on this card will be a bout for the WBC Asian Silver Heavyweight title, as 37 year old Azeri Taryel Jafarov (27-7, 25) takes on 23 year old Turkish fighter Gurkan Karadag (7-0, 7). Jafarov debuted in 2017 and has been busy ever since, with this actually being his 4th bout of 2024. For the most part his competition has been terrible, but he has managed to be a well travelled fighter, with fights in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Ghana United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, where he is now based. Karadag on the other hand is a 23 year old who debuted in 2023, and has already racked up 7 wins, in a combined 9 rounds, including a win over the highly experienced Ali Ismayilov, himself an Azeri based Ukrainian born fighter. Given the 32 KO wins in 34 wins we don’t expect this one to go long, and would expect something of a shoot out. A little bit lower down the weight classes, we’ll see Victor Nagbe (7-1, 2) take on the unbeaten Thai Rattawut Thongaram (5-0, 4) in a bout for the WBC Asian Continental Middleweight title. On paper Thongaram looks like he has a promising record, but so far his opponents have a combined record of 11-16-1 and he has only been beyond 3 rounds once in his career. Nagbe on the other hand is an Australian fighter who was born in Liberia, and fought in Thailand in March, and will be back there today. Notably Nagbe has scored wins over Sam Soliman and Adrian Rodriguez and despite being the away fighter, taking on an unbeaten man in their backyard, we suspect he should be seen as the favourite. There is also a female title bout on this show, as Kazakh fighter Angelina Lukas (8-1, 4) takes on Indian Mamta Singh (5-1, 2) in a bout for the lightly regarded WIBF Super Flyweight title. Lukas is a huge hit on social media, with over 2 million followers on Instagram, and is a popular figure on the Kazakh sports news websites, and whilst unknown in the West she certainly generates a buzz. If she can claim the WIBF title here, she is expected to begin chasing bigger and better titles in the future, at least according to her. As for Singh this will be her first bout outside of India. Angono, Rizal, Philippines We also get low level action in the Philippines, where we get a low level domestic card. The most notable name on this show is the experienced Eduardo Mancito (20-15-2, 10), who has shared the ring with the likes of Rey Vargas, Tomas Rojas, Satoshi Shimizu and Charly Suarez. Although Mancit has lost his biggest bouts, he has proven to be something of a domestic stalwart since his debut, more than a decade ago. He’ll be expected to pick up his 21st win, notable all 20 have come at home so far, as he takes on the limited Jason Dogelio (10-9, 3), who has lost his last 3 and is without a win since beating Kim Lindog in December 2021. Another notable bout on this card will see Roslan Eco (10-3, 7) look to end a 3 fight losing streak, as he takes on fellow Filipino Jaybie De Pablo Ignacio (3-1, 1). Eco began his career 10-0 but suffered a 4th round TKO loss in a regional title fight to Goki Kobayashi last May and has been stopped in his two following bouts. He’ll know he can’t afford another loss if he wishes to get his career back on track. Ignacio on the other hand is the naturally bigger fighter, but has fought at an extremely low level, and was stopped in 4 rounds by James Pacamalan last August, though has picked up a single win since then. We don’t expect this to be a great fight, with neither man having much confidence, but it is an important one for Eco’s career.  This coming Saturday is a busy day for Asian fight fans with several shows in Asia and some Asian fighters fighting in the US.
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan The best looking Asian card of the day, by some margin, comes from Tokyo, though is sadly set to be on behind a paywall. The card features just 4 bouts, but all 4 of those are very interesting match ups, including a Japanese title eliminator. The Japanese title eliminator will be at Lightweight as former Japanese 140lb champion Masahiro Suzuki (6-0, 4) takes on Seiryu Toshikawa (14-5, 8), in a very interesting match up. Suzuki looked sensational in his title win at 140lbs when he stopped Daishi Nagata but he knew it wasn't his best weight and he decided to begin a pursuit of the Japanese title at 135lsb. In his way is the under-rated Toshikawa, who has won his last 4 and is 8-1 since the start of 2017. Toshikawa hasn't been beating top, top domestic names, but he's been in good form, beating solid domestic fighters and could be a very solid test for the very good Suzuki. Whilst the title eliminator is a great bout we're even more excited about a clash between Kai Chiba (13-2, 8) and Suzumi Takayama (4-0, 4). The talented Chiba will be looking to bounce back from a loss to Kazuki Nakajima in an OPBF title bout back in May, and he'll know another loss here puts him a very, very long way from another title shot, of any kind. As for Takayama, a former Japanese Youth champion, he's been highly impressive to begin his career, and a win here against Chiba would be a huge announcement, and a massive chance for him to put his hat into the mix for a title fight. Although he's only had a combined 13 rounds as a professional, Takayama does look like an incredible prospect with power, skills and heart, and this is a great chance for him to show exactly what he can do. In an interesting match up we'll see the teak tough Takuya Watanabe (37-10-1, 21) look to bounce back from a brutal and punish loss to Kosuke Saka in a Japanese Super Featherweight title fight. He's in an easier bout here ad he takes on the limited Kazuma Sanpei (20-6, 9), who is who has won 5 of his last 6, but has been fighting at a lower level than Watanabe, who has mixed at title level numerous times. Sanpei will feel confident of continuing his good run, and may feel he's getting Watanabe at the right time, but he will still be regarded as the under-dog here. The other bout on this card will see the hard hitting, and incredibly fun to watch, Yasutaka Fujita (7-1, 6) take on the light punching, but very skilled, Izuki Tomioka (7-4-1, 2). Of the two men Fujita is the naturally bigger, heavier, hard hitting, but the man with questionable stamina and the much less skilled and accomplished boxer. Tomioka is light punching, but very skilled, tricky, and is battle tested at Japanese and OPBF level. On paper this is an easy bout to over-look but should prove to be a genuinely compelling 8 rounder. Talisay City, Cebu, Philippines In the Philippines ARQ Promotions will be putting on a small card, with a brilliant main event, as one of the brightest young prospects in the country takes a massive leap up in class. Sadly outside of that bout there isn't too much to be excited about. That bout will see the unbeaten April Jay Abne (6-0, 3) battle for the OPBF "Silver" Flyweight title as he takes on the once beaten Bienvenido Ligas (13-1-2, 9), in a truly mouth watering clash. The talented, though inexperienced, Abne, is one of the best natural talents in the country, and seems like the type of fighter who has the technical abilities to go a long way, though does need to find his man strength. Ligas is the bigger puncher and the more naturally forceful fighter, but does leave holes and can be out boxed at times. Despite having holes Ligas is very solid, and he was very impressive Alphoe Dagayloan back in February, in a career best win. This is a genuinely excellent match up. Suamlum Night Bazaar, Ratchadaphisek, Bangkok, Thailand There is also Asian action in Thailand, with a show being broadcast under the "The Fighter" banner, thanks to TL Promotions. Sadly whilst it does feature two very notable Thai hopefuls, neither man is in with someone expected to test them. One of the promising Thai fighters on this show is the once beaten Tanes Ongjunta (8-1, 4), who looks notch a 5th straight win, as he takes on the limited Lerdchai Chaiyawed (6-5, 2). Ongjunta, looking to defend his WBA Asia Flyweight title, should be too good, too skilled, and too smart for his foe, though to credit where it's due, Chaiyawed does tend to offer plenty of resistance, even in his losses, and won't be there to just make up the numbers. We expect Chaiyawed to come to win, but simply not be good enough. The other notable bout on this card will see the once beaten Arnon Yupang (7-1, 3) take on Filipino novice Fritz Biagtan (1-0, 1). Yupang was once a Thai amateur standout who has a lot of potential, and was last seen beating Amnat Ruenroeng for the WBA Asia South Featherweight title. He won't be defending that title here, but will be expecting to pick up a win. As for Biagtan, he made his debut in 2018, but has sadly been out of the ring for well over 40 months and is the naturally smaller man. Sadly we do not expect this one to be a particularly competitive match up. Madison Square Garden Theater, New York, New York, USA Former world title challenger Jonas Sultan (17-5, 11) looks to keep himself in the world title mix as he takes on the hard hitting, and unbeaten, Carlos Caraballo (14-0, 14), in a brilliant match up. The technically well schooled Sultan, who holds a very good win over John Riel Casimero, is often under-rated but has shown what he can do in the ring and should be regarded as a leading contender in the Super Flyweight division. Sadly however he is stepping up in weight here, to take on the very exciting Caraballo. The unbeaten Caraballo has stopped everyone so far, including former world title challenger Christian Esquivel, and is a very dangerous fighter. Although technically gifted this is a very tough ask for Caraballo. Hilton Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland, USA Also in the US we'll see the limited Jeronil Borres (11-5-1, 6), another Filipino fighter, take on unbeaten American Dylan Price (14-0, 10). The 26 year old Borres is now world beater, but he was very competitive against Matthew Griego last time out, also in the US, and will be looking to show what he can do against Price here. The 23 year old Price is a genuine prospect, and he has scored 3 wins already this year, with a 4th expected here. Although not a world beater Borres is better than a TKO1 loss to Junto Nakatani suggests, and he could ask questions of Price here, but we don't expect him to run the unbeaten man too close.  Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesday we get the next card from the Ohashi Gym and it's a brilliant with 4 bouts worthy of real attention, including a Japanese title bout, and bouts featuring several exciting and talented prospects. We'll start with some of those prospects, including the brilliant Toshiya Ishii (3-1, 2) who looks to bounce back from a close 2020 loss to Sho Ishida. The talented, aggressive and and heavy handed Ishii will be up against the flawed but hard hitting Jin Minamide (4-1, 3) in a bout that has the makings of a genuine shoot out. Ishii is the better boxer, the more rounded fighter, but also the man who will be looking to prove a point given his loss to Ishida. Minamide on the other hand is the bigger puncher, and a nasty at that, but also a man who hasn't fought since November 2019, when he lost to Kazuki Nakajima, and we need to wonder what sort of ring rust he'll be bringing into this fight. Another excellent match up between youngsters will see the touted Kosuke Tomioka (4-1, 3) battle against the often over-looked Suzumi Takayama (3-0, 3). For Tomioka this is his first bout since being stopped in the Rookie of the Year in December by Shunpei Kubo, and he'll know he can't afford to get caught against here. Takayama on the other hand has really seen his career hit a brick wall following an excellent win over Tetsuro Ohashi in October 2019, a win that saw him win the Japanese Youth Super Flyweight title. If Takayama is as good as he looked in 2019 he should be favoured here, but after almost 2 years out of the ring we do wonder what he'll look like here in this match up. We need to give Tomioka credit for jumping in with someone as dangerous as Takayama following his recent loss, however we suspect thus will be another defeat for the teenager. One bout that could easily go over-looked on this card is a contest between the unbeaten Masayoshi Hashizume (17-0-2, 10) and the often over-looked Yoshiki Minato (9-4, 4). The 27 year old Hashizume has long been earmarked as a promising fighter, and did win the Rookie of the Year, way back in 2014, but has never managed to deliver on that promise. Interestingly this will be Hashizume's first bout since joining the Ohashi Gym, and it's going to be really interesting to see if the moves helps to kick start his career. As for Minato he's looking to bounce back from a loss to Taku Kuwahara earlier this year, and although he's now 1-3 in his last 4 he shouldn't be written off, he is talented, he's tough and he'll be in to win here. This should be a very interesting, high level boxing contest and we are not anticipating a stoppage either way. The main event of the card is a genuinely mouth watering match up as the heavy handed Seigo Yuri Akui (15-2-1, 10) looks to defend his Japanese Flyweight title against the aforementioned Taku Kuwahara (8-0, 4). For Akui this will be his second defense, and he will be looking to build on a solid 10 round decision win over Seiya Fujikita back in October 2020, in his only defense of the title. That win was the first time Akui had gone 10 rounds and showed there was more to him than just his heavy hands and his fast starts. Kuwahara on the other hand is one of the most unheralded prospects in Japan, but he seems to be a fighter who has the potential to be something very, very special. This is the first time Kuwahara has been in with a real puncher, but if he can take Akui's power he could well answer one of the few questions that remain about him. Although neither man is a star the winner of this should be just a fight or two from a world title bout. Our preview for this bout can be read here Akui and Kuwahara battle for Japanese Flyweight crown!  This Saturday promises to be a great day with a brilliant Japanese card being shown live on Boxing Raise, and a live show being streamed from the Philippines!
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan That Japanese card comes from Tokyo and features 4 bouts of note, none are world title bouts, but there are two less title bouts on the show, and a mouth watering domestic show down, as well as a bout featuring a former Japanese national champion. In the main event OPBF Light Welterweight champion Rikki Naito (22-2, 7) will battle against fellow Japanese fighter Yusuke Konno (16-4, 9), with both Naito's OPBF title on the line. Coming in Naito will be the clear favourite, he's the more proven man, the Oriental champion and the quicker more skilled fighter. We shouldn't write off Konno however, and he's a big, strong, powerful fighter, with good stamina and he'll be desperate to force his will on Naito. This is very much a match up of skill Vs will and knowing that Konno will be pressing and pressuring through out we can't help feel that Konno is a very live under-dog here. Our full preview of this bout is available here Naito and Konno clash for OPBF title The chief support bout is a mouth watering match up between youngsters as Yoshimitsu Kimura (12-2, 7) and Shuma Nakazato (10-1-2, 7) clash, in a truly brilliant match up. Kimura is coming in on the back of a split decision loss to OPBF 130lb champion Hironori Mishiro, which was a great clash last year, and he'll have given his standing and confidence a huge boost despite the lost. Incidentally Nakazato's sole loss also came to Mishiro, but since then he has gone 4-0-1 and will know a win here moves him to within touch distance of a title bout. We expect this to be highly technical but also really exciting with Kimura being the aggressor, applying calculated pressure and Nakazato looking to play the role of a puncher. We wouldn't be surprised if this was the bout of the week. The other title bout promises to be just as good as the main event, with Japanese Youth Super Flyweight champion Suzumi Takayama (3-0, 3) defending his title against Hiroto Yashiro (2-0, 2), in what will be Takayama's first defense. Unlike most countries Japan matches their young up and comers against each other often and the Youth title has seen that happen more and more often in recent years. Prior to turning professional both of these youngsters had made their marks on the amateur scene and seeing them face off at this ultra-early point in their professional careers is really exciting. This is a hard one to call and we are expecting a brilliant, tactical, hard hitting battle here. A fantastic match up and credit to both men for accepting the bout. This should be something special. Our full preview of this bout can be read here Novices clash in Japanese Youth title clash! Also on this card will be former Japanese Super Bantamweight champion Ryoichi Tamura (15-5-1, 7), who is always worth watching. The all action Tamura will be expected to pick up a relatively easy win here, as he takes on Ryu Oba (5-4, 3), though in fairness Tamura makes even mismatches fun and exciting with his action style and aggression. Although Oba is the under-dog he'll have some confidence having won his last 2 and will be here to win. This should be fun, even if it does have a very predictable winner. Phillipines The restart in Filipino boxing has been a slow one, though we do get another show in the country today as Sanman puts on a card with several notable names on it. The main event will see former WBO Bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales (33-3, 16) battle against Eden Sonsona (36-11-2, 13) in a bout at a contracted 132lbs, well above Tapales' best weight. This will be Tapales's first bout since losing to Ryosuke Iwasa in an IBF "interim" Super Bantamweight title bout, and to see him going up the scales this much is a worry, though he should still have enough to beat Sonsona. Another notable fighter on this card is 2-time world title challenger Aston Palicte (26-4-1, 22), who will be in action at Bantamweight, where he takes on Reymark Taday (10-12-1, 5), in what looks very much like a confidence builder for Palicte following 2 losses last year, including one to Kazuto Ioka. Other notables involved on the show are Joey Canoy (15-4-1, 8) and the talented Dave Apolinario (13-0, 8), who are both facing domestic foes that they shouldn't struggle with. This event is set to be streamed on the Sanman Facebook page for those wanting to enjoy some Filipino action. Xi An, China As well as the action in Japan there will also be a show in China. This is another low key Chinese card, as we still see the sport re-finding it's feet in the Middle Kingdom. One of the few interesting bouts on this show will see Jin Ping Yang (2-0-1) take on Xiaokang Song (4-0) in a battle of unbeaten men, over 10 rounds. The 23 year old Yang made his debut in October 2018, with a 4 round decision, and stepped up to 6 rounders earlier this year. He's now leaping up to a 10 rounder in what is very, very clearly a step up in class. Song on the other hand is a 21 year old and has been a fighting in 4 rounders. This isn't an easy one to call, but is an interesting one on paper, and a somewhat compelling match up, given that the promoter is trusting the two men to headline the card. In a second bout on this card Shichao Gao (5-1-1, 2) will take on JiZhong He (2-1, 1) over 8 rounds. We have been impressed by Gao in the past, and he seemed to be on the fast track to the top when he beat Koji Igarashi and Anurak Thisa last year, but a loss in June has slowed his rise. As for He it's hard to say anything at all about him given the very low level of competition he has faced so far, and this is a very, very big step up in class for him.  This coming Saturday is a really interesting day, without being a massive one. We get the kick off of a special Japanese tournament, a Japanese Youth title bout a regional title bout in Thailand and more in what is a busy, yet low key, day.
Tokyo, Japan The main show is the Knock Out Dynamite Tournament show which takes place at the Korakuen Hall thanks to Reason Promotions along with Floyd Mayweather's Japanese TMT arm, and former Japanese world champion Takashi Uchiyama. For those who haven't followed the news the Knock Out Dynamite tournament is actually 3 tournaments, each with 4 men involved, and will take place at 65KG's, 60KG's and 56KG's, as opposed to the more standard boxing weight classes. Their are cash prizes available for the winners with bonuses for any knockouts. One of the 65KG weight class will see semi-finals take place between Mongolian fighter Byambatsogt Tuguldur (0-0) and Japanese veteran Shusaku Fujinaka (16-11-2, 11), in what looks like a mismatch on paper. It's hard to say much about the Mongolian, though Tuguldur could be a a genuine dark horse, given the reputation Mongolian fighters have for being tough, hard hitting and very exciting. The winner of that semi-final will take on the winner of the other semi-final, which will pit Vladimir Baez (25-5-2, 23) against Tatsuya Miyazaki (9-12-1, 9). As with the other semi-final isn't doesn't look the most competitive of bouts, but Baez has struggled recently, with 2 losses in his last 3, and it's possible that Miyazaki could be getting him when his confidence is low. The reality, however, is that Baez will be too good and too powerful for Miyazaki here. The 60KG tournament will see another seemingly debuting Mongolian in action with Tsendsuren Bat-Ireedui (0-0) set to take on veteran Ribo Takahata (15-8-1, 6) in one of the semi-final bouts. Aged 40 Takahata is coming to the end of his career, but is only 2 years removed from a Japanese title fight with Masaru Sueyoshi and is certainly not a fighter who is still solid despite his age. From what we could find the Mongolian has fought in MMA, but we've struggled to find any sign of a previous boxing career. The winner in the Takahata Vs Bat-Ireedui fight will face the winner of a bout between Koichi Ito (11-7-3, 10) and Filipino Marvin Esquierdo (14-2-1-1, 8). This looks like one of the better semi final bouts on paper, and one where the visitor has a good chance of picking up the upset. Ito has scored just 1 win in his last 6, going 1-4-1, and that dates back over 4 years. He is however coming back after almost 18 months out, we expect to see him being reinvigorated by the break. The 24 year old Esquierdo is relatively unknown but has momentum, activity and youth on his side. The 56KG division is really the most interesting, at least if we get the final we're expecting. In one semi-final we'll see the very talented promising Yuki Yamauchi (3-0, 2) taking on the experienced Ryuta Wakamatsu (12-14-1, 9). The 24 year old Yamauchi is a real talent and whilst this is a genuine step up in class he has shown what he can do against Filipino fighters like Alvin Medura and Claudevan Sese. For he's the hidden gem of this tournament. Wakamtsu on the other hand is a 35 year old veteran who has been around the Japanese scene for a decade, with very mixed success. Wakamatsu is better than his record suggests, but we'd be shocked to see him over-come Yamauchi. This division has a second unbeaten man in it, with former Rookie of the Year winner Ren Sasaki (9-0, 6) taking on the more experienced Morihisa Iju (11-4, 9). When he won the Rookie of the Year back in 2017 Sasaki showed so much promise, and whilst that promise hasn't yet been realised it's clear he can go a long way, and we fancy him to get past Iju and set up a final with Yamauchi. Despite being the under-dog Iju is a very live fighter here and even with 3 losses in his last 4 he is a potential banana skin if Sasaki tries to look past him Hyogo, Japan A second Japanese show is set to take place in Hyogo, and whilst this is a less significant show than the other, it does have the bout of the day on it, with a mouth watering Japanese Youth Super Flyweight title bout. That title fight sees unbeaten men clash as former Rookie of the Year winner Tetsuro Ohashi (7-0-1, 2) takes on former amateur standout Suzumi Takayama (2-0, 2). The title is vacant, but this is a great bout to fill that vacancy and pits a skill fighter against an aggressive fighter. Ohashi has barely lost a round during his 8 fight career, and whilst he does lack power there is a lot of skill and IQ behind what he does. Takayama hasn't yet face a Japanese opponent, but looks like he could go through most of the Japanese scene quickly, so don't be surprised it Watanabe strap a jet to him if he comes through this with his unbeaten record intact. Our full preview of this bout is available to read here Ohashi and Takayama battle for Japanese Youth title! As well as the title bout we'll also see Shohei Kawashima (17-3-2, 4) fight in what looks like a stay busy bout against Masajiro Honda (6-11, 4). The talented Kawashima won the Rookie of the Year in 2014, and has shown real promise, though has twice lost close decisions on the road, losing narrowly to Cristian Mijares and Juan Miguel Elorde. We see this as being little more than a work out for Kawashima who really does deserve so much more in terms of competition than Honda, who has been stopped in each of his last 6 bouts. Bang Phun, Thailand As well as the action in Japan there is also some interesting action in Thailand, as the Work Point Studio plays host to another card. The headline bout here will see Chainoi Worawut (7-0-1, 7) take on Filipino foe Alvin Medura (9-4, 7), with the unbeaten local for the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council Super Bantamweight title. The local, also known as Thattana Luangphon, is a very promising 22 year old who is rising through the ranks and looks likely to be one of the nations big stars of the future. Medura isn't a terrible fight, but shouldn't be much of a test for the Thai, who appears to be getting matched progressively harder. This should be a test for the unbeaten puncher, but a test he passes without too many issues. In a supporting bout on this card teenage Super Flyweights clash, with Danai Ngiabphukhiaw (2-1, 1) and Yodtanong Chaepet (2-0, 1) facing off in a 6 rounder, we believe as part of a Work Point Super Flyweight tournament. Cebu, Philippines In Cebu we get a small Filipino card, featuring two men men who are each looking to take a step towards a bigger fight. One of those men is Clyde Azarcon (15-3-1, 5), who will be looking to bounce back from his first round loss to Ginjiro Shigeoka earlier this year. The loss to Shigeoka was from a brutal body shot and we fully understand why Azarcon has been matched softly here, as he takes on Garry Rojo (9-13-1, 5) in what should be a straight forward win. The other is the under-rated Carlo Demecillo (13-5-1, 6), who is riding a 4 fight unbeaten run since a loss to Ruben Manakane in Indonesia. Although he's yet to get a big win he did come close to get a career best victory last Novemeber, when he drew with Arthur Villanueva, and it's clear he can take the next step up. Here he's up against Jonathan Francisco (10-12-1, 4) and this should be little more than a simple win for the talented Demecillo. Hanoi, Vietnam Staying in Asia there will also be a card in Vietnam, thanks to Victory 8. The main event will be a WBA East Asia title bout between local novice professional Dinh Hoang Truong (1-0, 1) and South Korean visitor Gyu Hyun Lee (2-4-1). It's hard to get too excited about this bout, though we are looking forward to seeing Filipino hopeful Charly Suarez (3-0, 3), who goes up against a local opponent. Christchurch, New Zealand One other bout featuring a fighter from Asia takes place in New Zealand where once beaten local Bowyn Morgan (20-1, 10) takes on Filipino visitor Nelson Tinampay (14-7-1, 6) for the WBU Welterweight title. Whilst Morgan is no world beater, and his competition hasn't been amazing so far, he has notched some notable wins over the likes of Gunnar Jackson and Jack Asis. On the other hand Tinampay is very limited and was stopped 44 year old Yong Soo Choi in 2017, and has been stopped 3 times since then. This should be an early win for the local.  Tokyo, Japan
This coming Tuesday we'll see a really good card from Tokyo as Japanese and Korean fighters clash, and we get a female title fight featuring a fighter who has been put on the fast track. The female title fight will see Japanese female Minimumweight champion Chie Higano (8-8-1, 2) defending her title against touted novice Mizuki Chimoto (1-0, 1), who looks to win a Japanese title fight in just her second bout. Chimoto was a former amateur standout who looked sensational on her debut and is clearly being pushed hard by her team at the Watanabe Gym. Higano is a nightmare to fight with her aggression and style, but she will enter as the under-dog against the talented upstart in what should be a very interesting match up. A full preview of this bout is available here Chimoto goes up against Higano in Japanese title fight! The title bout is actually in the middle of the card, with the main event being the Japan Vs Korea bout that looks most likely to have fireworks. The match up in question will see unbeaten Korean teenager Jeong Han Cha (5-0, 5) take on Japanese puncher Takahiko Kobayashi (8-3, 6) in a bout at 140lbs. This has the potential to be a very exciting bout between two heavy handed, but flawed, young fighters who will be in the ring attempting to stop the other, rather than win a decision. Another Korean teenager on the show will be In Soo Jang (5-1-1) who will battle former Japanese amateur standout Suzumi Takayama (1-0, 1), in what could be a very interesting match up. Jang is only 19 but already has a 6 round bout under his belt. Takayama on the other hand made his debut in February and is taking a clear step up in class here, though was a very accomplished fighter on the amateur scene. Another Japanese novice on this card will be Ai Tomomatsu (0-0), a former amateur stand out who will be up against unbeaten Korean puncher Sang Geun Lee (6-0, 4). This is a baptism of fire for Tomomatsu, but a win will give his career a huge boost straight away and we wouldn't be surprised by him showing his amateur skills to shine here. Lee is dangerous, but Tomomatsu will be favoured. One other interesting bout between fighters from the two countries will see Do Jin Lee (6-1-3) take on Mirai Naito (7-1, 3), the brother of OPBF Light Welterweight champion Rikki Naito. On paper this looks like a really competitive bout, and although we don't expect thrilling fireworks this should still be a very compelling match up.  Tokyo, Japan
Attention turns to Tokyo this coming Tuesday for the next notable Watanabe card, headlined by a world title fight and supported by a number of really interesting prospects. The main event of the show will see WBO Minimumweight champion Vic Saludar (18-3, 10) making his first defense and taking on Japanese challenger Masataka Taniguchi (11-2, 7). Saludar, who won the title last year when he beat Ryuya Yamanaka, has proven to be a difficult assign for top fighters, with Kosei Tanaka needing to pull himself off the canvas to stop him and his win over Yamanaka. Taniguchi on the other hand is taking a huge step up in class, but is a top class fighter who's only losses have been razor thin ones to Tsubasa Koura and Reiya Konishi. We're really expecting this to be something really special. Our preview of this bout can be read here Saludar returns to Japan to defend against Taniguchi! The main under-card bout will see former amateur standout Shu Utsuki (3-0, 2) take on Japanese based Filipino Jerry Castroverde (10-5, 5), who is promoted by Nobuhiro Ishida. Utsuki has shown great promise already in his career, but this is a very clear step up in class and will be the first time he has taken on someone with real ring experience. Castroverde on the other hand has lost 3 of his last 6, but has mixed with good competition, including Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov and Tae Il Atsumi. This is a huge step up for the unbeaten man. Another big supporting bout will see the 2017 Rookie of the year Fumiya Fuse (7-0, 1) take on Naoto Mizutani (5-5-1, 2) in a really good looking 8 round bout. We've been impressed by Fuse, who really shined last year on his international debut in Korea, and we're expecting to see huge things from him in 2019. This should be a straight forward win for the youngster, but Mizutani has mixed with so very notable foes, including Kenshin Oshima and Ryo Akaho, so may have a few tricks up his sleeve to teach Fuse. Teenage sensation Ginjiro Shigeoka (1-0, 1) will be fighting his second professional bout on his card, as he takes on once beaten 20 year old Thai Gerttipong Kumsahwat (3-1, 3), in what should be another bout to allow Shigeoka to shine ahead of a planned 8 round bout in April. Talking about low key Thai's it's worth noting that Suzumi Takayama (0-0) will be making his debut against a low key Thai, taking on Nirun Baonok (5-14, 4), who has stacked up losses in Japan. Typically Baonok has given rounds to good fighters and been matched really hard, but given the fact Takayama was a stand out amateur we don't see this being a competitive match up. |
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