Cataingan, Masbate, Philippines
In Masbate we have a really interesting show with 5 title bouts on it. Whilst the titles aren’t all major ones, and none are world title bouts, the bouts for the titles are all good looking matchups, deserving of attention and could end up delivering some great action. The only one of the 5 title bouts to serve as a defense is at Super Featherweight, where Thailand’s Arnon Yupang (14-4, 5) will defend his WBC Asian Continental title against former world title challenger Jeo Santisima (23-7, 19). Yupang won the title last year, when he beat Aiman Abu Bakar. and whilst he hasn't defended the belt since, this is his third bout since that victory. Despite having 5 losses in his 18 bouts the Thai is certainly no push over, with 2 of his losses being competitive ones on the domestic stage, and only one being stoppage, when he was taken out in 3 rounds by the hard hitting Virgel Vitor in 2022. He’s capable, but unspectacular. As for Santisima his career has pretty much fallen apart in the last few years, going 4-4 since a 2020 loss to Emanuel Navarrete in a WBO Super Bantamweight title fight. Whilst he has mixed at a very good level in those losses, losing to Joet Gonzalez, Toshiki Shimomachi, Hayato Tsutusmi and Kenji Fujita he has barely won a round. On paper this is an interesting one, given Yupang’s own flaws, but neither man is expected to really kick on. In a domestic title bout, we’ll see former world title challenger Michael Dasmarinas (34-3-2, 23) battle against the limited but hard hitting Jon Jon Estrada (18-12-1, 14), in a bout for the GAB Featherweight title. The 31 year old Dasmarinas is the more well known and more proven fighter, having notably fought Naoya Inoue in 2021. Since being stopped in 3 rounds by the Monster at Bantamweight Dasmarinas has moved up through the weights and gone 4-0-1 (3) whilst now settling at Featherweight. Sadly for him it’s hard to see him competing at the higher levels of the sport again, but on the domestic stage it’s hard to imagine many beating him. As for Estrada he's a man who has shown the tools to be dangerous at the domestic level, with good wins against the likes of Jess Rhey Waminal and Brian Lobetania. Sadly he enters this 4-3 in his last 7, including a blow out loss to Kai Watanabe in Japan. Dasmarinas should be the favourite, but Estrada will put up plenty of resistance and has the power to be dangerous. On paper the best match up looks to be a WBC Asian Silver Flyweight title bout, as Esneth Domingo (19-2, 11) takes on Indian fighter Nutlai Lalbiakkima (6-1, 5). The 25 year old Domingo has notched up 3 straight wins since a competitive loss in 2022 against Nhlanhla Tyirha, including wins over Jukiya Iimura and Kosuke Tomioka in Japan and a win over Michael Bravo for the WBO Global title in December. He doesn’t look like a world beater, but Domingo looks likely to be a force on the regional scene for the next decade or so. Lalbiakkima is a 28 year old Indian fighter who looked like being a really promising fight early on but saw his ascent being slowed in 2022 by Jayson Vayson, who has proven himself since that bout. On paper Lalbiakkima is the under-dog, but this is a huge opportunity for him to get his career back on the right track and we suspect this could be a really great bout between two talented fighters each with a point to prove. A lower quality title on the show will be the WBF International Super Flyeight title, which will be on the line as Ben Ligas (16-4-2, 10) takes on Alvin Camique (8-2, 3) in an All-Filipino bout. Of the two Ligas is the more well known, having earned a draw against Miel Fajardo, and having faced the likes of April Jay Abne, Olimjon Nazarov, Genisis Libranza and Andres Campos. He’s no world beater but is proven as a solid regional level fighter. As for Camique he is 4-2 in his last 6, though that notably includes a loss to the limited Jason Mopon, with that loss on his record it’s hard to see what he has to offer against Ligas. In an all Filipino bout we’ll see the once beaten Alex Santisima Jr (8-1, 2) take on Justine Darap (11-5, 7) in a bout for the vacant WBF Australasian Super Bantamweight title. Santisima is looking to bounce back from his solitary loss, which came in March against fast rising Japanese hopeful Subaru Murata. A loss to Murata is nothing to be ashamed of, and prior to that loss Santisima had beaten Jess Rhey Waminal and Arnel Buyoc. Darap, the bigger puncher of the two, has lost his last 3 bouts , including a loss to former Naoya Inoue foe Aran Dipaen, While he has mixed a good level, he has come up short every time he's faced a live fighter and we suspect that will be the same again here. San Juan Gym, Taytay, Rizal, Philippines A second Filipino show, this time in Rizal, is also set to take place, though this really is a much, much smaller show, which likes any sort of quality matchups, like we see on the Masbate card. At the time of writing the most notable bouts on this card will b a 10 rounder for Eduardo Mancito (21-15-2, 10) and an 8 rounder for Roslan Eco (10-3, 7). Sadly at the time of writing neither man has had their opponent for their bouts confirmed, suggesting late notice opponent, with a limited skillset and limited ambition. It’s a shame that neither is facing anyone of any note. Mancito, a veteran who debuted in 2011, has won his last 3 but all against very limited opposition, and is expected to pad his record with another low level win here. As for Eco he has been stopped in his last 3, so we can't really begrudge him an easy confidence builder RCC Boxing Academy, Ekaterinburg, Russia Over in Russian we have an excellent looking match up as upbeat Tajik fighter Bakhodur Usmonov (7-0, 3) takes on Russian fighter Daud Alaev (9-0, 5). Usmonov has kicked on well since his 2020 debut, a hard fought majority decision win over Vildan Minasov, in what was a really great fight, and a recent win over Manat Sopatip in Hungary showed there is plenty to like about him. He is however having a good step up here, at least on paper, against a live opponent in Alaev. The Russian 28 year old has a good looking record on paper, but his competition hasn;t been the best, and his most notable win is a 6 round decision over Tikhon Netesov, who Usmonov stopped in 4 rounds. Despite having 5 stoppages to his name Alaev hs only stopped 1 of his last 5 and Usmonov is unlikely to worry about his power.
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Bolton Whites Hotel (De Vere Whites), Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom
This coming Friday we’ll see unbeaten Kazakh hopeful Sultan Zaurbek (17-0, 12) in action as he faces a yet to be announced opponent in Bolton. England. The unbeaten 28 year old Kazakh was last seen in March, when he stopped Victor Julio, and it seems like his career is starting to meander. It's great that he's active, but he really needs to step up, and it does feel like he and his team are wasting his best years with pointless bouts against either limited opponents or late notice fighters, rather than ones coming to win and with no opponent named at the time of writing for this bout, it appears, again, that he’s facing someone on short notice. Given his talent, it’s a shame he’s not mixing with notable fighters in and around the Lightweight division, of which there is plenty. If he can’t land decent opponents this year it really will feel like another wasted year for a career that promised so much, and should have started delivering, especially given he debuted back in 2018! Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
The main card this coming Monday is from Korakuen Hall, and is a mouth watering card featuring several really interesting bouts, most notable of which is one that sees a former triple crown champion return to the ring a year after his first professional loss. The most notable bout on the card will be the return of Shuichiro Yoshino (16-1, 12), who returns to the ring for the first time since his April 2023 loss to Shakur Stevenson. In the opposite corner to the 32 year old Yoshino will be Filipino fighter Jules Victoriano (13-7, 10). The talented Yoshino was shown to be levels below Stevenson, who is one of the best natural talents in the sport today, and that’s not a loss to be ashamed of, though it’s going to be interesting to see what a year out and a loss of his unbeaten record will do to him. As for Victoriano he isn't a world beater, like Stevenson, but is a rather interesting fighter who has been something of a road warrior in recent years fighting in Japan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Thailand in recent years. Notably Victoriano has most of his notable bouts, and we suspect he’ll lose again here, but he does travel to win and will be hoping he’s in the right place at the right time to pick up a career best win. The chief support bout of the show will see the hard hitting Yoshiki Shimomura (6-0-1, 6), the 2023 All Japan Rookie of the Year at Super Featherweight, take on Gaito Sakakino (2-0-1, 1) in what should be a great bout. Coming in Shimomura is a JBC ranked fighter at 130lbs and has stopped his last 5 opponents in 13 rounds, only being taken beyond 2 rounds twice in that run. He's dangerous, a fast starter, applies pressure and has very heavy hands. Sakakino, who is ranked at 135lbs, is very much the opposite, and fights using good footwork, getting in and out and using his speed well. Despite only having 3 bouts to his name he has scored 2 solid wins, coming against Junki Shirasaki and Shun Akaiwa, and would likely have felt confident of beating Tsukasa Saito back in December, had it not been for a head clash early in the bout. This could be a great clash of styles. In a mouth watering match up in this card we’ll see Ryota Karimata (9-2, 5) take on Shugo Namura (7-2, 7), in what could end up being something of a thrilling fire fight. Karimata is a former Rookie of the Year winner, and whilst he has slipped up recently, suffering 2 losses in 2022 and going 1-2 in his last 3, he's still a very capable fighter with solid power at the domestic level. Nomura on the other hand is very much a stop or be stopped fighter, with only 1 of his 9 career bouts going the distance, with that being a 4 round loss to Akira Hoshuyama in the Rookie of the year in 2020. Since that loss he has scored notable stoppages over Ryusei Baba and Tomonori Nagao, though was beaten last time out by Longyu Hu. This could be the fight of the show. One other bout of note will see Yushi Yamaguchi (0-0) make his debut, as he faces off against Filipino visitor Wesley Caga (4-1, 2). The 22 year old Yamaguchi is a former amateur who went 29-12 in the unpaid ranks, and whilst that’s not an impressive record, his style does seem to be more suited to the professional ranks, and likely explains why he’s facing a live opponent here rather than a soft touch opponent. Caga lost on debut, but has since reeled off 4 wins, and taken the unbeaten record of Jesse Dayuno. Notably Caga has been dropped in a number of bouts and we suspect we’ll see at least one or two knockdowns here. Lantapan Municipal Gym, Lantapan, Bukidnon, Philippines As well as the solid card in Japan we also get a small card in the Philippines, the one bout for this card that we have details on will be between the hard hitting Christian Dave Puing (4-0, 4) and fellow Filipino Dennis Gaviola (3-4-2, 2). The hard hitting Puing made his debut in March 2023, and has notched 4 wins in a combined 12 rounds, and already taken 3 unbeaten records, though this is a step up in many ways, with his unbeaten opponents all being novices. On paper Gaviola doesn't really have much of a chance, though all 3 wins have come against unbeaten fighters, and he has mixed with good company, with his most recent bout coming against the very solid Judy Flores. It’s fair to say Puing will be the favourite, but we do expect him to need to earn this one. This coming Sunday we get 3 different cards in Japan, spread across the country.
KBS Hall, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan In Kyoto we get a card promoted by Yasushi Hirayama, and their Futur Promotions. The card features two female bouts. The main event will see 25 year old Reika Kawaguchi (5-2-2, 3) look to score her most notable win to date as she takes on veteran former world title challenger Sana Hazuki (11-8-1, 5). At her best Suzuki was a game fighter, and a good Oriental level fighter, winning the OPBF Female Minimumweight title back in 2019, sadly though since that title win she has gone 4-3, and looks like she is winding down her career, and this could be the passing of the torch bout that ends her time in the pros. As for Kawaguchi she's only really faced novices so far, and this is a huge step up in class for her, but one her team will feel she is ready for against a fighter who is slipping and aging. The other female bout will see unbeaten novices clash, as Rii Kawai (1-0, 1) takes on Sukanya Wiriya (3-0, 2), with both being unbeaten 20 year olds. Kawai made her debut in February, and impressed stopping Kei Sugimoto in the 4th round and looks to be moving quickly to a title fight, with a win over Wiriya likely to be seen as her next step towards a major fight. As for Wiriya all her wins so far have come against win-less novices, and this should be regarded as her first real test. Sangyo Hall, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan Over in Kanazawa we get a small card from Kashimi Promotions. This main attraction here is a Japan Vs Thai bout, over 8 rounds, between Hiroki Hanabusa (12-2-5, 4) and Somsak Noolae (4-2, 3). Although not a huge name Hanabusa has proven to be a solid domestic level fighter who has come up short against the excellent Toshiki Shimomachi and the dangerous Katsuya Fukui, but has scored notable wins against Kyonosuke Kameda, claiming the Japanese Youth Featherweight title with that win, and Kai Watanabe. Although no world beater, we wouldn't be surprised to see Hanabusa lift a Japanese or regional title in the future. Sadly though he has had 5 draws and does, at times, struggle to get over the line. As for Noolae he has lost 2 of his last 3, and has lost both of the bouts he's had in Japan, though it certainly not a pushover, having given Yushi Fujita a tough run in December, and also going 8 rounds against Tom Mizokoshi. Hanabusa should be too good, but we don’t expect him to blow out Noolae here. Kokura Kita Gym, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan Over in Fukuoka we’ll see a small but somewhat interesting card, headlined by a really good looking match up between a local favourite and an unbeaten Thai visitor. That headline bout will see the once beaten Misaki Hirano (9-1, 3), himself from Fukuoka prefecture, takes on Thai teenager Pongsakorn Wongwichian (6-0, 2). Hirano suffered a loss in just his second bout, losing to Hikaru Fukunaga, but since then has gone 8-0 (2) and scored solid domestic wins against Shodai Morita, Retsu Takahashi and Ryo Suwa, winning the Rookie of the Year in early 2022 and moving himself into 8 rounders in impressive fashion. He's still a work in progress but certainly seems to be heading in the right direction and looks like one of the most exciting talents in Fukuoka right now. As for Wongwichian he has, so far, been developing his skills on the Thai scene, and has looked promising so far. This is however a massive step up in class for him, and we do feel it's too much, too early, though it’ll be interesting to see how he fares here. Another Japan Vs Thailand bout on this card will see Kyosuke Okamoto (6-1-1, 3) look to bounce back from a recent loss in a Japanese Youth title fight, as he takes on heavy handed Thai Worraphon Yothika (6-3, 5). Okamoto was stopped in 3 rounds by Towa Tsuji, in a bout for the Japanese Youth Featherweight title in December, which ended a 4 fight winning run for him. Despite that loss it's way, way too early to write him off and the 20 year old is likely to take that defeat as a learning experience. For Yothika, who's also 20, his career has been that of a glass cannon, with only a single bout going the distance, a win. Notable the Thai is 0-3 in Japan, though has faced two very good fighters, in the form of Riku Masuda and the aforementioned Hiroki Hanabusa City of Passi Arena, Passi, Iloilo, Philippines
This coming Saturday attention turns to Iloilo in the Philippines for a show that features a once highly touted Filipino hopeful returning after a lengthy break from the ring, and several noteworthy prospects. The main event of the card will be the return of Albert Pagara (34-1, 24), who was once tipped to be one of the faces of the Filipino fight scene in a post Manny Pacquiao world. The “Prince” will face Chinese fighter Aketelieti Yelejian (8-3-1, 2) in a fight for the IBF Asia Lightweight title, which really should be little more than a showcase for the explosive Pagara. The talented Filipino, who suffered his sole loss back in 2016 to Cesar Juarez, has gone 8-0 (6) since his loss, but has fought only 4 rounds since the end of 2020 and they came in late 2022. We do wonder what the ring rust will do to Pagara, but if he’s even close to the fight he once was he should take home a victory, and the title, but it is worth noting that Yelejian has proven to be rugged in recent years and should take Pagara rounds, even if they aren’t the most competitive. One of the most notable prospects on this card is unbeaten 19 year old John Kevin Jimenez (7-0, 3) , who risks his unbeaten record against 30 year old Southpaw Jeven Villacite (6-6-5, 1). Notably this will be Jimenez's second 10 round, and whilst he was pushed hard in the previous one, by Jayson Brillo, it seems unlikely he will be tested equally as hard here, in fact this seems more a case of getting him used to the 10 round distance than really testing him. Villacite has an under-whelming looking record, and is very inconsistent, but since his 2012 debut he has reliably always given his all, pushed fighters close, and shown plenty of toughness and determination. His competition hasn't been great but notably he did push future world title challenger Toto Landero incredibly close in 2014, and proved a solid opponent for Ian Abne back in October. This looks like a good learning experience type of fight for Jimenez, who needs to be in these longer fights and learning about where he needs to improve. One other bout of interest on this show will see unbeaten youngsters clash, as 21 year old Jemuel Aranas (4-0, 2) takes on 19 year old Roderick Bautista (5-0, 4), in what could be a very interesting 8 rounder at 108lbs. Aranas isn't a huge puncher, but he has been seen to start fast, with a pair of opening round wins, though when people have seen out the first 3 minutes he has gone the distance, and has gone both 4 and 6 rounds once. Bautista on the other hand hasn't yet had an opening round win, but has stopped 3 of his victims in the second round, with the other stoppage coming in round 3, and he certainly looks like someone who;s dangerous, though is still somewhat crude. Neither of these are the finished article, but both are showing promise and it’s great to see neither man protecting their 0 and avoiding a fighter like this at this early stage. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
On June 14th we get one of the now semi-regular Victoriva shows, the all female cards put on by Dangan. This card is a genuinely excellent one, with a staggering 5 title bouts including 3 regional titles and 2 Japanese titles. Interestingly all 3 of the regional titles are vacant coming into this show, whilst the two Japanese titles have incumbent champions. The nominal main event of the show is one of the regional title bouts, and will see former world title challenger Chaoz Minowa (8-4, 6) battle against 41 year old Tomoko Okuda (8-5-2, 2) , for the WBO Asia Pacific female Super Flyweight title. Notably this is the second bout between the two women, who faced off back in 2023 with Minowa taking a close majority decision over Okuda. The hard hitting Minowa turned professional with huge expectations, and she has fallen a long, long way short of those, but has proven herself as a very fun to watch aggressive fighter, who has won regional honours and twice fought for a world title. As for Okuda She wasn't tipped for big things, and was stopped in her 2015 debut, but went on to actually achieve more than Minowa winning not just the OPBF and Japanese titles at Bantamweight, but also the WBO female Super Flyweight title, doing so in 2020 when she upset Miyo Yoshida before losing the belt in her first defense. Notably Okuda has gone 1-3 since her world title win and given her age and poor form it’s hard to know what she still has in the locker. Another of the regional title bouts, and potentially the most interesting bout on the card, will see will see former amateur stand out Madoka Wada (1-0, 1) fight for the OPBF Female Minimumweight title, as she takes on Thai youngster Juthathip Sitthichen (6-1, 4). Wada was one of the best Japanese amateurs, and has been put on the fast track like very, very others, fighting in an 8 rounder in her debut and now fighting in a title fight in just her second bout. Despite being on the fast track it’s hard to imagine her coming up short here. Sitthichen has a good looking record, but her 6 wins have come at a very, very low level and she lost her only bout of note back in March, when she was stopped in 4 rounds by Sana Hazuki, and we'd not be surprised by a similar result here. The other regional title contest will see unbeaten fighters collide, as Riho Yoshida (4-0-1) and Nao Ugawa (4-0) battle for the WBO Asia Pacific Atomweight title. The younger of the two is Yoshida, who made her debut in 2022 and despite a draw on debut has found her groove with 4 straight wins, including a 6 rounder against Thai foe PhunnakranKarnjanawong last time out. As for Ugawa, who’s 28, she also debuted in 2022 and has notched 4 straight wins, including a 6 round win over Reika Kawaguchi, the woman who held Yoshida to a draw back in 2022. Given the fact neither of these two have much pop this is expected to be about volume, and could end up a very fan friendly bout, even if the action lacks in ring drama. As for the domestic title bouts one will see Japanese Female Flyweight champion Nanae Yamaka (6-1, 2) make her first defense, as she takes on the unbeaten Yuki Fuke (4-0, 2). Yamaka won the title back in February, she beat Hoju Maeda and scored her career best win. Interestingly the win over Maeda was her 5th against an unbeaten opponent, though two of those wins did come against debutants. As for Fuke, who will be hoping to avoid becoming another fighter to lose their 0 to Yamaka, she has has herself beaten 3 unbeaten fighters in just 4 bouts, and shown some pop, but struggled last time out against Mika Yagaio. Both have enough pop to get respect from the other, and both will feel they have the tools needed to pick up the win, and this should be a highly competitive 6 rounder. The other Japanese title bout will see Bantamweight queen Hinami Yanai (3-2, 1) defending her title against unbeaten 21 year old Nodoka Furukawa (4-0). Despite only having 5 bouts to her name Yanai has had an interesting career so far, twice fighting on the road, and twice fighting for Japanese titles, losing in a Flyweight bout against Mizuki Hiruta before winning the Bantamweight title in September. She is very proven for a fighter with just 5 bouts, but it’s clear that she’s nowhere close to world class at the moment, and has a lot of developing to do. As for Furukawa amazingly this is the first time she has faced a fighter with a loss, having so far only beaten unbeaten foes! Notably she has only lost 2 or 3 rounds in the 18 she's had and is skilled fighter, but is also taking a notable step up in class from the unbeaten, but very inexperienced, foes she has been fighting so far. Wat Pak Bo School, Suan Luang, Bangkok, Thailand
The main show for our attention this coming Monday is in Bangkok, where we get a trio of title bouts. The least significant of the title bouts on the show will be a Thai Bantamweight title bout, as the unbeaten 20 year old Jakkit Prajongjit (6-0, 1) takes on 22 year old Anuchit Yodniroj (3-2, 1). Despite his unbeaten record Prajongjit has fought at a very, very low level and there’s nothing of any note on his record, though given his novice status and youth that’s not a surprise. As for Yodniroj he has fought one fighter of note, former Japanese amateur stand out Reo Nishioka, who stopped him in 2 rounds in December. In a really interesting battle of veteran former world champions Tenkai Tsunami (31-13-1, 19) will face Siriporn Taweesuk (43-5, 25) in a bout for the WBC Silver Minimumweight title. The 39 year old Tsunami will be making 105lbs for the first time in her career, and it’ll be really interesting to see how healthy she is at the weight. That’s especially notable given her age, and the fact she has fought regularly at Bantamweight. Siriporn on the other hand, herself 41, is a career Minimumweight, though is 41, as mentioned, and is almost 6 years removed from a fight of note. It’s hard to see anything but retirement for the loser here, but even the winner doesn’t seem likely to go on to do much, given the age of both. In their primes both were world class, but those prime years are well behind them now. The other title bout will see Daisuke Sugita (8-4, 4) battle the unbeaten Wira Mikham (14-0, 9) for the WBC International Silver Featherweight title. Sugita turned professional with some expectations, having been a very solid amateur, but has sadly not seen his career take off as hoped and now at 35 seems to be enjoying life as a boxer on the road with this being his 6th bout outside of Japan, and the third in a row. He’s a solid fighter, but with 3 losses in his last 5 it’s fair to say he knows his level in the sport. As for Mikham, the unbeaten Thai has a good looking record, but it’s padded beyond belief, with a win over the under-sized Pai Pharob in 2023 being the most notable win to his name. Worryingly Mikham ended up going 8 rounds with Pai Pharob, suggesting that he’s not really much of a puncher, and that may prove to be a major problem here against Sugita. Barba Sports Complex, Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines As well as the card in Thailand, there is also one in Cebu City, sadly though not many details of this show have been confirmed. One bout that has been confirmed for the show will see the once beaten Jusue Bastillada (7-1, 4) take on the very out of form Kim Lindog (8-17-1, 5), who has lost his last 4. The 34 year old Bastillada has won his last 4, and whilst that sounds good his competition has been poor. Sadly Lindog is another poor opponent for Bastillada, who really shouldn’t struggle to pick up another win here. This coming Sunday isn’t a big day for Asian boxing, but there are several shows across the continent.
Chres Gym, Kochi, Kochi, Japan One of the cards is in Kochi, with Kuroshio Promotions putting on the show. This show is headlined by a mouth watering clash between unbeaten fighters as local star Sora Fukunaga (13-0, 6), one of the few notable names fighting out of Kochi, takes on Thai teenager Songpon Banluesap (6-0, 3). Although unlikely to ever fight at the top level Fukunaga has proven himself as a fun to watch fighter on the domestic scene, and he's scored notable wins including a 2022 Fight of the Year Contender against Kenya Yamashita in what is still a must watch bout. He will be the clear favourite here, but it’s certainly not a gimme with Songpon coming to maintain his unbeaten record. Sadly it’s hard to say much about the Thai, as this is his first bout outside of the Sasakul Gym, which has been a breeding ground for padded records over the last year or two. Arena Tachikawa Tachihi, Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan A second Japanese card, from Tachikawa, is being promoted by Ishikawa Promotions and this is, on paper, the more important show, with the headline bout being a regional title bout. That title bout will see WBO Asia Pacific female Bantamweight champion Terumi Nuki (14-5, 10) defending her title for the first time, as she takes on 37 year old challenger Makoto Kikuchi (4-1, 1). The hard hitting Nuki is a veteran in the ring, having made her debut back in 2013, and whilst she is a "win some-lose some" fighter she has fought at a very high level, sharing the ring with Mariana Juarez, twice, Debora Anahi Dionicius and Mizuki Hiruta. As for Kikuchi she debuted in 2023, which she lost, but bounced back really well and has already won OPBF honours at both Bantamweight and Super Bantamweight in her short career. On paper this might not be a huge bout, but we expect it to be very hotly contested. Gangbuk Wellbeing Sports Center, Seoul, South Korea We also have title action in South Korea as Jong Dae Yoon (4-1, 2) defends the South Korean Middleweight title against Dong Woo Kim (4-1-1, 4). Yoon, who started his career as a small Heavyweight before moving down the weight, won the title last time out when he beat Min Gyun Shin, in January and is currently riding a 3 fight winning run. As for the hard hitting Kim he has really only fought fellow novices, and this is a step up in class for him, though he has pretty much fought solely as a Super Middleweight since starting his career in 2023. This coming Saturday is a hectic day in Asia with shows in 4 different countries.
Foshan, China On paper the best of the Asian shows comes from China where we see several intriguing bouts The main event will see local fighter Wensong Liu (11-2-1, 8) take on under-rated Japanese fighter Ryo Nakai (8-2-1, 5) in a brilliant bout for the WBC Asian Super Featherweight title. Coming into this Luis does have 2 losses, though one of those was a debut TKO loss and the other was a 2023 split decision loss to rising Mongolian Tsendbaatar Erdenebat, which some how one judge gave to Lui in what seemed like a clear win for the Mongolian. He’s a solid puncher who has scored notable wins not just at home, but also on the road, stopping Daisuke Watanabe and KJ Natuplag outside of China. Nakai on the other hand is someone who is much better than his record suggests and has already a number of notable Japanese foes, including Mirai Naito, Go Hosaka, Ribo Takahata, Tsukasa Saito and most recently former amateur stand out Reo Saito. Given that both of these men are very capable, and both will be desperate to grab the WBC regional title this could end up being a very, very good match up, with a mix of boxing and power from both. Also on this card is Japanese based Ugandan Olympian David Ssemujju (5-0, 3), who looks to build on a March win over Hiroya Nojima as he takes on Kazakh Nurbol Sultanbay (9-1, 5). On paper this is a really good fight, but when you scratch a little further you need to consider that Sultanbay hasn't fought since 2022, 3 of his last 4 bouts were against debutants, and he lacks any depth at all to his record. It looks pretty but it's very, very padded. A win for Ssemujju is likely to set him up for a title fight of some kind later in the year. Korme Center, Shymkent, Kazakhstan Over Kazakhstan we see more notable Kazakh’s than Sultanbay in action, sadly though no bout on this card is big, but there are two solid ones. One of those two is a clash between unbeaten 23 year old Kazakh Nurdos Tolebay (11-0, 9), who has stopped his last 8, and 20 year old Thai Anuson Thonglueang (20-4-1, 16). Given the records of the two men, it's fair to assume we will see fireworks here, for as long as it lasts, and the Thai isn't afraid of going on the road, with this being his third bout outside of Thailand in around 7 months. The local should be favoured, but this isn’t a gimmie for him. Another unbeaten Kazakh who’ll be forced to work for a win is Samat Zhetibayev (6-0, 4) who takes on the upset minded Filipino Adrian Lerasan (13-6, 6). On paper it's easy to favour the 27 year old Zhetibayev, afterall he's at home and he's unbeaten, however Lerasan has had a reputation of going away from home and playing the spoiler beating touted Thai's Tanes Ongjunta, Phongsaphon Panyakum and Nattapong Jankaew, all by stoppage. He's a very live under-dog, though we suspect he will be under-sized here against the naturally bigger Kazakh. Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines In Pasay City fans are in for an interesting card, despite a lack of name value, with a number of bright hopefuls in action. The most notable bout on the card will see Noli James Maquilan (9-1, 6) and Jason Facularin (8-1, 8) clash in a 12 rounder for the WBC Asian Boxing Continental Bantamweight title. Facularin, dubbed "The Pain", has bounced back well since a 2023 loss to Kenneth Egano, and has gone 4-0 (4) taking just 8 rounds to take out his competition. As for Maquilan, he’s riding a 9 fight winning run since losing on debut back in 2021 and will be defending the regional title that he won in March, when he stopped Benny Canete. On paper Maquilan is the more proven, but it’ll be interesting to see if he can take the power of Facularin. Another bout of note on this card will see unbeaten fighters clash, as Helario Genanda (6-0, 4) takes on Archiel Villamor (7-0, 4) in a great looking 8 rounder. Villamor debuted in 2021 and has beaten one unbeaten fighter already, and holds back to back wins over Harry Omac coming in to this, with many of his wins so far coming against live opponents. Grenada debuted in 2024, and rather notably none of his opponents have had losing records, and in fact he holds two solid early career wins over Carlo Diaz VII and James Pacamalan. Given that both men are early in their careers, both are unbeaten and both will see this as a huge chance to make a mark on the sport and really push their career on to the next level. A great match up. Singmanassak Muaythai School, Pathum Thani, Thailand We also get a low profile card in the Land of Smiles. At the time of writing only one bout has been confirmed for this card, and that’s a bout between 41 year old Australian veteran Tommy Browne (44-8-2, 19), and limited Thai youngster Channarong Injampa (15-15, 10), who has seen the final bell in just 7 of his 30 bouts. Although Browne is no puncher it’s hard to see anything but a win for “The Titan” here, as he takes on a very limited glass cannon. Injampa has been stopped 13 times and usually very early in bouts, with all 13 coming in the first 5 rounds. Although the above bout is the only one announced for this card, we also know that enigmatic Heavyweight Senad Gashi (27-4-0-1, 26), is pencilled in for the show. On paper he's a dangerous man, but he has come up short in every bout against someone of some name value, and it's clear that he's not going to be matched with anyone too notable here, in what looks like a bout made at very short notice. Fashion Center Event Hall, Seoul, South Korea
The most notable Asian show of the day takes place in South Korea, as The Won Promotion put on a title triple header in the Korean capital. The main event of the day will see Daishi Nagata (19-3-2, 6) defending his WBO Asia Pacific title at 140lbs, as he takes on unbeaten Korean challenger Yong Wook Kim (6-0, 4). The unified regional champion, who won’t be defending his OPBF title here, is looking for his first defense of the belt he won in February, when he beat Koki Inoue, and will also be looking to secure a win on his international debut. Interestingly this is only Nagata's second bout outside of Korakuen Hall, with his debut coming at the Adachi Ward Sogo Sports Center back in 2014 against Takeshi Inoue. As for the challenger As for the 28 year old challenger this is actually his 4th bout at the Fashion Center Event Hall and is a major step up, though he is a former Korean champion at 154lbs and may feel the move to 140lbs will leave him as the bigger, stronger man in the ring. In a supporting bout we'll see another title bout, as unbeaten fighters Yoon Tak (5-0, 5) and Hyun Jin Moon (5-0-1, 5) battle for the Korean title at 140lbs, with Tak making his first defense of the belt. Tak, who debuted in February 2023, has scored 5 wins in a combined 14 rounds and won the belt in March when he beat Hyng Shin Chae. His rise through the domestic ranks has been rapid, but in some ways it does show the lack of depth on the Korean scene. As for Moon this will be his first bout scheduled for more than 6 rounds, but much like Tak, he's rarely needed rounds with his 5 wins coming in 14 rounds, though he did have a 6 round draw in his third bout, against Hwang Kook Je. Notably he has only had 2 rounds since 2020, with those rounds coming in March when he beat Eun Sang Han. We do wonder about Moon’s ring rust coming into this, and certainly do not expect it to go the distance. The other title bout on this card is much less intriguing on paper, as Gyeong Min Kang (3-4, 2) and Se Yul Yang (5-8-2, 2) face off for the vacant Korea title at 154lbs. Coming in to this one, both men have sketchy form and whilst it is hard to pick a winner, it’s also fair to say that neither will be making an impression above domestic level, and even their success on the domestic stage could be limited. Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan Whilst the card in Korea is certainly a notable one we also get a show in Japan. This one is a stronger card overall, but doesn’t have the same highs as the Korean show. One of the main bouts here will see former world title challenger Ryota Yamauchi (11-3, 10) battle against the light punching Yasuhiro Kanzaki (10-2-1, 2). Although Yamauchi is the bigger puncher and the more proven fighter, it’s fair to say that Kanzaki will go into this with plenty of confidence, winning his last 4, and claiming the Japanese Youth Super Flyweight title. We wouldn’t be surprised to see the winner of this fight for a regional, or national, title by the end of the year. A second solid match up on this show will see the always fun to watch Japanese Brazilian Cristiano Aoqui (16-11-2, 11) take on the light punching Ryan Joshua Yamamoto (7-5, 1) in what is likely to be Aoqui’s aggression against the skills of Yamamoto in what should be a very interesting 8 rounder. This card also features two Heavyweight bouts, over 4 rounds, featuring novices, as the Japanese Heavyweight scene begins to warm up slightly. The bouts in question will see Ikemen DK (0-0) take on Japanese based American Ron Wilburn (0-0), in an all debutant bout, and Yuki Taito (0-1) take on Takeru Shimo (0-0). |
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