The last week has been a busy one in Asian boxing circles with numerous notable shows, featuring fights from across the Asian boxing scene.
The action for the week kicked off in Macau, where Chinese fans had the chance to celebrate their second “Chinese New Year” card. The show didn’t feature a who’s who of boxing but did feature several bouts of note.
January 30th
The main event from the card saw Chinese fighter Zong Ju Cai (9-1, 1) claim a career defining win as she out-sped Japanese veteran Etsuko Tada (16-3, 5) to claim the IBF female Minimumweight title. Cai used her speed excellently in the early stages, and landed several eye catching counters, that saw her earn an early lead. Tada had a great end to the fight, and had it been 12 rounds Tada might have managed to break down a tiring Cai, but in the end Cai had done just enough to claim the decision, and the title.
On the Macau under-card were several interesting Chinese prospects, with Wen Feng Ge (5-0, 2) claiming a 10 round decision win over light punching Melmark Dignos (6-2), for the IBF Asia Bantamweight title. Another Chinese prospect picking up a title was Xiang Xiang Sun (10-0, 7), who claimed the IBF China Zone Lightweight title with an 8 round decision over compatriot Kun Wang (6-3, 1). It wasn’t a clean sweep for Chinese fighters though as Fei Hu Wang (3-1, 1) lost a 10 rounder to debutant Aleksei Podkolzin (1-0).
On the same day, in Thailand, fight fans saw Campee Singwancha (11-2, 7) score a solid KO against an unknown opponent. The young Campee has been beaten by the aforementioned Xiang Xiang Sun but has bounced back with two wins, including an excellent win in Japan last year against Yoshimichi Matsumoto.
January 31st
To end January attention turned to Japan, where Boxingraise streamed a live show. The card in question was headlined by the popular Nihito Arakawa (29-6-1, 17), who claimed the WBO Asia Pacific Lightweight title with a narrow decision win over Filipino southpaw Anthony Sabalde (12-6, 7). The Japanese veteran went into the bout with the intent of earning a WBO world ranking, and despite the win he is looking like a fighter who is about done as a title level fighter.
February 3rd
On Friday the boxing world turned it’s attention to Australia, where Anthony Mundine and Danny Green had their long awaited rematch. On the under-card of that show we saw two Filipino suffering decision losses. They were Renoel Pael (21-4-1, 11), who was out boxed by Andrew Moloney (12-0, 7) and Marco Demecillo (22-7-1, 17), who lost to the big punching Jason Moloney (12-0, 10). For Pael the loss was his 4th defeat in 4 bouts, including a defeat to Japan’s Suguru Muranaka, sadly for Demecillo the loss was his 7th in 11 bouts and he is likely on his way to being merely a journeyman.
February 4th
Saturday saw attention of Asian fight fans turn mostly to Japan, as the Korakeun Hall hosted a notable card featuring a Japanese title fight and a world class Flyweight contender, though action did expand around the world.
The Japanese title fight saw Yusaku Kuga (14-2, 10) destroy Yasutaka Ishimoto (29-9, 8) in 2 very one-sided rounds to claim the Japanese Super Bantamweight title. The two men were fighting for the second time, with Ishimoto having won their first bout back in late 2015, and many had expected a competitive bout here. Instead Kuga just wiped the floor with the veteran and ripped the title from the defending champion.
In a supporting bout Flyweight contender Daigo Higa (12-0, 12) ran over Filipino Diomel Diocos (10-2-3, 3) in 4 rounds. Diocos showed some bravery and survival instincts but was unable to survive the Higa onslaught for long and was eventually saved by the referee.
Another supporting bout fans saw Masaru Sueyoshi (14-1, 9) score a sensational 3rd round KO against Filipino puncher Allan Vallespin (9-1, 8). The Filipino set out looking for a KO, and had success in rounds 1 and 2, but got caught by a monster counter in round 3 that left him flat out on his back and forced the referee to call a halt to the bout.
In South Africa local fans celebrated seeing the popular Hekkie Budler (31-2, 10) secure a stoppage win over Filipino fighter Joey Canoy (12-3-1, 6). The win saw Budler become a 2-time IBO Light Flyweight champion and it seems it’s now time for Budler to face some more notable opponents.
Talking about IBO champions we saw Chris Eubank Jr claim the IBO Super Middleweight title in the UK. On that same card we saw Filipino fighter Ardin Diale (32-11-4, 15) suffer a 10 round shut out loss to Welshman Andrew Selby (8-0, 5) in a WBC International Flyweight title bout. The Welshman was far too fast for Diale, though left questions about his power, given that Diale was smashed in 4 rounds by the previously mentioned Higa.
To end the day we saw Japanese fighter Hajime Nagai (14-8-2, 4) suffer a 5th round technical decision to former unified Minimumweight champion Francisco Rodriguez Jr (22-4-1, 14). Nagai was dropped twice by the talented “Chihuas” and was out of his class here.
February 5th
To finish a week attention shifted to South Korea,for a card in Seoul The main event of that saw former world champion Yong Soo Choi (31-4-1, 21) claim a 10th round stoppage win over Filipino Nelson Tinampay (11-4-1, 5). Choi, aged 44, was too good, too determined and too heavy handed for Tinampay who was slowly broken down before being stopped by the referee.
Scott Graveson covers the Asian Boxing Scene (with full reports of bouts featured in this article) for www.asianboxing.info
