April 22, 2012
TOKYO, JAPAN
Newly crowned WBC super-flyweight champ Yota Sato (24-2-1, 12 KOs), an elongated Japanese speedster, will make his initial defense against official challenger Sylvester Lopez (19-3-1, 15 KOs), a Filipino hard-puncher, in Yokohama, Japan, on July 8. Sato lately dethroned formidable Thailander Suriyan Sor Rungvisai by dropping him twice this March, while Lopez acquired the WBC silver belt by halting Oscar Ibarra in eight frames in Mexico last September. It will be a highly anticipated mandatory fight ordered by the WBC, which seems very competitive.
(4-22-2012)