January 27, 2015
TOKYO, JAPAN
The national champions, in Japan, are obliged to defend their belts against mandatory challengers in the first defense of the year in January through April, which is called “Carnival of Champions.” The cards of the 36th annual Carnival were announced by the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) after the award-giving ceremony at the Korakuen Hall last Friday.
Minimumweight (105 lbs.)
Go Odaira (11-4-3, 1 KO), fresh from a seventh-round stoppage by compatriot Katsunari Takayama in quest of the vacant IBF/WBO belts, will defend his national title against Yutaka Sowano (9-5-1, 6 KOs) at the Hall, Tokyo, on March 26.
Light-flyweight (108 lbs.)
World-rated Yu Kimura (15-2-1, 2 KOs) will risk his belt against grudge rival Shin Ono (18-6-2, 2 KOs), also world-rated, as the champ once lost a technical decision to the southpaw speedster Ono who previously held the OPBF throne and showed a gallant performance despite a unanimous verdict by Katsunari Takayama with the IBF 105-pound belt at stake in May of the previous year. Kimura, ex-amateur titlist, has improved a lot since his setback to Ono and will try to avenge his career-first defeat this time.
Flyweight (112 lbs.)
World-rated defending champ Yu Muranaka (21-2-1, 7 KOs) will put his belt on the line against up-and-coming Tetsuma Hayashi (25-2-2, 9 KOs) at the Hall on April 8. Muranaka, a busy-puncher with his tight defense, has been unbeaten since 2006 and has kept his national title twice?both by spectacular knockouts over Masayuki Kuroda (who formerly failed to win the WBA flyweight belt from Juan Carlos Reveco on points) and over Yusuke Sakashita (by an eye-catching one-punch knockout). Hayashi, however, is also unbeaten since his last failure to win the national 112-pound title via close but unanimous decision to Takuya Kogawa in 2012, and displayed a very fine showing in disposing of Ryutaro Taira in three last November. Hayashi, a little fluctuating in every fight, may display his fight of life to win the belt for the first time.
Super-flyweight (115 lbs.)
Unbeaten lanky prospect Sho Ishida (18-0, 10 KOs), will defend his national title against Taiki Eto (14-3, 10 KOs) though the date and place yet to be announced. Eto, in April of the previous year, failed to win the Japanese title from Yohei Yabe via ninth-round TKO, but Ishida dethroned Yabe by a unanimous nod at the Hall last August. It will be a competitive fight of the tall and stylish boxers,though the champ Ishida of Osaka was absent at the ceremony.
Bantamweight (118 lbs.)
Fast-rising Kotaro Masuda (21-6, 11 KOs) will take a risk in putting his belt against unbeaten prospect from Kyoto, world-rated Shohei Omori (13-0, 8 KOs) at the Hall on April 13. Omori had finished Mexican Christian Esquivel in four quick rounds last May to be ranked by the WBC. Masuda, formerly a karate master, acquired the vacant belt and impressively kept it twice against ex-champ Konosuke Tomiyama and Tatsuya Takahashi in succession. Masuda will fight a tough and sharp southpaw, but will be superior in terms of stamina and durability.
Super-bantamweight (122 lbs.)
Stylish speedster Yukinori Oguni (14-1, 4 KOs) will defend his newly acquired belt against Gakuya Furuhashi (17-5, 7 KOs) at the Hall on April 30. Oguni, ex-OPBF ruler dethroned by compatriot Shingo Wake, won the vacant national belt by eking out a close verdict over Yasutaka Ishimoto (who once defeated Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in Macao in 2013) last December.
Featherweight (126 lbs.)
Satoru “Bazooka” Hosono (26-2-1, 20 KOs) will meet formerly national 122-pound champ Rikiya Fukuhara (30-7-1, 22) at the Hall on March 5. Hosono was so unfortunate that he failed three times to win the belt, losing to Poonsawat Kratingdaeng-gym (by a majority decision), Celestino Caballero (L12) and fighting to a technical draw with Chris John in April 2013. Hosono is gunning for a fourth shot at a world belt.
Super-featherweight (130 lbs.)
Unbeaten southpaw Rikki Naito (11-0, 5 KOs), the son of ex-Orient middleweight champ Cassius Naito, will make his third defense against unbeaten ex-WBC youth champ Masayuki Ito (16-0-1, 7 KOs) in a highly competitive bout at the Hall on February 9.
Lightweight (135 lbs.)
For the vacant Japanese belt renounced by Yoshitaka Kato, elongated Kota Tokunaga (14-2, 9 KOs) and busy-punching Yuya Sugizaki (20-9-1. 6 KOs) will square off at the Hall on April 30.
Super-lightweight (140 lbs.)
Unbeaten ex-amateur Hiroki Okada (9-0, 7 KOs) will face a more experienced and taller challenger named Hayato Hokazono (18-4-1, 11 KOs) at the Hall on March 7.
Welterweight (147 lbs.)
Game and gallant Suyon Takayama (21-1, 7 KOs) will face Nobuyuki Shindo (16-2, 6 KOs) with his welter belt at stake at the Hall on March 7.
Super-welterweight (154 lbs.)
Southpaw veteran, world-rated Yuki Nonaka (27-8-2, 9 KOs), fresh from an important victory over also world-rated Charlie Ota last December, will make his second defense against ex-titlist Takayuki Hosokawa (26-10-3, 9 KOs) in Osaka on April 19.
Middleweight (160 lbs.)
Elongated speedster Akio Shibata (24-8-1, 10 KOs), OPBF and Japanese titlist, will put only his national belt at stake against Yasuyuki Akiyama (10-4-1, 8 KOs) at the Hall on March 26.
Heavyweight (over 200 lbs.)
Steadily-rising Kyotaro Fujimoto (11-1, 6 KOs) will face ex-WBA super-welter interim champ and now heavyweight campaigner Nobuhiro Ishida (27-10-2, 11 KOs) at the Hall on April 30. Fujimoto once defeated Ishida by a hairline decision last April and it will be an anticipated rematch to be welcomed by our fight fans. Ishida, badly annihilated by Gennady Golovkin in Monaco in 2013, moved up to the heavyweight category afterward, and lately halted Kotatsu Takehara after the fourth round last December. It will be a grudge fight.