March 10, 2015
TOKYO, JAPAN
Teiken Promotions of Japan has announced that WBC super-feather champ Takashi Miura (28-2-2, 21 KOs) will put his belt on the line against ex-IBF titlist Billy Dib (39-3-1. 23 KOs), Australia, in Tokyo on May 1. Miura, making his fourth defense since dethroning Mexican Gamaliel Diaz in April of 2013, impressively disposed of official challenger Edgar Puerta in six rounds last November. Miura is one of the recently most improved boxers here in terms of offensive and defensive skills.
Ex-Olympic gold medalist in London, unbeaten WBC#8 middleweight contender Ryota Murata (6-0, 4 KOs) will take on WBO#14 Douglas Damiao Ataide (13-1-1, 6 KOs), Brazil, over ten. Murata has soundly and steadily improved in every fight, and we wish to see another improvement technically, physically and spiritually.
Also, formerly two-class world champ Akira Yaegashi (20-5, 10 KOs) will appear on the undercard with his opponent to be announced later. Yaegashi failed to win his third belt in a WBC light-fly title bout for the vacant championship (vacated by his stablemate Naoya Inoue) only to be demolished by Pedro Guevara with a vicious body shot in the unlucky seventh session on the eve of New Year Eve. At the press conference, his manager/promoter Hideyuki Ohashi replied to a question as to his expectation for Yeagashi, gI wish Yaegashi wonft get knocked out again with a body blow.h Yaegashi displayed a counterpunch, saying, gI will strenuously strengthen my body muscle to avoid that.h
(3-10-2015)