JAPAN has always been a proud fighting nation but now the country is truly flourishing in the boxing universe and beginning to dominate, boasting a phenomenal nine reigning world champions, including the arguable pound-for-pound number one, Naoya Inoue.
Additionally, Japan has gained a reputation for staging well-matched contests, with each of their title-holders willing to put their belts and records on the line, making for regular must-watch events. Now, it has been confirmed that Tokyo is set to host another blockbuster, with a world title triple-header announced for March, which will be headlined by a flyweight unification bout.
Before any straps are up for grabs, fans will first see the hotly anticipated debut of Tomoya Tsuboi, who became the first amateur world champion in Japanese boxing history when he defeated Makhmud Sabyrkhan at the 2021 World Championship in Belgrade.
Tsuboi also boasts wins over former Olympic and world champion Shakhobidin Zoirov and Paris 2024 silver medallist Billal Bennama. The 28-year-old will make his professional debut in the flyweight division – where he is expected to be moved extremely quickly.
Then will come the first world title clash of the evening, as Shokichi Iwata, 14-1 (11 KOs), attempts a first defence of his WBO light-flyweight crown since halting Jairo Noriega in a bid for the vacant belt back in October.
Iwata will be tasked with Puerto Rico’s Rene Santiago, 13-4 (9 KOs), who unsuccessfully challenged Jonathan ‘Bomba’ Gonzalez for the same WBO honour last March. Gonzalez represents the lone blemish on the record of Iwata, which came as a result of their 2022 meeting.
Meanwhile, front-footed flyweight Anthony Olascuaga, 8-1 (6 KOs), needed just one round to dispatch of Gonzalez when they collided in what proved to a comfortable first defence of his WBO 112lb title, but ‘Princesa’ can expect a sterner test in less than two months’ time.
The Californian will square-off with former IBF minimumweight champion Hiroto Kyoguchi, 19-2 (12 KOs), in what can be expected to be an all-action scrap, where neither man takes a backwards step.
Following the theme of the card, Olascuaga and Kyoguchi also share a common defeat, as both were trumped inside the distance by Kenshiro Teraji, 24-1 (15 KOs), who will appear in the main event.
‘The Amazing Boy’ has proven to be just that in recent years and has thrust himself into contention for a place in the pound-for-pound top 10 by becoming the WBC flyweight champion, following a dominant run at light-flyweight which featured 15 consecutive world title fights.
Teraji then moved up in weight and overcame Cristofer Rosales to claim the WBC flyweight marble back in October and now he seeks unifications in the division, hoping to become the first undisputed flyweight champion since 1968, when Horacio Accavallo held both the WBA and WBC titles.
The baby-faced sensation will first target his countryman, Seigo Yuri Akai, 21-2-1 (11 KOs), who is in possession of the WBA prize, after defeating long-reigning champion Artem Dalakian last January and making two defences during 2024.
Teraji-Akai tops the impressive mid-week bill on Thursday, March 13 at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo, as Japan continues to set the precedent in the world of boxing.
