Yudai Shigeoka to face Tsubasa Koura for regional title!
A few weeks ago Yudai Shigeoka (3-0, 2) [重岡優大] vacated the Japanese Youth Light Flyweight title, stating that he wanted to go for bigger titles. Just a few days after that Yudai's younger brother Ginjiro Shigeoka (6-0, 5) [重岡銀次朗] vacated the WBO Asia Pacific Minimumweight title, explaining that he wanted world title fights.
At the time it seemed almost as if the Watanabe Gym, which handles the careers of the two Shigeoka brothers, had plans for Ginjiro to get a world title fight later in 2021, and for Yudai to fight for the title his brother vacated. Today it appears those plans have come to fruition, at least partly.
That's because it was announced earlier today that Yudai Shigeoka would be fighting for his brother's old title on November 12th when he takes on former OPBF Minimumweight champion Tsubasa Koura (15-1, 10) [小浦 翼] in a genuinely mouth watering clash.
The older of the two Shigeoka brothers debuted in 2019 with a win over Manop Audomphanawari before adding a 6 round decision win over Lito Dante just a few weeks later. Sadly the pandemic kept him out of the ring through out 2020, but he returned this past February, stopping Ryu Horikawa to claim the Japanese Youth title. Although not as highly regarded as his brother Yudai looks like a very polished and smart boxer, albeit one who is still showing some immaturity and can be forced into a fight at times.
Koura on the other hand is a former Rookie of the Year winner who seemed set for big things when he won the OPBF title in in 2017, with a win over Jaysever Abcede, and he managed 3 good defenses, beating Masataka Taniguchi, Norhito Tanaka and Daiki Tomita, before a 2019 TKO loss to the previously mentioned Lito Dante. Since that loss he has fought just once, a 3rd round TKO win over Ariston Aton, and has sadly lost almost all the momentum he once had. A win here however, would get his career back on track, in a big way.
The bout, which will be the chief support bout on Dangan 245, will take place Korakuen Hall and will put the winner within touching distance of a world title fight of their own. The main event of the show will be the rematch between Kyosuke Sawada (14-2-2, 6) [澤田京介] and Ikuro Sadatsune (11-4-4, 4) [定常 育郎], who clash for the Japanese Bantamweight.
At the time it seemed almost as if the Watanabe Gym, which handles the careers of the two Shigeoka brothers, had plans for Ginjiro to get a world title fight later in 2021, and for Yudai to fight for the title his brother vacated. Today it appears those plans have come to fruition, at least partly.
That's because it was announced earlier today that Yudai Shigeoka would be fighting for his brother's old title on November 12th when he takes on former OPBF Minimumweight champion Tsubasa Koura (15-1, 10) [小浦 翼] in a genuinely mouth watering clash.
The older of the two Shigeoka brothers debuted in 2019 with a win over Manop Audomphanawari before adding a 6 round decision win over Lito Dante just a few weeks later. Sadly the pandemic kept him out of the ring through out 2020, but he returned this past February, stopping Ryu Horikawa to claim the Japanese Youth title. Although not as highly regarded as his brother Yudai looks like a very polished and smart boxer, albeit one who is still showing some immaturity and can be forced into a fight at times.
Koura on the other hand is a former Rookie of the Year winner who seemed set for big things when he won the OPBF title in in 2017, with a win over Jaysever Abcede, and he managed 3 good defenses, beating Masataka Taniguchi, Norhito Tanaka and Daiki Tomita, before a 2019 TKO loss to the previously mentioned Lito Dante. Since that loss he has fought just once, a 3rd round TKO win over Ariston Aton, and has sadly lost almost all the momentum he once had. A win here however, would get his career back on track, in a big way.
The bout, which will be the chief support bout on Dangan 245, will take place Korakuen Hall and will put the winner within touching distance of a world title fight of their own. The main event of the show will be the rematch between Kyosuke Sawada (14-2-2, 6) [澤田京介] and Ikuro Sadatsune (11-4-4, 4) [定常 育郎], who clash for the Japanese Bantamweight.