Keita Kurihara to face former world champion in May!
Earlier today new broke from Japan of a very interesting bout set for May 20th at Korakuen Hall, as part of an A-Sign boxing card.
The bout in question will see former IBF Super Bantamweight champion Yukinori Oguni (21-2-1, 8) [小國以載] return to the ring, for the first time in over 3 years, as he takes on OPBF Bantamweight Keita Kurihara (16-6, 14) [栗原慶太], who moves up in weight for the bout.
The talented Oguni is best known for his huge 2016 upset win over Jonathan Guzman for the IBF Super Bantamweight title, in what was one of the very last bouts of the year. Sadly for him he lost the title in his first defense, losing Ryosuke Iwasa, before retiring. His retirement ended a year later, but he has only fought twice since that loss, and a scheduled bout with Shingo Wake fall through due to injury. That bout, had it taken place, would have given Oguni a chance to avenge one of his two losses.
Kurihara on the other hand will be getting his first bout against a former world champion, and see him look to build on his October 2021 win over Kazuki Nakajima, which saw him claim the OPBF Bantamweight title, for the second time. The hard hitting fighter will be moving up, from Bantamweight to Super Bantamweight, but will feel confident his power, youth and more recent activity will prove to be a difference making against the talented, but inactive, Oguni.
At the moment other bout for this show has been announced, though similar A-Sign shows have often had a solid co-feature, alongside a big main event, so fingers crossed this show follows what we've seen from the promoter in the past.
The bout in question will see former IBF Super Bantamweight champion Yukinori Oguni (21-2-1, 8) [小國以載] return to the ring, for the first time in over 3 years, as he takes on OPBF Bantamweight Keita Kurihara (16-6, 14) [栗原慶太], who moves up in weight for the bout.
The talented Oguni is best known for his huge 2016 upset win over Jonathan Guzman for the IBF Super Bantamweight title, in what was one of the very last bouts of the year. Sadly for him he lost the title in his first defense, losing Ryosuke Iwasa, before retiring. His retirement ended a year later, but he has only fought twice since that loss, and a scheduled bout with Shingo Wake fall through due to injury. That bout, had it taken place, would have given Oguni a chance to avenge one of his two losses.
Kurihara on the other hand will be getting his first bout against a former world champion, and see him look to build on his October 2021 win over Kazuki Nakajima, which saw him claim the OPBF Bantamweight title, for the second time. The hard hitting fighter will be moving up, from Bantamweight to Super Bantamweight, but will feel confident his power, youth and more recent activity will prove to be a difference making against the talented, but inactive, Oguni.
At the moment other bout for this show has been announced, though similar A-Sign shows have often had a solid co-feature, alongside a big main event, so fingers crossed this show follows what we've seen from the promoter in the past.