Kawasaki and Maruki make weight for Japanese title fight
Tomorrow Korakuen Hall will play host to the next Ohashi Promoted card, which is headlined by a Japanese title fight at 154lbs as Makoto Kawasaki (13-8-1, 2) [川崎真琴] looks to defend his title against Ryosuke Maruki (18-7-1, 13) [丸木凌介].
Today, ahead of their bout, the two men took part in their weigh in.
On the scales the champion looked relaxed and calm whilst coming in well under the limit, weighing 153.5lbs for the bout. Aged 37 years and 11 months when he won the title in April, setting a new record for the oldest age anyone had won a Japanese title, he is now 38 and seems focused on extend his career, stating that he's only thinking about beating Maruki.
Having fought much of his career at 147lbs Kawasaki revealed that he has to be wary of fighters at 154lbs as their punches are dangerous, but seemed to feel that he had the tools to take home the win and retain his title, if he can focus and concentrate on his fight.
Maruki, who is significantly the younger man at the age of 31, came in bang on the limit and explained that he was going to fight in a style that Kawasaki wouldn't like, with a variation in his jab. Like the champion he seemed confident of winning, and explained that he wanted to take the title back to Nagoya and show it off to the locals there.
Related - Japanese champion Kawasaki takes on Maruki in first title defense
Today, ahead of their bout, the two men took part in their weigh in.
On the scales the champion looked relaxed and calm whilst coming in well under the limit, weighing 153.5lbs for the bout. Aged 37 years and 11 months when he won the title in April, setting a new record for the oldest age anyone had won a Japanese title, he is now 38 and seems focused on extend his career, stating that he's only thinking about beating Maruki.
Having fought much of his career at 147lbs Kawasaki revealed that he has to be wary of fighters at 154lbs as their punches are dangerous, but seemed to feel that he had the tools to take home the win and retain his title, if he can focus and concentrate on his fight.
Maruki, who is significantly the younger man at the age of 31, came in bang on the limit and explained that he was going to fight in a style that Kawasaki wouldn't like, with a variation in his jab. Like the champion he seemed confident of winning, and explained that he wanted to take the title back to Nagoya and show it off to the locals there.
Related - Japanese champion Kawasaki takes on Maruki in first title defense