Title bouts announced for Who's Next Dynamic Glove shows
Just over a week ago news broke that "The 28th WHO'S NEXT DYNAMIC GLOVE on U-NEXT", scheduled for January 18th, would feature an OPBF Flyweight title fight as Japanese national champion Jukiya Iimura (7-1, 2) [飯村樹輝弥] faces off with unbeaten Filipino Lorenz Dumam-ag (10-0-1, 7). At the time it was assumed this would be the main event of the show. Today it was announced that this bout will actually be one of three regional title bouts on what is shaping up to be a great show to begin the new year. And also it appears this bout will not be the standalone main event, but in fact the chief support bout for the show.
One of the other title bouts set for the event will see Kenji Fujita (7-0, 3) [藤田健児] make his second defense of the WBO Asia Pacific Featherweight title, against dangerous Filipino Michael Casama (10-2-1, 10), who looks to build on his upset win over Kota Kaneko from back in July. Interesting Fujita is a pure boxer, who has gone the distance in his last 3 fights, all against Filipino fighters, whilst Casama has never actually seen the final bell, winning all 10 inside the distance, being stopped in both his losses, and his draw being a technical draw after just 2 rounds. It’ll be very interesting to see whether Casama can replicate the win over Kaneko here, or whether Fujita’s amateur experience and technical skills can blunt the power and aggression of the challenger
The other title bout announce for the show will see OPBF Featherweight champion Mikito Nakano (11-0, 10) [中野幹士] making his first defense of the OPBF Featherweight title, as he takes on fellow Japanese fighter Hiroki Hanabusa (13-3-5, 5) [英洸貴], in what is listed as the show's main event. For Nakano, who has looked like a star in the making since his debut, the bout will be his first against a domestic rival since he went 8 rounds with Ruitop Saeki, back in December 2020, in what is his only bout to go the distance and his only bout against a Japanese fighter. It will also be his first since stopping Bryzx Piala for the title in September. As for Hanabusa the bout will see him looking to bounce back from a loss in Switzerland to Angelo Peno, and give him a chance to score his most notable win so far. Despite being the clear under-dog Hanabusa has scored notable wins in the past, beating Yuna Hara in the All Japan Rookie of the Year, back in 2018, and holding wins over Kyonosuke Kameda and Kai Watanabe, both of which have aged excellently.
It was also announced that the February edition of WHO'S NEXT DYNAMIC GLOVE on U-NEXT, the 29th edition of the show, will also feature two title bouts. One of those will see Subaru Murata (8-0, 8) [村田昴] make his first defense of the WBO Asia Pacific Super Bantamweight title, though his opponent for the bout has yet to be decided.
The other bout for this show will see Japanese Minimumweight champion Ryusei Matsumoto (4-0, 2) [松本流星] defend his title against Masatora Okada (9-5-1, 3) [岡田将人], in a Champion Carnival bout. Matsumoto has looked great since his debut, and really showed what a talent he is last time out, when he stopped Katsuki Mori for the vacant title, and it’s assumed he will be fighting for a world title sooner rather than later. As for Okada few will be giving him a genuine chance here, and whilst he has never been stopped, his last 2 losses both came against prospects who were then 1-0, and neither were even close to the ability of Matsumoto.
This show will take place on February 1st
One of the other title bouts set for the event will see Kenji Fujita (7-0, 3) [藤田健児] make his second defense of the WBO Asia Pacific Featherweight title, against dangerous Filipino Michael Casama (10-2-1, 10), who looks to build on his upset win over Kota Kaneko from back in July. Interesting Fujita is a pure boxer, who has gone the distance in his last 3 fights, all against Filipino fighters, whilst Casama has never actually seen the final bell, winning all 10 inside the distance, being stopped in both his losses, and his draw being a technical draw after just 2 rounds. It’ll be very interesting to see whether Casama can replicate the win over Kaneko here, or whether Fujita’s amateur experience and technical skills can blunt the power and aggression of the challenger
The other title bout announce for the show will see OPBF Featherweight champion Mikito Nakano (11-0, 10) [中野幹士] making his first defense of the OPBF Featherweight title, as he takes on fellow Japanese fighter Hiroki Hanabusa (13-3-5, 5) [英洸貴], in what is listed as the show's main event. For Nakano, who has looked like a star in the making since his debut, the bout will be his first against a domestic rival since he went 8 rounds with Ruitop Saeki, back in December 2020, in what is his only bout to go the distance and his only bout against a Japanese fighter. It will also be his first since stopping Bryzx Piala for the title in September. As for Hanabusa the bout will see him looking to bounce back from a loss in Switzerland to Angelo Peno, and give him a chance to score his most notable win so far. Despite being the clear under-dog Hanabusa has scored notable wins in the past, beating Yuna Hara in the All Japan Rookie of the Year, back in 2018, and holding wins over Kyonosuke Kameda and Kai Watanabe, both of which have aged excellently.
It was also announced that the February edition of WHO'S NEXT DYNAMIC GLOVE on U-NEXT, the 29th edition of the show, will also feature two title bouts. One of those will see Subaru Murata (8-0, 8) [村田昴] make his first defense of the WBO Asia Pacific Super Bantamweight title, though his opponent for the bout has yet to be decided.
The other bout for this show will see Japanese Minimumweight champion Ryusei Matsumoto (4-0, 2) [松本流星] defend his title against Masatora Okada (9-5-1, 3) [岡田将人], in a Champion Carnival bout. Matsumoto has looked great since his debut, and really showed what a talent he is last time out, when he stopped Katsuki Mori for the vacant title, and it’s assumed he will be fighting for a world title sooner rather than later. As for Okada few will be giving him a genuine chance here, and whilst he has never been stopped, his last 2 losses both came against prospects who were then 1-0, and neither were even close to the ability of Matsumoto.
This show will take place on February 1st