The Japanese scene kicks off a busy week of world class boxing Wednesday featuring two world title fights. 22 year old boxing prodigy Kosei Tanaka will make the second defense of his light flyweight belt against Palangpol CP Freshmart while surprising super bantamweight titleholder Yukinori Oguni defends for the first time against fellow countryman Ryosuke Iwasa.
Yukinori Oguni (19-1-1, 7 KOs) got his title shot against against then rising star Jonathan Guzman on Japan’s traditional big New Year’s Eve fight card. He wasn’t supposed to win given that he had lost and drawn against seemingly worse competition, but I guess that is why they fight the fights. Oguni dropped Guzman in the first, cut him in the middle of the fight, and then pocketed just enough rounds against the power punching titlist to narrowly walk away with his belt.
Ryosuke Iwasa (23-2, 15 KOs) is definitely qualifies as a victory lap defense for Oguni. Five fights ago Iwasa was knocked out by Lee Haskins and Haskins was never exactly an inspiring belt holder. Granted that was down at bantamweight where Iwasa was reportedly quite weight drained, but it still isn’t a promising result. Four wins since against domestic level competition do not inspire either. Furthermore Iwasa is in many ways a worse version of the Guzman Oguni already beat, a semi-crude power puncher who needs his feet set to accomplish anything, but lacking the Dominican’s high level athleticism. Yukinori Oguni is a safe bet to retain here, or at least he should be.
I wish I could say Kosei Tanaka (9-0, 5 KOs) was in deeper here, but he isn’t really. I can say that at the very least watching Tanaka operate is in itself a treat. At 22 years old, the young Japanese star is already a two division titleholder before his tenth fight. This will be his second defense. Tanaka isn’t a technical wizard, but as an clear elite athlete, he doesn’t need to be either. With his lightning quick hands and reflexes, there are few fighters I look forward to seeing in action more than Kosei Tanaka.
As an opponent, Palangpol CP Freshmart (14-1, 8 KOs, given name Rangsan Chayanram) is honestly a bit of a joke for the WBO to sanction though, unfortunately. All his wins are over not even really journeymen, but club fighters in his native Thailand. Guys with twenty losses, losing records, or less than ten pro fights are the men he has been beating. There is absolutely nothing on his resume to suggest he can go more than a couple rounds with a high level athlete like Tanaka.
Shingo Wake (21-5-2, 13 KOs) also fights on the undercard. This is significant as he is the man with the win over Oguni and is also a former IBF titleholder as the man Jonathan Guzman had lifted the title from to begin with, so they may be setting up an Oguni/Wake fight should both sides prevail.
All in all this is a pretty weak show, but it is a pair of world title fights to seek out on a weekday at the very least. If you haven’t seen Tanaka, check him out. He will probably look even better than he is here too.
