Japan’s Shigeoka Brothers Fight for Titles This Weekend

Published

2 years ago

April 10, 2023

Japan’s Shigeoka Brothers Fight for Titles This Weekend

For the experienced Sweet Scientist, the early manifestation of a Japanese prospect among the world-class is hardly a matter for remark anymore. Naoya Inoue has battered his way to the very top of the pound-for-pound list in just twenty fights after being matched for the Japanese 108lb title in his fourth fight. Kenshiro Teraji currently sits upon the 108lb throne after being matched for his first “world” strap in just his tenth fight.

So, for her next trick, on the same day, on the same card, this coming weekend in Tokyo, Japan will match two brothers for straps although their records currently stand at just 8-0 and 6-0.

The Shigeoka brothers may sound like a writer’s dream, but there are difficulties. Born two years apart in Kumamoto, the two, naturally enough, look rather alike – but they also box in the same weight division (105lbs), are both southpaws, and have the same knockout ratio (66.67%). Telling their story is more a matter of separating them then joining them so that is what I will do, starting with the younger of the two brothers, Ginjiro, who has been matched to face Rene Mark Cuarto of The Philippines for the interim IBF belt.

Ginjiro Shigeoka vs Rene Mark Cuarto

Ginjiro (8-0, 6 KOs) is twenty-three years old, two years younger than his older brother Yudai, and, at five-foot nothing, the shorter of the two. Ginjiro is also the more accomplished of the two Shigeokas, having found himself ranked at the bottom end of the 105lb top ten in the first months of 2021after dispatching Rey Loreto in five brutal rounds. Ginjiro was something of a bouncer at this time, boxing with the false economy of the amateur, affordable in the world of the unpaid ranks where fights are short and less brutal. Ginjiro was a success there – indeed, the only loss on his amateur ledger came against Yudai, against whom he threw in the towel before the first bell after being drawn against him in a national tournament. Loreto was boxing his fortieth professional contest and had lost just one of his last ten, that coming to the current divisional number one Thammanoon Niyomtrong (aka Knockout CP Freshmart), but despite Ginjiro’s posturing, the more experienced man still struggled with Ginjiro’s blinding southpaw jab and the left he often tossed in behind.

“Tossed” is the right word. Ginjiro is perhaps too relaxed in the ring, but the variety is already there on the jab, up and down, fast or hard, blinding in support of other punches or a scoring shot on its own; the left hand goes straight, but he also comes squarer to throw it, just as he did for a first-round knockdown against Loreto who made the mistake of stepping inside and being rattled to the canvas in short order. Hurt twice in the third by straights, Ginjiro’s propensity for over-aggression and retreating with speed rather than technique was briefly uncovered, but he won every other round. When he stopped Loreto in the fifth he became the first man to do it since 2011 – and he has improved since then.

We got a glimpse of these improvements most recently in January when Ginjiro matched IBF world title-holder Daniel Valladares, the excellent Mexican minimumweight. They split the opening two rounds but the southpaw-orthodox headclash seemed inevitable, Valladares looping in overhand rights while Ginjiro drove forwards with his southpaw straight. Sure enough, two accidental headbutts in the third brought the bout to a premature ending and a No Contest verdict. Ginjiro’s first tilt at a belt ended in disappointment.

This is how Rene Mark Cuarto (21-3-2) has entered the picture. With Valladares in injury-bound limbo, the ABC in question has just happily replaced him with Cuarto, a man Valladares defeated last July. That match, a split decision victory for Valladares in Mexico, was a chaotic affair filled with chaotic refereeing and even more chaotic fighting, Cuarto steaming in two-handed and being countered by left hands. In the end the decision was probably just but Cuarto had no luck, scoring a knockdown which was incorrectly ruled a slip and bizarrely having a point deducted for suffering repeatedly loose tape on his glove.

He is made for Ginjiro in two senses of the word. First, the inexperienced Japanese will not have to unlock Cuarto. He is not going to hide, move, or box, he is going to attack and will do so with wide, big punches; he will give up chances and Ginjiro will take them. The other sense in which Cuarto is made for Ginjiro though is that he is made to test him. Ginjiro is no defensive mastermind, and this is matter of style, of choice, before it is a matter of technical capability. Ginjiro will choose a firefight against Cuarto, who has been beaten, but never stopped. The winner will find out much about himself in this contest, and so will we.

Much is at stake. I rank Cuarto one spot higher at number eight so the loser will exit the top ten, and the winner will rematch Valladares in one of the few 105lbs contests that can deliver a healthy purse bid. That winner will be Ginjiro but he must be able to hold Cuarto’s punches, and as is always the case when a top prospect is moved into the top ten for the first time, we will know when we know. This match, though, is the headliner and it should be a savage and exciting contest.

Yudai Shigeoka vs Wilfredo Mendez

Yes, Ginjiro-Cuartes is the main attraction but that is not by design. Yudai (6-0, 4 knockouts), for the first time in a long time, was supposed to step out from his younger brother’s diminutive shadow in a match against the brilliant Panya Pradabsri, who has been ruled out of a rare journey from his native Thailand to defend his number two ranking on Japanese soil. Strep throat, for which he has apparently been hospitalised, is the culprit.

So Yudai must satisfy himself with a chief supporting act once more against late substitution Wilfredo Mendez (18-2) out of Puerto Rico. In fairness to Yudai and his team, this is likely as excellent a late replacement as they could have uncovered. Mendez cannot punch but comes with real pedigree and ranked among the four or five best 105lb boxers in the world up until his 2021 elimination at the hands of Japanese deluxe gatekeeper Masataka Taniguchi, in what was a major upset.

Since, Mendez has put himself back together boxing wide decision victories against overmatched opposition on undercards in Santo Domingo. Here, he has honed an odd southpaw style, perched over a front leg in a deep stance, almost square, elusive with his upper body, fighting aggressively on the inside while awaiting chances on the outside. Patient and experienced at title-level, he is a far cry from the merciless Panya, but he is exactly the type of late substitute that brings promoters out in a cold sweat – adaptable, something of a spoiler and not a man who will travel to Tokyo to lose.

To understand the level of risk that is being encountered here, we need to take a quick look back at Yudai’s 2021 match with Tsubasa Koura. Koura was a risky fight in and of itself, matching Yudai in just his fourth fight against a fighter who had essentially been him a few years prior. Japan’s Rookie of the Year in 2015, Koura had been found out against Lito Dante, who stopped him in 2019 in a real upset. Career stalled, Koura fought Yudai like what he was – a man who had seen his dreams dashed and was handed one more chance at redemption. The majority decision win that went Yudai’s way was fair, but he was literally one point away from the draw and he needed a very strong finish to get there after being out-muscled and out-hustled in the first half of the fight.

Now, another man who has had his dreams dashed and been handed one more chance at redemption is headed for town and it may require another strong finish to stop him.

Yudai has a heavier jab than his brother and is more measured when he throws it. At 5’3” he is the taller and rangier of the two and also the stronger, I think, certainly he is bodily the more aggressive, more given to grappling and wrestling and trying to dominate when he grapples and wrestles, although this did not serve him well against Koura. Indeed, prior to the Koura fight I saw Yudai as the greater potential success story. I thought of him as more measured both offensively and defensively, already given to more arbitrary movement of the head and body, he seemed the more technically systematic of the pair. Although his trials and tribulations have been far less dramatic, I was reminded of my feelings regarding Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko before Wladimir started posting knockout losses in that the more correct, technically layered Wladimir seemed the more likely to achieve great things until he wasn’t – but then, of course, he did. Yudai may also yet prove to be the more storied of the two Shigeokas but he could use something definitive this weekend in a WBC interim title fight that has tricky written all over it. I suspect he will triumph, however, the question being whether he can achieve the stoppage. Given that Mendez is most likely to achieve his greatest success stalling on the inside, this will be a challenge. He will require adjustments to get there and will have to make a decision about whether or not to try to contest range, but he has the offensive capability to score the stoppage.

“As long as we both win,” has been the Shigeoka party line, spoken most recently by Yudai. “If not, it’s worth nothing.”

“The two of us can take over the world at the same time,” Ginjiro recently told nikkansports. “I’m happy that the two of us can start together and achieve our dreams at the same time.”

As likeable as they are skilled, the Shigeoka brothers are about to receive the most thorough examination of their fledgling careers.

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Ever-Improving Callum Walsh KOs Dean Sutherland at Madison Square Garden

Published

10 hours ago

March 16, 2025

David A. Avila

Ever-Improving-Callum-Walsh-KOs-Dean-Sutherland-at-Madison-Square-Garden

Irish luck was not involved as Callum Walsh won the battle of hard-hitting southpaws over Dean Sutherland by knockout on Sunday.

One right hook was all it took.

“You’re never going to beat the Irish,” said Walsh.

In a contest between Celtic super welterweights Walsh (13-0, 11 KOs) retained the WBC Continental America’s title against Sutherland (19-2, 7 KOs) in quick fashion at the Madison Square Garden Theater in Manhattan.

Usually fights between southpaws can be confusing to both contestants. But Walsh had expressed a fondness for fighting lefthanders then vividly exhibited the reasons why.

Walsh, 24, a native of Cork, Ireland, now living and training in Los Angeles, quickly demonstrated why he likes fighting lefties with a steady flow of combinations from the opening bell.

He did not hesitate.

Sutherland, 26, had only lost once before and that was more than two years ago. Against Walsh the Scottish fighter was not hesitant to advance forward but was caught with lefts and right hooks.

After two minutes of scattered blows, Sutherland fought back valiantly and when cornered, Walsh tapped two jabs then unleashed a right hook through the Scottish fighter’s gloves that floored the Aberdeen fighter for the count at 2:45 of the first round.

“I’m feeling very good. Dean Sutherland is a very good opponent. I knew he was going to be dangerous. That was my best opponent,” said Walsh.

It was the fourth consecutive knockout win for Walsh who seems to improve with every single combat.

“I’m looking forward to the future. I’m getting stronger and stronger,” said Walsh who is trained by Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. “Anyone that comes to me I will take him out.”

Other Bouts

Super featherweight Feargal McCrory (17-1, 9 KOs) survived a knockdown in the fourth to out-muscle Keenan Carbajal (25-5-1, 17 KOs) and batter down the Arizona fighter in the seventh and again in the eighth with volume punching.

Carbajal was deducted a point early for holding in round two, but regained that point when he floored the Irish southpaw during an exchange in the fourth.

Despite suffering a knockdown, McCrory continued stalking Carbajal and floored him in the seventh and eighth with battering blows. Referee Arthur Mercante Jr. stopped the fight without a count.

A rematch between two Irish super middleweights saw Emmet Brennan (6-0) remain undefeated by unanimous decision over Kevin Cronin (9-3-1).

Cronin started quickly with a pressure style and punches flowing against Brennan who resorted to covering and countering. Though it looked like Cronin was building up a lead with a busier style, the judges preferred Brennan’s judicious counters. No knockdowns were scored as all three judges saw Brennan the winner 98-92 after 10 rounds.

Dajuan Calloway (11-3, 9 KOs) emerged the winner by technical knockout over Thomas Carty (10-1) who was unable to continue after two rounds when his leg tangled and thereafter was unable to stand. Because he could not continue the fight was ruled a technical knockout win for Calloway in the heavyweight match.

Also

Cletus “Hebrew Hammer” Seldin (29-1, 23 Kos) defeated Yeis Solano (15-5) by majority decision after eight rounds in a super lightweight contest.

Donagh Keary (1-0) defeated Geral Alicea-Romero (0-1-1) by decision after four.

Light heavyweights Sean O’Bradaigh (0-0-1) and Jefferson Almeida (0-1-1) fought to a majority draw after four.

Photo credit: JP Yim

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Nick Ball Wears Down and Stops TJ Doheny Before the Home Folks in Liverpool

Published

2 days ago

March 15, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Nick-Ball-Wears-Down-and-Stops-TJ-Doheny-Before-the-Home-Folks-in-Liverpool

Fighting in his hometown, Liverpool’s five-foot-two fireplug Nick “The Wrecking” Ball stopped TJ Doheny after 10 progressively more one-sided rounds to retain his WBA belt in the second defense of the featherweight title he won with a hard-earned decision over Raymond Ford in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Referee Michael Alexander, with the assent of Doheny’s corner, waived it off following the bell ending Round 10, much to the chagrin of the brave but mildewed Doheny who burst into tears. But then, Doheny’s right eye was closed shut and he was plainly exhausted. This may be the end of the line for the 38-year-old campaigner from Perth, Australia via Portlaois, Ireland who was 26-5 heading in following his first loss inside the distance which came against pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue.

There were no knockdowns, but Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs) was docked a point in round nine for throwing Doheny to the canvas after having previously been warned for this infraction. Earlier, both he and Doheny were warned for an incident that could have ended the bout prematurely. At the end of the first round, Ball extricated himself from a headlock by kicking Doheny in the back of his knee. The challenger’s leg appeared to buckle as he returned to his stool.

Going forward, Ball has many options. The 28-year-old Liverpudlian purportedly relishes a unification fight with WBC belt-holder Stephen Fulton, but the decision ultimately rests with Ball’s promoter Frank Warren.

Other Bouts of Note

In a 12-round bantamweight contest that was close on the scorecards but yet a monotonous affair, Liverpool’s Andrew Cain won a split decision over former WBC flyweight title-holder Charlie Edwards. The scores were 116-112 and 115-114 favoring Cain with judge Steve Gray submitting a disreputable 115-113 tally for Edwards. At stake were a trio of regional titles.

The science of boxing, they say, is about hitting without getting hit. Charlie Edwards is adept at the latter but the hitting part is not in his DNA. He was on his bicycle from the get-go, a style that periodically brought forth a cascade of boos. Cain, who trains in the same gym with Nick Ball, was never able to corner him – Edwards was too elusive – but Cain, to his credit, never lost his composure.

In improving to 14-1 (12), Cain achieved a measure of revenge, in a sense. In his last documented amateur bout, in 2014, Cain was defeated by Charlie’s brother Sunny Edwards, also a former world title-holder at the professional level. Heading in, Charlie Edwards (20-2, 1 NC) was unbeaten in his last 13 which included a comfortable decision over Cristofer Rosales in his flyweight title fight. Charlie relinquished that belt when he could no longer make the weight.

Showboating Cuban lightweight Jadier Herrera, who fought 13 of his first 14 pro fights in his adopted home of Dubai, advanced to 17-0 (15 KOs) with a seventh-round stoppage of spunky but outclassed Mexican import Jose Macias (21-4-2). The official time was 2:31 of round seven.

An all-Liverpool affair between super flyweights Jack Turner (11-0, 10 KOs) and Ryan Farrag (23-6) was over in a jiff. The match, which went next-to-last in the bout order, ended at the 42-second mark of round two. A barrage of punches climaxed by a left hook sent Farrag down hard and the referee waived it off.

The noted spoiler Ionut Baluta, whose former victims include Andrew Cain, forged another upset with a 10-round split decision over local fan favorite Brad Strand. The judges favored Baluta 98-91 and 96-94, out-voting the Italian judge whose 97-93 tally for Strand was deemed the most accurate by the TV pundits.

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 317: Callum Walsh, Dana White and More

Published

3 days ago

March 14, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila-Perspective-Chap-317-Callum-Walsh-Dana-White-and-More

As Callum Walsh stood on the observation deck at the top of the Empire State Building with fists clenched, it harked back to actor Jimmy Cagney, an actor of Irish descent, yelling “Top of the world, ma,” in the 1949 motion picture White Heat.

The Irish-born Walsh brings that kind of attitude.

Once again Walsh (12-0, 10 KOs) returns to New York City and this time faces Scottish warrior Dean Sutherland (19-1, 7 KOs) in a super welterweight match set for 10 rounds on Sunday, March 16, at Madison Garden Theater.

UFC Fight Pass will stream the 360 Promotions event.

Flanked by master trainer Freddie Roach and managed by Dana White it brings questions as to the direction that Walsh will be steered. It was just revealed that White will head a new boxing promotion outfit with big plans to make a more UFC type of organization.

Is Walsh part of the plans?

It’s a lot to digest as the hot prospect from Cork, Ireland proceeds toward world championship dreams. Can he cleanse his mind of this major distraction?

Walsh and Sutherland are both southpaws who are meeting at the crossroads in the heart of New York City. At this point of their careers a loss can mean rebooting and taking a few steps backward. The winner moves on to the next crucial step.

Sutherland, 26, hails from Aberdeen and has never fought outside of his native Scotland. It’s a lot to ask of someone whose country’s population of 5 million is dwarfed by New York City’s 8.2 million inhabitants all packed together.

Ireland’s population is also 5 million. So basically, both Walsh and Sutherland are on even terms when they enter the prize ring on Sunday.

Who knows what kind of competition Sutherland faced in Scotland. He beat two undefeated fighters and also conquered two foes who each had more than 100 losses on their resumes.

Meanwhile, Walsh has faced only one undefeated fighter but handled veterans like Benjamin Whitaker, Ismael Villareal and Carlos Ortiz Cervantes. But you never know until they meet face to face. Anything can happen in a prize ring.

Walsh has a three-fight knockout streak. Sutherland has slept two out of his last three foes. They will be joined by several Irish fighters on the card plus Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin.

Dana, Turk and TKO

The announcement earlier in the week that Turki Alalshikh together with TKO Group Holdings that include Dana White and Nick Khan formed a new boxing promotion company.

White, who does not own UFC but guides the MMA ship, works for Endeavor, the parent company of UFC and WWE. Their events are all shown on ESPN, the powerful sports network (albeit WWE’s flagship weekly show “Raw” recently moved to Netflix). It seems Endeavor has decided to allow White to guide its boxing program too.

Where does that leave Top Rank?

It seems the partnership plans to rid boxing of the many sanctioning organizations and have only one champion per division. The champion will be given a Ring Magazine belt. Recently, Turki Alalshikh purchased The Ring magazine from Golden Boy Promotions. This seems to have been the plan all along.

Is this good for boxing?

Mark Shapiro, the president of TKO Group Holdings, said:

“This is a strategic opportunity to re-imagine the sport of boxing globally. TKO has the deep expertise, promotional prowess, and longstanding relationships. HE Turki Alalshikh and Sela share our passion and vision for evolving the current model. Together, we can bring the sweet science back to its rightful place in the forefront of the global sports ecosystem.”

DAZN all day

Three boxing cards take place on Saturday beginning with WBA featherweight titlist Nick Ball (21-0-1) the human cannonball, defending against former champion TJ Doheny from Liverpool, England. The first bout begins around 9:30 a.m. (Pacific Coast Time). Ball likes to charge forward and punch. Doheny is no slouch and has experience.

Later, Matchroom Boxing presents a show from Florida that features Edgar Berlanga (22-1) fresh off a solid contest against Canelo Alvarez. He fights undefeated Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-0-1) in a super middleweight match. Also, Ammo Williams (17-1) returns to face dangerous Patrice Volny (19-1) in a middleweight clash. The card starts at 3:30 p.m. (Pacific Coast Time.

Saturday evening MarvNation presents Amado Vargas (11-0) meeting Eduardo Hernandez (8-2) in a super lightweight contest at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California. Start time is set for 8 p.m. (Pacific Coast Time). The son of the great Fernando Vargas remains undefeated.

Fights to Watch

Sat. DAZN 11:30 a.m. Nick Ball (21-0-1) vs TJ Doheny (26-5).

Sat. DAZN 3:30 p.m. Edgar Berlanga (22-1) vs Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-0-1) ; Ammo Williams (17-1) vs Patrice Volny (19-1).

Sat. DAZN 8 p.m. Amado Vargas (11-0) vs Eduardo Hernandez (8-2).

Sun. UFC Fight Pass 3 p.m. Callum Walsh (12-0) vs Dean Sutherland (19-1).

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