Japanese Boxing Odds – A pair of boxing cards in Japan dominate the holiday weekend as five world titles are on the line this Saturday and Sunday.
The Bunka Gym in Yokohama kicks off the festivities with two world titles on the line on Saturday night, December 30th.
All eyes are on this card because of the presence of “The Monster” Naoya Inoue in the main event. Inoue (14-0) will be defending his WBO world super flyweight title against France’s Yoan Boyeaux (41-4). The battle tested Boyeaux has fought a good portion of his career in Argentina but this is his first bout in Japan.
Inoue took his first steps on the world stage this past September when he faced Antonio Nieves at California’s StubHub Center. The sixth round stoppage win for Inoue saw him retain his WBA world title and it helped set up this fight.
This is a meaningful fight for Inoue. The New Year’s holiday assures a massive amount of eyes on his fight. He is assuming the main event role after longtime super featherweight champion Takashi Uchiyama lost his title last New Year’s. Uchiyama has since retired and Inoue has stepped into the headliners role Uchiyama held for more than half a decade prior to his loss. At 24 years old and with a whole lot of upside, Inoue figures to be there for a long time.
Also on the card is Ken Shiro (11-0) the WBC’s world champion at light flyweight. He faces Panama’s second generation fighter Gilberto Pedroza (18-3-2) of Panama in the evening’s co-feature bout.
The scene switches to Tokyo’s Ota City Gym on Sunday night for a headliner of Milan Melindo vs Ryoichi Taguchi in a title unification bout at light flyweight. Melindo (37-2) is bringing the IBF belt to the bout while Taguchi (26-2-2) owns the WBA version of the world title at 108 pounds.
If a fight with two decorated champions like this were taking place at a higher weight class, it might be big news but at this weight the bout flies under the radar. It should not be that way and fans of boxing are going to be in for a treat. Melindo vanquished well respected veteran Akira Yaegashi with a first round KO back in May, so Taguchi enters the fight with pride and revenge in mind as well. Look for odds for this fight later in the week and expect it to be the closest line of the weekend at the books.
Already getting attention at the books from Sunday’s card is the Carlos Buitrago vs Hiroto Kyoguchi IBF title fight at under 105 pounds. Kyoguchi (8-0) is the current belt-holder while Buitrago (30-2-1) is making his fourth world title bid. Buitrago, who hails from Nicaragua, has experience fighting in the Philippines, but it is his first fight in Japan and he is 0-2-1 in previous world title fights.
Below are the odds for three of the world title fights already. Check back lter in the week at the sports books for change and to see if more fights are posted.
Japanese Boxing Odds For New Year’s:
Bunka Gym – Yokohama, Japan
Super Flyweight 12 rounds –
Yoan Boyeaux +2625
Naoya Inoue -5500
Light Flyweight 12 rounds –
Gilberto Pedroza +950
Ken Shiro -1450
Ota City General Gymnasium – Tokyo, Japan
Minimumweight 12 rounds –
Carlos Buitrago +560
Hiroto Kyoguchi -950
Japanese Boxing Odds / Check out more boxing news and features at The Sweet Science.
[related_post_one]
The NFL season is in it’s stretch run. Get all your football info right here.
