IBF flyweight champion Angel Ayala will battle light flyweight titlist Masamichi Yabuki in hostile territory this March
IBF light flyweight champion Masamichi Yabuki is officially set to move up and challenge flyweight titlist Angel Ayala on March 29th in a matchup first revealed earlier this month.
Kameda Promotions also confirmed a minimumweight rematch between Melvin Jerusalem and Yudai Shigeoka the following day at the same venue.
Yabuki (17-4, 16 KO), making his second straight appearance at Aichi Sky Expo after stopping Sivenathi Nontshinga for the belt in October, initially pursued a unification match with Erick Rosa. He’ll instead look to become a two-weight champion against Mexico’s Ayala (18-0, 8 KO), who fights for the first time outside his native Mexico.
Promoter Koki Kameda floated the idea of making a rubber match between Yabuki and WBC titlist Kenshiro Teraji if the latter defeats WBA champ Seigo Yuri Akui earlier in the month. That may have to wait until mandatory challenger Felix Alvarado gets his shot, as the Nicaraguan agreed to step aside for this one.
There’s a good chance this winds up a banger, so hopefully American viewers will have easy access.
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