Fighters Make Weight in Japan: Palicte-Ioka Battle for WBO Super Fly World; Kyoguchi-Nakoon for WBA Light Fly World (PHOTOS)

By Carlos Costa

TOKYO, Japan   —   Fighters seeing action in Japan’s world title triple-header successfully made weight ahead of tomorrow’s battles.

Here are are weigh-in images provided to FightnewsASIA by awesome Japanese boxing photographer, Naoki Fukuda.   The exciting boxing show will unfold Wednesday, June 19, in Chiba, near Tokyo, Japan.

In the main event, hard-hitting Filipino Aston Palicte (25-2-1, 21 KO’s), of Negros Occidental will clash against Japanese star Kazuto Ioka (23-2, 13 KO’s) for the vacant WBO Super Flyweight World title.   

Kazuto Ioka aims at becoming the first Japanese boxer in history to conquer world titles in boxing in four different weight classes.     Will he be able to do it?   The two fighters weighed in at 107 pounds and three quarters.

Both, Palicte, 28, and Ioka, 30, have waged 12-round battles against four-division champion ALA fighter Donnie Nietes.    Palicte got a draw against the veteran “Ahas” last September, while Ioka lost a hard-fought split decision.    What will happen when Palicte and Ioka fight each other tomorrow here in Japan?  

Palicte is taller and hits harder, Ioka owes awesome skills and is at home.   Fans will have a fantastic clash of titans and the new WBO Super Flyweight king will be crowned.   The supervisor for the WBO is Leon Panoncillo of Hawaii.

KYOGUCHI DEFENDS AGAINST NAKOON

In the co-feature, WBA Super Champion Hiroto Kyoguchi (12-0, 9 KO’s) makes the first defense of his 108-pound world title against undefeated Thai challenger Tanawat Nakoon (11-0, 5 KO’s), both men looking strong, in total great shape and focused during today’s weight in at the famed Tokyo Dome City.  

Will rough puncher Kyoguchi, 25 the conqueror of veteran South African titlist Hekkie Budler (32-4-10), be able to ravage Nakoon in the same brutal fashion?     Or will the tough Nakoon, 26,  a former muay thai combatant, prevail over the favorite local star?     

The shy Nakoon belongs to Thailand’s Diamond Boxing Stable while Kyoguchi fights for the Wattanabe Boxing Gym, and fans can’t wait.  Supervisor for the WBA is Won Kim of Korea.

YOSHIDA VS MORTON FOR VACANT WBO FEMALE SUPER FLY WORLD

Moreover, in a battle of cute women boxers, Japanese Miyo Yoshida (12-1, 0 KO’s) fights Casey Morton (8-1-3, 1 KO) of Hawaii for the vacant WBO Female Super Flyweight Title.  

The two warrior ladies easily made weight this afternoon, looking ready for tomorrow’s action.   

The American Casey Morton is trained by Filipino Nonito Donaire Sr., father of WBA bantamweight world super champion Nonito Donaire.

The WBO fight supervisor is Tsuyoshi Yasukochi.

Fights will stream live on UFC Fight Pass.

These weigh in image were taken by Japanese award-winning great boxing photographer Naoki Fukuda.   Thank you Naoki San!

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The author of the text for this story, Carlos Costa, is a veteran man of boxing living in the Philippines.   Carlos can be reached by email:  carlos512@hotmail.com and whatsapp/viber/wechat:  09184538152.

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