MAGALI TO DEFEND OPBF TITLE IN JAPAN

By LITO DELOS REYES

CURRENT Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super featherweight champion Carlo “The Ferocious” Magali of the Philippines will be making his first title defense on January 13 at the Korakuen Hall in Japan.
Magali (29W-9L-3D, 11 KOs) is facing Japanese challenger Masatoshi Kotani (22W-2L-0D) for his first title defense.
Magali, a former interim OPBF super featherweight title-holder, became the regular OPBF champion after former champion Masayuki Ito failed to defend his crown last year.
Ito last defended his crown only on December 31, 2016.
The 31-year old Magali won his interim OPBF crown by stopping then-unbeaten Sandeep Balhara via a 10th round technical knockout last July 9 at the Mid Valley Exhibition Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Magali, a native of Talibon, Bohol is currently training at the Highland Boxing Gym in La Trinidad, Benguet under coach Ninolito Jalnaiz.
Kotani (22W-2L-0D, 15 KOs), on the other hand, has won his last 12 fights with six of them by knockouts.
Four of Kotani’s victims are Filipinos – Jason Egera, Rey Laspinas, Nathan Bolcio and Edgar Gabejan.
The 30-year old Kotani previously stopped Egera by a 5th round TKO last September 10 in Okinawa, Japan. He beat Laspinas and Bolcio both by unanimous decision and won against Gabejan by only a split.