The 2024 Strongest Challenger Championship matches announced
Earlier today the Japan Professional Boxing Association (JPBA) announced the bouts that would act as the 2024 Strongest Challenger Championship, essentially the bouts to determine the mandatory challengers for the Japanese domestic titles in the new year. In total there were 13 bouts announced, with bouts set at every weight from Minimumweight to Middleweight. One thing that is really notable about the bouts is the sheer number of professional novices involved in the bouts, with a lot of fighters having single figure fights, as we appear to be on the crest of a golden era of domestic Japanese boxing.
The only bout that had been previously announced was the Minimumweight bout, which was announced last week and will see Katsuki Mori (12-3, 3) [森且貴] and Ryusei Matsumoto (3-0, 1) [松本流星] battle for the right to be the #1 contender for the title in the new year. This bout will take place on September 25th at Korakuen Hall as part of Phoenix Battle 122, which is a festival of Minimumweight action. This is the only bout that has had a confirmed venue and date.
The Light Flyweight bout is, potentially, the pick of the bunch with two men who have very high hopes facing off for the shot at the national title. The bout here will see Yuga Ozaki (6-0-1, 5) [尾崎優日] battle against Kyosuke Takami (7-0, 5) [高見享介], in what is a truly mouth watering clash between two of the best youngsters in Japan.
At Flyweight former champion Josuke Nagata (6-2) [永田丈晶] takes on Shun Kosaka (19-9, 4) [小坂駿], though it worth noting Kosaka has a bout set for July 28th, and a bad result, such as a cut, could see him ruled out of this bout.
Another of the stand out bouts will see Jinya yamaguchi (5-0, 2) [山口仁也] take on fellow unbeaten Kantaro Juri (7-0-1, 2) [重里侃太朗], in the Flyweight bout.
The Bantamweight clash will see the unbeaten Kaisei Matsumoto (8-0, 5) [松本海聖] face off with former 2-time title challenger Kenshin Oshima (9-3-1, 5) [大嶋剣心].
The Super Bantamweight bout promises some explosive action as the hard hitting Toshiya Ishii (7-1-2, 5) [石井渡士也] takes on the unbeaten Jun Ikegawa (7-0-2, 2) [池側純]. This is a particularly interesting clash as the two men fought to a draw in 2022, and both will be looking to prove themselves here.
At Featherweight the unbeaten Yuya Oku (8-0-1, 5) [大久祐哉] will face the battled hardened Kyohei Tonomoto (15-4-1, 7) [殿本恭平], as long as Tonomoto isn't too banged up by his scheduled July 28th bout.
Former Japanese Super Featherweight champion Yuna Hara (14-3-1, 8) [原優奈] will look to take a step towards recapturing his old title as he battles the fast rising Ryusuke Sunagawa (3-0, 2) [砂川隆祐] in one of the most compelling matches and one of the biggest single step ups.
The Lightweight bout will see the hard hitting Hiromasa Urakawa (10-2, 7) [浦川大将] battle against the light punching Yudai Murakami (5-2) [村上雄大].
At 140lbs the unbeaten, and hard hitting, Kotaro Sekine (9-0-1, 8) [関根幸太朗] will take on fellow unbeaten Mikyo Watarai (5-0, 3) [渡来美響] in another of the standout bouts, and potentially something of a firefight.
The Welterweight clash will see the always fun to watch, though flawed, Kaiki Yuba (11-3-2, 7) [湯場海樹] take on former title challenger Seeser Minagawa (4-3, 1) [シーサー皆川], in what is probably the least interesting bout from the line up of fights.
The 154lb bout will see former Japanese, OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific Welterweight champion Ryota Toyoshima (19-3-1, 11) [豊嶋亮太] move up in weight and take on the unbeaten Yasuomi Soda (7-0-1, 4) [左右田泰臣].
In the Middleweight division, we'll see Ran Tomomatsu (4-2-1, 1) [友松藍] clash with Kazuki Kyohara (8-2-3, 3) [京原和輝]
The only bout that had been previously announced was the Minimumweight bout, which was announced last week and will see Katsuki Mori (12-3, 3) [森且貴] and Ryusei Matsumoto (3-0, 1) [松本流星] battle for the right to be the #1 contender for the title in the new year. This bout will take place on September 25th at Korakuen Hall as part of Phoenix Battle 122, which is a festival of Minimumweight action. This is the only bout that has had a confirmed venue and date.
The Light Flyweight bout is, potentially, the pick of the bunch with two men who have very high hopes facing off for the shot at the national title. The bout here will see Yuga Ozaki (6-0-1, 5) [尾崎優日] battle against Kyosuke Takami (7-0, 5) [高見享介], in what is a truly mouth watering clash between two of the best youngsters in Japan.
At Flyweight former champion Josuke Nagata (6-2) [永田丈晶] takes on Shun Kosaka (19-9, 4) [小坂駿], though it worth noting Kosaka has a bout set for July 28th, and a bad result, such as a cut, could see him ruled out of this bout.
Another of the stand out bouts will see Jinya yamaguchi (5-0, 2) [山口仁也] take on fellow unbeaten Kantaro Juri (7-0-1, 2) [重里侃太朗], in the Flyweight bout.
The Bantamweight clash will see the unbeaten Kaisei Matsumoto (8-0, 5) [松本海聖] face off with former 2-time title challenger Kenshin Oshima (9-3-1, 5) [大嶋剣心].
The Super Bantamweight bout promises some explosive action as the hard hitting Toshiya Ishii (7-1-2, 5) [石井渡士也] takes on the unbeaten Jun Ikegawa (7-0-2, 2) [池側純]. This is a particularly interesting clash as the two men fought to a draw in 2022, and both will be looking to prove themselves here.
At Featherweight the unbeaten Yuya Oku (8-0-1, 5) [大久祐哉] will face the battled hardened Kyohei Tonomoto (15-4-1, 7) [殿本恭平], as long as Tonomoto isn't too banged up by his scheduled July 28th bout.
Former Japanese Super Featherweight champion Yuna Hara (14-3-1, 8) [原優奈] will look to take a step towards recapturing his old title as he battles the fast rising Ryusuke Sunagawa (3-0, 2) [砂川隆祐] in one of the most compelling matches and one of the biggest single step ups.
The Lightweight bout will see the hard hitting Hiromasa Urakawa (10-2, 7) [浦川大将] battle against the light punching Yudai Murakami (5-2) [村上雄大].
At 140lbs the unbeaten, and hard hitting, Kotaro Sekine (9-0-1, 8) [関根幸太朗] will take on fellow unbeaten Mikyo Watarai (5-0, 3) [渡来美響] in another of the standout bouts, and potentially something of a firefight.
The Welterweight clash will see the always fun to watch, though flawed, Kaiki Yuba (11-3-2, 7) [湯場海樹] take on former title challenger Seeser Minagawa (4-3, 1) [シーサー皆川], in what is probably the least interesting bout from the line up of fights.
The 154lb bout will see former Japanese, OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific Welterweight champion Ryota Toyoshima (19-3-1, 11) [豊嶋亮太] move up in weight and take on the unbeaten Yasuomi Soda (7-0-1, 4) [左右田泰臣].
In the Middleweight division, we'll see Ran Tomomatsu (4-2-1, 1) [友松藍] clash with Kazuki Kyohara (8-2-3, 3) [京原和輝]