Yamanaka to defend WBO 105lb belt against Calleros

By Joe Koizumi

Newly crowned WBO minimumweight champ Ryuya Yamanaka (15-2, 4 KOs; not former WBC bantam ruler Shinsuke Yamanaka), Japan, will defend his belt against #4 Moises Calleros (28-7-1, 16 KOs), a Mexican puncher, in Kobe, Japan, on March 18. It was announced by Masato Yamashita of Shinsei Promotions last week.

Photo by Boxing Beat

Calleros failed to win the vacant WBO belt, losing a split verdict to Japanese southpaw Tetsuya Fukuhara in Japan last February. It was Yamanaka that fully utilized his footwork and outpunch Fukuhara in his first defense to earn a unanimous nod and capture the WBO championship.

The champ said, “I wish to show my successful defense before my supporters by demonstrating my improvement.” But Calleros is such a busy-punching tough hombre that it will be a highly competitive fight at the Portopia Hotel. Ryuya is the third world champ ever produced by Shinsei Promotions, following the footsteps of three-division titlist Hozumi Hasegawa and ex-WBA 122-pound ruler Shun Kubo.

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