By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

A highly anticipated confrontation of former WBO 130-pound champ, WBO#6/WBC#14 Masayuki Ito (26-2-1, 14 KOs) and unbeaten OPBF ruler Hironori Mishiro (9-0-1, 3 KOs) was announced to take place in Tokyo, Japan, on November 5.

Ito, in his second defense, lost his WBO belt to Jamel Herring in Kissimmee FL last May, and decked a comeback go by halting Indonesian Ruben Manakane in six lopsided rounds in September last. Mishiro, four years his junior at 25, is a former amateur prospect, who dethroned OPBF super-featherweight champ Carlo Magali in his sixth pro bout in June 2018 and impressively scored four defenses of his regional belt to his credit.

It will be a sensational matchup under the current coronavirus outbreak, which has caused to allow only encounters of Japanese compatriots since our commission hasn’t duly granted any entries of foreign boxers.

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