By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
Unbeaten WBC light-flyweight champ Ken Shiro (13-0, 7 KOs, will make an undercard title defense against ex-IBF ruler Milan Melindo (37-3, 13 KOs), a veteran Filipino warrior, beneath Naoya Inoue’s participation in the WBSS Season II in Yokohama, Japan, on October 7.
Shiro, whose real name is Kenshiro Teraji under his father/manager/trainer and ex-OPBF light-heavy titlist Hisashi, will put his WBC belt on the line for the fourth time since he dethroned Mexican Ganigan Lopez on points in May of the previous year. Ken, 26, recently blasted out Ganigan with a single body shot in round two this May.
Melindo, 30, then IBF interim ruler, once stunned the Japanese audience by polishing off Akira Yaegashi in the opening session to acquire the legitimate IBF 108-pound belt here last year. Milan, however, yielded his IBF title by a close but unanimous nod to WBA kingpin Ryoichi Taguchi on New Year’s Eve of the previous year.
Ken said, “It’ll be a good opportunity to have my name known to the world by engaging in this international event.” Melindo may be a tough apposition against the still improving champion.
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