By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Hard-punching Filipino, WBO 105-pound champion Vic Saludar (18-3, 10 KOs) will make his initial defense against WBO Asia Pacific titlist, Japanese southpaw Masataka Taniguchi (11-2, 7 KOs) today (Tuesday) in Tokyo, Japan.

Saludar dethroned Japan’s Ryuya Yamanaka via unanimous verdict last July, and put his belt on the line against the upcoming prospect at the Korakuen Hall. We saw a weigh-in ceremony at the Exhibition Hall at the site yesterday with both tipping the beam at the 105-pound limit.

The WBO officials are as follows: referee Kenny Bayless (US); Luis Ruiz (Puerto Rico), Chris Tellez (US), Surat Soikrachang (Thailand); supervisor Leon Panoncillo (US).

This show is presented by Watanabe Promotions and telecast by TBS TV locally in Tokyo.

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