By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

An annual year-end tripleheader was announced on Wednesday to take place in Tokyo, Japan, on December 30 (not New Year’s Eve when another event will be disclosed soon).

Newly crowned WBO 130-pound champion Masayuki Ito (24-1-1, 12 KOs), Japan, will make his initial defense against unbeaten #1 ranked Evgeny Chuprakov (20-0, 10 KOs), Russia, in the main event at the Ota City Gymnasium. WBC 108-pound ruler, unbeaten Ken Shiro (14-0, 8 KOs), Japan, will participate in his fifth defense against Saul Juarez (24-8-2, 13 KOs), from Mexico, over twelve rounds. The first title event on the night will be the WBC interim bantamweight title go between unbeaten #4 Takuma Inoue (12-0, 3 KOs), Japan, and #2 Petch CP Freshmart (AKA Petch Sor Chipattana or his birth name Thasana Saraphath; 48-0, 33 KOs), Thailand, over twelve.

This show will be presented by Teiken Promotions in association with Ohashi Promotions to be telecast nationwide through Fuji Television in Japan.