Christian “The Bomb” Araneta is taking a page from one of Vasyl Lomachenko’s training techniques as he prepares to bring the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight title to the country.

Pitted against Japan-based Thanongsak Simsri of Thailand on 19 June in Tokyo, Araneta has been playing with tennis balls to improve hand-eye coordination and reflexes.

Lomachenko, the now-retired Ukrainian master boxer, was the proponent on the use of tennis balls in his training camp.

Although what Araneta is doing is a variation of Lomachenko’s, its main purpose is to improve agility and speed.

Julius Erving Junco, who serves as Araneta’s lead trainer, is the guy in charge of whipping the Cebu puncher into fiery form heading into showdown with Simsri.

Last Friday, Araneta and his team arrived in Tokyo and the 30-year-old Filipino didn’t waste time and buckled down to work.

Holding a 25-2 win-loss record with 20 knockouts, Araneta is rated No. 1 by the IBF while Simsri is ranked No. 2.

Simsri, now based in Japan, has a 38-1 card with 34 knockouts and is a lot younger at just 24.

If victorious, Araneta will join Pedro Taduran and Melvin Jerusalem as the country’s only reigning world champions.

Nick Giongco