Tokyo hosts double Phl vs Japan world title fights

Not one but two Filipino fighters are seeing action in world championship fights on 26 November at the Ebara Wave Arena in Ota City, Japan.

Apart from Miel Fajardo, who challenges defending champion Masamichi Yabuki for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight crown, Zyvyr Medecilo battles Takeshi Ishii for the World Boxing Association (WBA) minimumweight diadem.

The unbeaten Medecilo is ranked No. 11 by the WBA in the 105-pound class.

He has a 9-0-0 win-loss-draw record with five knockouts while Ishii holds a 12-1-0 slate with nine knockouts.

Both Fajardo and Medecilo are managed by Hong Kong’s Lennon Tsoi, who receives expert advice from American dealmaker Sean Gibbons.

“This is a historic night for Philippine boxing,” said Tsoi, who used to live in Manila and is fluent in Tagalog.

Tsoi said his two boxers will start training together in Thursday at the Elorde Sports Centet in Sucat, Parañaque.

They are set to fly to Tokyo on 20 November.

Ohashi Promotions, the same outfit that runs the affairs of pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue, is staging the double world title headliner.

Fajardo is scheduled to return to Manila from Hong Kong on Thursday after spending a full month in the former British crown colony.

Medecilo, meanwhile, spent some time in Japan before heading back to the country last Sunday.

If victorious, Fajardo and Medecilo will join Pedro Taduran as the country’s reigning world champions.

Tafuran holds the IBF minimumweight jewels.