Pan-Asian Boxing Association interim super-bantam champ Pederito Laurente of the Johnny Elorde Stable makes a major career gamble when he takes on a world-class Toshiaki Nishioka, the WBC no. 1 and WBA no. 3 super-bantam contender, on September 3 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Reports coming out of Japan indicate that Nishioka, a protege of Japan's top promoter Akihiko Honda, will use this fight as his final tune-up before a crack at the WBC title held by Mexican Oscar "Chololo" Larios. Nishioka boasts of a 25-4-3 win-loss-draw record with 15 KO's.
Laurente, who won the PABA interim crown in China last May, had earlier told this writer he is in prime shape to face Nishioka, although he revealed he has not yet seen Nishioka fight in person or by tape.
"I've always been training. So I don't think we will have any problems," said Laurente when called up at the Elorde Gym.
The southpaw Nishioka had attempted to win the WBC bantam title from Thailand's Veeraphol Sahaprom four times, losing twice and earning a draw twice.
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