PHILIPPINE Flyweight champion and Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) No.1 contender Jojo Bardon will vie for the vacant regional title against Japanese No.3 contender Masaharu Naganawa on March 18 at the Nagoya International Conference Hall in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
The 27-year-old fighter, who is managed by Rex “Wakee” Salud, will need to exert extra effort in his fight as he is facing an unbeaten Japanese foe touted to have extraordinary ring ability.
The 22-year-old Naganawa holds an unblemished 11-0 ring record with two wins coming by knockout. His last victim was Bardon’s stablemate, Gilbert De La Torre of Lapu-Lapu City, whom the Japanese pug knocked out in the seventh round.
Bardon, a native of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental, carries a 21-11-1 win-loss-draw record, with eight wins by knockout.
This will be Bardon’s third travel to Japan, where he owns a 1-1 record.
His first try was a seventh round TKO win over Desperard Yasu in September 2005 in Osaka, while his second was a unanimous decision loss to Trash Nakamura in June 2006 in Tokyo.
Bardon is a well-traveled fighter with most of his fights done outside the country, including in Indonesia, where he won five victories out of seven fights.
Bardon won the Philippine title by pulling a close split decision in March last year over ALA Boy Rocky Fuentes in Mandaue City.
He made two successful title defenses last year—a unanimous decision win over Jun Eraham at the City Auditorium of his hometown and another unanimous decision victory over Bert Gawat in December at the City Coliseum in Zamboanga City.
