A big card is being put on the table as promoter Rex ‘Wakee’ Salud presents a Philippines versus Japan card on July 21 in Cebu.
According to Salud, the card will be headlined by the OPBF title defense of lightweight champ Randy Suico, as well as the world-ranked Eriberto ‘Yukka’ Gejon taking on a Japanese foe.
Salud, a close associate to boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, also hinted that his ward Jimrex ‘The Executioner’ Jaca might also be tapped to see action also against a Japanese fighter.
Suico (26-3, 22 KO’s) will most likely face mandatory challenger Koji Samejima, a 25-year-old prospect from the Green Tsuda group of Japan.
Samejima (15-1-1, 6 KO’s) is ranked no. 2 by the OPBF behind Kengo Nagashima, who may not be available to fight Suico.
In his last outing, the dynamite-fisted Suico retained his OPBF crown with a unanimous decision over Tomonori Nakagawa in Osaka, Japan last April 23.
Suico’s manager Joe Koizumi said following the fight that his ward needed to be active with more fights this year, to keep him sharp and ready for bigger fights.
The lanky Gejon (23-1-1, 14 KO’s), ranked WBA no. 1 and IBF no. 4 in the 105-lb division, is hoping for yet another crack at WBA champ Yutaka Niida, with whom he’s got an unfinished business.
Gejon and Niida battled to a tenth-round split technical decision in 2005, with one judge favoring the Filipino by a wide margin and two judges giving the fight to Niida by the skin of his teeth. Gejon claims he felt he won the fight, and he wants closure.
Jaca (28-3-1, 13 KO’s) is coming off a stirring seventh-round knockout victory over Simson Butar-Butar to claim the WBO Asia Pacific super-featherweight title.
In his biggest fight to date, Jaca gave Mexican superstar Juan Manuel Marquez some scary moments before succumbing to a ninth-round knockout defeat in their fight last year.
