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"Bimbito" Mendez, Yudai Shigeoka Make Weight for WBC Interim 105 Clash in Tokyo, Japan By Carlos Costa PhilBoxing.com Sat, 15 Apr 2023  Unbeaten Yudai Shigeoka 重岡優大 and Wilfredo "Bimbito" Méndez were successful today, beating the scale, ready to rumble for the vacant WBC minimum interim title in one of the title fights taking place tomorrow, Sunday April 16, at the Yoyogi # 2 Gym in Tokyo, Japan. The interesting 12-round clash, promoted by Kameda Promotions, will air live on ABEMA TV. Interestingly, Wilfredo "Bimbito" Mendez - a former world champion - is a late-sub for Thailand's world champion Panya Pradabsri. That's because the Thai star Panya Pradabsri - who is managed by Thailand's famous Phechyindee Boxing Gym - fell sick and hospitalized in Thailand with a severe case of strep throat infection, accompanied of high fever, which required immediate medical attention. That was just 10 days ago. Then, after a huge fast and furious matchmaking effort, Promoter Koki Kameda found the Puerto Rican Wilfredo "Bimbito" Mendez available, made him an impossible-to-resist offer, and the bearded "Bimbito" made weight today in Japan, ready to rumble. How could Koki pull that off, especially for a world title fight? The former champ, now promoter, did not blink, headed to Narita International Airport for a non-stop flight to New York to meet Bimbito's team to offer the fight. It was a success. The Puerto Ricans, who love boxing to an immeasurable degree, accepted; and what will happen tomorrow remains to be seen. In short, the skills from promoter Koki Kameda will allow his unbeaten boxer, Yudai Shigeoka (6-0, 4 KO's), to fight for the WBC interim crown tomorrow. Wilfredo "Bimbito" Méndez (18-2, 6 KO's), comes to Japan from winning his last two fights against unheralded boxers Kenny Cano of Venezuela and Moisés Caro of Mexico. Notably, Mendez held the WBO 105 lbs world title for more than 2 years, while guided by fellow Puerto Rican men of boxing coach Yoel “Yowy” González and manager Raúl Pastrana. Interestingly, tomorrow's clash will be Bimbito's second fight in the "Land of the Rising Sun." In his first fight in Japan, Bimbito was overpowered and knocked out in 11 chapters by Japanese Masataka Taniguchi 谷口将隆 (16-4, 11 KO's), the tough man from Kobe. Will something similar happen again tomorrow? Meanwhile, Bimbito's Japanese opponent, 25-year-old southpaw Yudai Shigeoka of Kumamoto, comes from a November stoppage win over Japanese compatriot Tatsuro Nakashima 仲島辰郎 (11-4-1, 7 KO's). After considering the above, what do fans think could unfold Sunday in Tokyo? Will the younger, less-experienced Yudai Shigeoka handsomely and soundly knock out the late-replacement former champ "Bimbito" Mendez in the same way that Taniguchi did before to claim the WBC interim 105 title for Japan? Or will the well-trained 26-year-old Boricua Willfredo "Bimbito" Méndez (18-2, 6 KO's) from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, be too ring-savvy, too smart and too skilled for the local warrior Yudai Shigeoka, beating him by points, perhaps in the same way that he defeated Filipino former champ Vic Saludar? In attendance during the weigh-in ceremony were WBC ring official Frank Garza of Michigan, U.S.A., Malcolm Bulner of Melbourne, Australia, Tsuyoshi Yasukochi of the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC), and supervisor Richard Clarin, chairman of the Philippines Games and Amusement Board (GAB). Men of boxing Sean Gibbons, president of Manny Pacquiao's MP Promotions, and Filipino Brico Santig of Highland Boxing were also present during today's weigh-in process. In the co-feature, Yudai Shigeoka's younger brother, Ginjiro Shigeoka 重岡銀次朗, will battle for the vacant IBF interim minimumweight title against Pinoy former champ René Mark Cuarto (21-3-2, 12 KO's) of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. May the Best Men Win! The author, veteran boxing writer Carlos Costa, can be reached at carlos512@hotmail.com and whatsapp/viber +639184538152. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.  |
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