ALA Promotions has signed its second international fighter after Ryo Akaho inked a one-year exclusive contract with the Philippine-based promotional outfit.
?We are excited with Akaho, he is highly-rated in the world and has what it takes to be a world champion,? ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told Sun.Star Cebu.
Akaho (25-1-2, 17 KOs), a former world title challenger, will make his ALA Promotions debut on March 28 in Pinoy Pride 30 – ?D-Day? at the Smart Araneta Coliseum against Ghanaian prospect Prosper Ankrah (24-4, 15 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) International bantamweight belt.
The 28-year-old Akaho is rated No. 1 by the WBO, No. 10 in both the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF), and No. 12 by the World Boxing Council (WBC).
Akaho challenged Yota Sato for the latter?s WBC super flyweight title but lost by a lopsided unanimous decision in 2012. He has won six in a row since.
?We did not state in the contract how many fights but agreed on a renewal yearly with ALA Promotions having the first right of refusal. ALA Boxing has been familiar with the Japanese since those times of Edito Villamor in the 90s. The turning point was when we signed up (Katsunari) Takayama to a promotional contract and helped his career grow,? said Aldeguer.
