A day after successfully defending his IBF world flyweight title for the second time with a lopsided unanimous decision victory over third-ranked Rene Calixto (Mexico) at the Aichi International Exhibition Centre (Aichi Sky Expo), champion Masamichi Yabuki (Midori) held a post-fight press conference on 7 June in a private lounge at Chubu Centrair International Airport. While continuing to reflect critically on his performance as he had done immediately following the bout, Yabuki also discussed his future plans, including potential unification fights against other sanctioning bodies’ champions and moving up to the super-flyweight division to pursue a world title in a third weight class.
一夜明け会見に臨んだ矢吹
“I kept the hotel room completely pitch-black, but as usual, I could not sleep a wink,” Yabuki said. Although he added, “My body is stiff from muscle soreness, which is also typical,” his articulate speech showed no signs of fatigue.
Regarding his harsh self-assessment immediately after the bout, where he rated his performance “10 out of 100,” Yabuki maintained his stance. “I have not reviewed the footage yet, but that assessment remains unchanged,” he said, indicating that the sensation of the fight was still fresh. “Scoring two knockdowns in the opening round made me fight with too much tension. [Calixto] had prepared tactics for me, and while I had the confidence to overcome them, I failed to do so,” he explained with a somber expression. “He consistently kept his weight on his back foot and timed his counters to my leads. He was looking to counter after my attacks, and I knew I would be caught if I overcommitted. I had to box while constantly factoring that in,” he added, revealing the psychological need for caution.
Nevertheless, it was Yabuki who consistently initiated the exchanges and controlled the tempo in both offense and defense. In the championship rounds, he staggered Calixto with a counter right and unleashed a flurry of punches, demonstrating his ability to create a stoppage opportunity. “I can only say that my opponent showed immense resilience,” Yabuki remarked, expressing admiration for the durability of Calixto, who had never been dropped previously. As the recipient of the previous year’s Knockout of the Year award, Yabuki remains deeply committed to securing stoppages. “I want to expand my tactical repertoire so that I can naturally utilize different options even when a fight unfolds like that,” he stated, showing strong motivation to diversify his routes to a finish.
Having defeated dangerous Latin American contenders in three consecutive bouts—following victories over Angel Ayala (Mexico) and Felix Alvarado (Nicaragua)—Yabuki reiterated his desires for his next appearance. “I do not mind who it is, as long as they are a world champion.” A potential matchup against Andrew Moloney (Australia), who recaptured a super-flyweight world title on the same card, remains an option. “Of course, I would like to do it,” Yabuki noted. However, he remained cautious regarding the ideal weight class, adding, “Looking at the rehydration weight of fighters like Moloney at super-flyweight, they scale around 56kg. That is slightly too heavy for me.” Regarding technical adjustments, he identified physical development as a key objective: “I need to build a physique that ensures I am not pushed back when an opponent applies pressure.”
Despite visible swelling under his right eye, Yabuki demonstrated his dedication to the youth fighters he trains. “There is a tournament for the kids, so I will be back at the gym in a day or two.” It is certain that he will also resume his own training shortly.
When asked what score he would have given himself had he secured a knockout victory the previous night, Yabuki concluded, “If I had finished him in the opening round, it would have been 100 points.” *Akira Honma
https://boxingnews.jp/en/english-fight-result/116392/
