TOKYO — During the press conference held at a Tokyo hotel on the 25th, Teiken Promotions announced a formidable supporting card for the Nasukawa-Estrada event. Two of the gym’s highly-regarded prospects, Tomoya Tsuboi and Kyosuke Takami, are both scheduled to face world-ranked opponents in separate 10-round bouts.
Tomoya Tsuboi (3-0, 2 KOs), a standout amateur before turning professional, faces a significant step up in competition. Known for his technical proficiency, Tsuboi’s inclusion against a world-ranked foe underscores the high expectations held by Teiken for his trajectory toward the world stage.
Joining him is Kyosuke Takami (10-1, 8 KOs), a hard-hitting prospect who has been steadily climbing the domestic ranks. Following his recent run of victories, this 10-round test serves as a crucial litmus test to determine his readiness for the elite level of the division.
Further details regarding the specific opponents for Tsuboi and Takami are expected to be finalized and announced in the coming days.
photo/Naoki Fukuda
eiken Promotions has confirmed that amateur standout Tomoya Tsuboi (Teiken) will take on former WBC Light Flyweight World Champion Pedro Guevara (Mexico) in a 10-round super flyweight clash on April 11.
Guevara, a seasoned veteran and former ruler of the 108-pound division, has established himself as a force in the higher weight classes in recent years. He notably secured the WBC interim super flyweight title with a hard-fought victory over Australia’s Andrew Moloney. Although he subsequently lost the title via a third-round TKO to the pound-for-pound star Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (USA), Guevara remains a top-tier contender, currently holding the WBC No. 9 ranking.
For Tsuboi, a 2021 AIBA World Championships gold medalist, this marks only his fourth professional outing. Despite his relatively short professional resume, Tsuboi has already demonstrated elite-level poise. In his previous bout last November, he delivered a masterclass against former world champion Carlos Cuadras (Mexico), overwhelming the veteran with a relentless, high-volume attack from start to finish.
Tsuboi, whose unique style is centered on “total ring dominance,” expressed absolute confidence ahead of the Guevara test. “My goal is to control every single round,” Tsuboi stated. “Just as I did in my last fight, I intend to completely shut him out and win in dominant fashion.”
photo/Naoki Fukuda
The supporting card for the April 11 event at Ryogoku Kokugikan is further bolstered by a high-stakes flyweight encounter. Kyosuke Takami (Teiken) is set to face former IBF Flyweight World Champion Angel Ayala (Mexico) in a 10-round contest that serves as a pivotal crossroads for both fighters.
Takami, a prodigious talent who surged through the Japanese and world rankings last year, is looking to bounce back from his first professional setback—a decision loss to Rene Santiago (Puerto Rico) in a high-profile unification bout. Having reached his physical limit in the lower weight class, Takami has officially announced his move up to the flyweight division starting with this match.
While facing an immediate former world champion in his divisional debut is an aggressive move, Takami himself is relishing the challenge. “It’s going to be an exciting fight,” he guaranteed. Beyond the result, observers are keen to see how Takami’s performance will improve now that he is liberated from the grueling weight cuts that hampered his previous campaign.
His opponent, Angel Ayala, is a disciplined orthodox fighter with a record of 18-1 (8 KOs). Ayala’s sole professional defeat came last year in Japan, where he surrendered his IBF crown to Masamichi Yabuki (Midori) via a dramatic final-round TKO. Like Takami, this bout marks Ayala’s first appearance since that loss, making it a high-pressure “must-win” scenario for both men.
Tsuyoshi Hamada, representative of Teiken Promotions, commented on the quality of the triple-header: “The opponents for Nasukawa, Tsuboi, and Takami are all familiar faces to Japanese fans. These are matchups that invite a lot of debate and diverse predictions.”
