Weigh-ins for “Lemino BOXING Phoenix Battle 158,” to be held tomorrow at Korakuen Hall, took place in Tokyo on the 13th. Both main event fighters, Hayato Tsutsumi (Shisei) and Felix Batista (Dominican Republic), passed the weigh-in at 58.7 kilograms. The bout between Tsutsumi, ranked 4th, and Batista, ranked 11th, will serve as the WBA Super Featherweight title eliminator.
計量後に見合う堤㊧とバティスタ
Tsutsumi (8 wins, 5 KOs), who is returning to the ring for the first time in 11 months due to an injury, said, “I’m looking forward to it,” as his first comment. Reflecting on the time leading up to his return, he stated emphatically, “I want to show tomorrow what I’ve been working on all this time.” Although Tsutsumi said he only learned “two or three days ago” that the fight had been upgraded from an unranked bout to a WBA title eliminator, he added, “My preparation hasn’t changed,” and remains focused on his match against Batista.
His opponent, Batista (14 wins, 10 KOs), has a muscular build but is smaller than Tsutsumi (the height difference is about 10 centimeters). “I understand that Tsutsumi is strong. I want everyone to see how I handle him in the ring,” he said, expressing his determination.
Tomorrow’s card features a welterweight co-main event between Kosei Nogami (Ohashi) and Kaiki Yuba (YUVAX), along with five other bouts—all eight-rounders. All fighters have made weight and are waiting for tomorrow’s opening bell.
