A press conference for “Lemino BOXING PHOENIX BATTLE 160” was held in Tokyo on the 13th. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 8, at Korakuen Hall, featuring a double title bout for the Japanese and OPBF titles, as well as the semifinals of the super featherweight tournament.
メインの池側㊧は鶴海を迎える
The main event will feature a Japanese super-bantamweight title match, marking the second defense for the southpaw champion, Jun Ikegawa (Kadoebi Jewel). He will be challenged by Koji Tsurumi (Ishida), currently ranked 15th in the division nationally.
Ikegawa captured the title in January by defeating the formidable Toshiya Ishii (RE:BOOT, the current OPBF champion) and dominated Kenshin Oshima (KOD LAB) in his first defense in May. Demonstrating the poise of an established champion, Ikegawa revealed the recent difficulties in securing opponents, stating, “Most of the ranked fighters declined the offer. I have immense respect for Tsurumi for stepping up under these circumstances, and I am going in there to win on the night.”
The challenger, Tsurumi, entered the national rankings in June following a first-round knockout victory over Kazuki Teshima (Missile Kudo) in an eight-round bantamweight contest. At the press conference, Tsurumi expressed his determination, stating, “I will fight like a true challenger, press forward, and take the belt.”
Ikegawa brings a professional record of 10 wins (4 KOs), 1 loss, and 3 draws, while Tsurumi stands at 10 wins (5 KOs), 7 losses, and 2 draws.
早くも初防衛戦の決まった今永
The co-main event will feature the first defense of the newly crowned OPBF lightweight champion Taiga Imanaga (Ohashi), who will welcome challenger Min Ho Jung (South Korea).
Imanaga (10-1, 5 KOs) captured the title in June in Osaka by securing a decision victory over Shuma Nakazato (Okinawa), adding the regional belt to the Japanese national title he previously vacated. The victory over Nakazato also served as a successful comeback appearance following the first defeat of his professional career, which he suffered against Herydison Garcia in Saudi Arabia late last year.
With the bout finalized on a three-month turnaround, an motivated Imanaga stated, “I want to keep winning from here on out and elevate myself to the next level.” His opponent, Jung (19-6-2, 5 KOs), is a familiar figure who has frequently faced top-tier Japanese fighters. Jung dropped a decision to Nakazato in his previous outing for the vacant OPBF title and has subsequently secured another opportunity at the crown.
