Top-ranked World Boxing Association flyweight Seigo ‘’Yuri’’ Akui of Kurashiki Moriyasu Boxing Gym displayed a fine form in his public sparring at Tokyo’s Teiken Boxing Gym on Jan. 11 in preparation for his challenge to champion Artem Dalakian of Ukraine for the latter’s title on Jan. 23 at EDION Arena Osaka.

  The fight was postponed from the originally expected last Nov. 15 due to unforeseen circumstances beyond Akui’s control.

  The 28-year-old Akui, who is gunning for becoming the first world champion from an Okayama prefectural gym, went two rounds with the World Boxing Organization’s fourth-ranked Asia-Pacific super flyweight Hayate Kaji of Teiken gym.

  Kaji said, ‘’His reaction speed was tremendous,’’ adding Akui was very well-honed compared with before.

  Akui has had a training camp in Tokyo since Dec. 17 and has engaged in nearly 100 rounds of sparring with such boxers as WBA and World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji of B.M.B. Boxing Gym, second-ranked WBA light flyweight Shokichi Iwata of Teiken gym, Japanese flyweight champion Jukiya Iimura and the WBO’s former Asia-Pacific flyweight kingpin Ryota Yamauchi, both of Kadoebi Boxing Gym, in addition to Kaji.

  ‘’I was able to correct my shortcomings during the training camp,’’ said Akui adding, ‘’My condition has become more than expected since around the end of the week before last. I have to be careful about the tricky style and anomalistic kind of boxing of my opponent (Dalakian) so that I can find my own rhythm. That’s all there is to it. I will win the fight by any means.’’

  The 36-year-old Dalakian captured the vacant title in February 2018 and has so far successfully defended the crown six times. He is undefeated in his 22 bouts, including 15 KOs. Akui has a record of 18 wins, 11 by KO, against two losses and a draw.

  The scheduled 12-rounder will be part of the event collectively dubbed ‘’Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 6,’’ in which Teraji’s title defense against former WBA light flyweight champion Carlos Canizales of Venezuela will serve as the main event.