Fifth-ranked challenger Yoshiki Takei of Ohashi Boxing Gym vows to knockout the World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion Jason Moloney of Australia at a press meeting on Apr. 15 as he will challenge the latter for his title on May 6 at Tokyo Dome.

  Takei, the winner of a former K-1 super bantamweight grand prix, conducted a public workout at the Yokohama-based gym and said, ‘’Since my opponent this time is strong, I have been training myself hard. I don’t think I can beat him unless I improve myself from the time of the (March 8) press conference and have achieved a great progress within a short period.’’

  ‘’During my sparring sessions, I myself was amazed at the kind of technique (punch) I never showed,’’ the 27-year-old Takei added.

  In this connection, his trainer Akira Yaegashi said, ‘’It’s a one-two straight. Though Takei has got a big punch and technique, he has rarely used straight punches in his past fights. He displayed straight punches in his punching-bag hitting and mitt hitting. He now can show straight punches in his sparring. I think he can show that punch in the upcoming fight.’’

  Takei has eight straight wins, all by KO, since turning pro in March 2021.

  If his past fights are any indication, Takei seldom used straight punches. In other words, he was able to win those fights without throwing straight punches.

  Takei is viewed as an underdog in his fight with Moloney. But the gym’s head Hideyuki Ohashi said, ‘’In the first place, there are not many cases where a challenger has an advantage over a champion. But considering Takei’s boxing, he is a good challenger. I hope he will go against experts’ expectation.’’

  Takei said determinedly, ‘’I will win it by knocking him out.’’

  The 33-year-old Moloney has a record of 27 wins, including 19 KOs, against two losses.

  The fight is one of the four world championship bouts held at the dome with Takei’s senior stablemate and undisputed world super bantamweight champion Naoya ‘’The Monster’’ Inoue’s title defense against the World Boxing Council’s top-ranked super bantamweight Luis Nery of Mexico will serve as the main event of the extravaganza.