Top-ranked World Boxing Organization minimumweight Masataka Taniguchi of Watanabe Boxing Gym told a press conference held online on Dec. 7 after the day’s public workout that he will challenge WBO champion Wilfredo Mendez of Puerto Rico on Dec. 14 for the latter’s title ‘’actively’’ like a real challenger should do.

The scheduled 12-round title fight, to be held at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena, will be the 27-year-old Taniguchi’s second carack at a world title following the one held in February 2019 against Victorio Saludar of the Philippines. Taniguchi dropped a lopsided unanimous decision to the Filipino.

The 27-year-old Taniguchi said, ‘’This time, I will not let my opponent do what he wants because I will fight actively like a challenger should do. If I fight a passive fight (like he did in his first world title challenge), that would work out bad for me.’’

‘’In my first challenge for a world title, I got too much conscious about becoming the champion.’’ Taniguchi, a southpaw, could not do his boxing and displayed only a monotone performance.

‘’This time, I will concentrate only on beating Mendez,’’ said Taniguchi, who added he has studied various strategies and tactics depending on the course of the fight.

The 25-year-old Mendez, who is making his third defense of the title he captured from Saludar, is also left-handed and is known for his good technical ability.

Mendez has a record of 16 wins against a loss, while Taniguchi has a 14-3 win-loss tally with nine KOs.
The scheduled 12-rounder will serve as the chief supporting card of World Boxing Association’s ‘’super’’ and International Boxing Federation’s bantamweight champion Naoya ‘’Monster’’ Inoue of Ohashi Boxing Gym’s title defense against the IBF’s fifth-ranked Aran Dipaen of Thailand.

All the tickets for the event were sold out. In this connection, Taniguchi said half-jokingly ‘’The tickets were sold out thanks to Mr. Inoue’s popularity. I hope fans (at the venue) will see my fight to use that opportunity.’’　Photo by Watanabe Boxing Gym