Former Japanese super welterweight champion Hironobu Matsunaga of Yokohama Hikari Boxing Gym will face Jhony Navarrete of Mexico in a 10-round nontitle fight at Puebla in southern Mexico on April 30, it was learned recently.

The fight, to be promoted jointly by Yokohama Hikari President Ichitaro Ishii’s A-SIGN Boxing Promotion and Mexico’s MX Promotion, will be held at Arena BUAP in the city and might be a match to decide the challenger to a title of the WBC’s subordinate organization, according to sources close to the fight.

Southpaw Matsunaga won the Japanese title in May 2019 and successfully defended it three times before relinquishing the title last year. He fought in Puebla last August and knocked out Isidro Toala of Mexico in the first round.

The 31-year-old Matsunaga has a record of 20 wins, including 13 KOs, and a loss, while Navarrete, also 31, is said to be an elder brother of reigning World Boxing Organization featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete, has a 34-17-2 win-loss-draw tally with 15 KOs.

Matsunaga said in writing, ‘’My opponent Navarrete has a boxing rhythm typical of a Mexican. While the fight may be a hard-fought one, I am determined to beat him with impact so that my name will be better known overseas.’’