Hideyuki Ohashi, head of Ohashi Boxing Gym in Yokohama to which former undisputed world bantamweight champion Naoya ‘’The Monster’’ Inoue belongs, said on Jan. 27 he will invite former U.S. amateur champion Japhethlee Llamido on Feb. 11 as a sparring partner of Inoue in preparation for his fight at super bantamweight.

The 23-year-old Llamido, who visited the gym in 2019 to spar with Inoue prior to the latter’s title unification fight with Nonito Donaire of the Philippines, is undefeated in his 10 professional bouts, including four knockouts, after turning pro two years ago at featherweight.

Llamido is known for having served as a sparring partner of former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko of Ukraine during his amateur days.

According to Ohashi, two undefeated Mexican boxers are expected to be invited in March as Inoue’s sparring partners. Two young Mexican boxers will then be invited in April as new sparring partners.

While overseas reports said an agreement has already been reached for Inoue to fight with Stephen Fulton of the U.S., who currently owns the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization super bantamweight titles, Ohashi did not make any comment on that.