The World Boxing Council’s seventh-ranked minimumweight Wilfredo Mendez of Puerto Rico will fight with third-ranked Yudai Shigeoka of Watanabe Boxing Gym for the division’s world interim title on Apr. 16 in Tokyo as champion Panya Pradabsri of Thailand cancelled his planned fight with Shigeoka earlier this month due to his catching the flue, organizers said on Apr. 10.

The 26-year-old Mendez, a former World Boxing Organization minimumweight champion, arrived in Japan the same day together with Koki Kameda, head of Kameda Promotion.

Immediately after Panya’s cancellation of the fight, Kameda went to New York to negotiate with the Mendez side while obtaining the approval of the WBC for the interim fight, which will be held at Yoyogi National 2nd Gymnasium.

Mendez last fought in November last year and won the WBO Latin America minimumweight title. He has a record of 18 wins, including six knockouts, against two losses. Unlike right-handed Panya, Mendez is left-handed. He said he has no problem making the weight. As for Yudai Shigeoka, he is undefeated in his six bouts, four by KO.

Yudai’s younger brother Ginjiro Shigeoka will also compete in the International Boxing Federation minimumweight world interim title fight in the same event.