Akira Yaegashi: record, next fight and profile →
Naoya Inoue made the first defense of his 108 lb. title, battering overmatched challenger Samartiek Kokietgym in 11 rounds Friday evening in Tokyo, Japan. The bout served as the chief support to the World flyweight championship between Akira Yaegashi and Roman Gonzalez.
It will begin in the wee hours of Friday morning here in the US. They’ll be wide awake and ready for a big night in Tokyo. A good fight is a good fight no matter where, or when, one is. This has all the makings of a good fight. Two of the game’s proven thrillers will lock horns in boxing’s most exciting current division with the World Flyweight Championship on the line. The challenger has never lost. The champion enters having won 13 of his last 14, the lone loss a narrow decision in a 105 lb. unification contest.
This Friday night in Tokyo, World Boxing Council Flyweight champion Akira Yaegashi (20-3, 10 KOs), will defend his title against the two time world champion, Nicaraguan Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez (39-0, 33 KOs) in what is expected to be a barn burner! At a press conference held in Tokyo, challenger and champion were finally face to face for the first time.
Roman Gonzalez seeks to become the first fighter from Nicaragua since the late, great Alexis Arguello to claim a major title in three weight classes. In order to turn the trick, he will have to travel to Tokyo, Japan and the backyard of defending World flyweight king Akira Yaegashi. The oddsmakers don’t seem to see it as much of an uphill battle, as Gonzalez is a considerable favorite to head home with hardware in tow. That’s not to say he won’t have a fight on his hands.
All fighters slated for Friday's big show in Tokyo were on point during Thursday's pre-fight weigh-in. Headlining the show, Akira Yaegashi attempts the fourth defense of the World flyweight crown as he faces unbeaten Román Gonzalez. Yaegashi (20-3, 10KOs) came in exactly at the 112 lb. flyweight limit. The bout is his first since a 9th round stoppage of Odilon Zaleta this past April. On the same show, Gonzalez scored a 4th round stoppage of Juan Purisima in his final tune-up. Gonzalez (39-0, 33KOs) weighed slightly lighter than the defending champion, tipping the scales at a chiseled 111.75 lb. A win will make him just the second fighter ever from Nicaragua to win major titles in three weight classes. The only other to perform the feat is the late Alexis Arguello.
By Jake Donovan - Akira Yaegashi had a close-up view to his future when he and Román ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez shared a card together this past April in Japan. Still the reigning flyweight king chooses to run towards the sound of gunfire. Gonzalez was there purely in stay-busy capacity, dispatching overmatched Juan Purisma to pick up his 5th straight knockout since moving up to flyweight last May. Roughly an hour or so later, Yaegashi was celebrating his one-year anniversary (give or take a couple of days) as flyweight king with a 9th round knockout of Odilon Zaleta. Their placement on the show was designed to help drum up interest towards an eventual clash together, which was finally confirmed in late June. From the moment it was formally announced, the belief was that September 5 will spell an end to Akira Yaegashi’s title run, officially ushering in the era of one of the most acclaimed lower weight class fighters in Gonzalez.
Former minimumweight and junior flyweight world champion Roman "Chocolatito" González of Nicaragua finished up his final sparring session for the upcoming fight on the 5th of September against the Japanese champion Akira Yaegashi, who holds the world flyweight title of the World Council Boxing (WBC). After the sparring, "Chocolatito" (39-0, 33 KOs) completed 185 rounds, a figure that says a lot about the preparation and seriousness with which Roman is taking his world title bout against Yaegashi (20-3, 10 KOs) . But this time, unlike other preparations, he has a special focus on becoming only the second fighter in his country to win a world title in three weight divisions.
Chocks away! At the Ohashi Boxing Gym Yokohama City, WBC flyweight champion Akira Yaegashi (20-3-10 KOs) showed he's keyed up and ready...bar nothing, for the fourth defense of his crown on September 6th. In a public workout, Akira buzzed through two sparring rounds, with a speed and fluency which greatly impressed to the assembled Japanese press.
The Nicaraguan boxer Román "Chocolatito" Gonzalez (39-0, 33KOs) continues to work hard for his fight against WBC flyweight champion Akira Yaegashi (20-3, 10KOs), scheduled for September 5 in Tokyo, Japan. Earlier today, Gonzalez a public training session for the Japanese press. The media day was organized by promoter Teiken, led by businessman Akihiko Honda. According Arnulfo Obando, the coach Gonzalez, the boxer has held private sparring and training sessions in Tokyo.
Undefeated Nicaraguan, and number one ranked contender in the flyweight division, Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez (39-0, 35KOs) is already on Japanese soil, where on September 5th he challenges WBC champion Akira Yaegashi (20-3, 10KOs) at the Yoyogi No. 2 Gymnasium in Tokyo. This card is organized by former Strawweight WBC world Champion, Hideyuki Ohashi, who's the President of the Ohashi Boxing Gym in Yokohama and also Leader of the Professional Boxing Association in Japan.