Ginjiro Shigeoka (left) attacks the body of veteran Ray Loreto.Photo: Naoki Fukuda
On Saturday, the Shigeoka brothers, Yudai and younger brother Ginjiro, will fight for the strawweight world title on the same card at a gym in Tokyo’s Ota Ward, aiming to become world champions.
Jinro Gin (9 wins, 0 losses, 7 KOs), ranked 4th in The Ring’s strawweight rankings, will take on Daniel Validares (26-3, 1 draw, 15 KOs), a 105-pound fighter and IBF titleholder who is ranked 6th in The Ring. challenge.
The two first met on January 6 at the same venue, but a clash of heads prevented the defending champion from continuing in the third round, resulting in the bout being a no-contest. The cut did not fully heal in time for the scheduled spring rematch, and Shigeoka subsequently suffered a leg injury that forced the August match to be canceled.
“I’m grateful to have the rematch,” Shigeoka told The Ring through translator Daisuke Shindo. “I’m going to win 100 percent and adapt to any situation and show the difference in my abilities. I think he’s a skilled boxer. He has a typical Mexican boxing style and I think he is an experienced boxer.
Since the two met earlier this year, the 23-year-old Japanese standout has become even more seasoned at championship level. He had to overcome a difficult start in April where he had to come off the canvas to stop tough former IBF titlist Marc Rene Cuarto (9 KOs).
“It was a good experience to be knocked down for the first time,” he said. “At first I thought I should have been more calm.
“It was important that I was able to overwhelm him with my jab. It was a great experience for me to fight nine rounds against a strong boxer at the international level.”
Shigeoka could have fought for a world title sooner, but he had to be patient and wait for his time.
“Even though I couldn’t play a match due to the coronavirus pandemic, I didn’t give up on my dream and continued practicing every day,” he said. “Being world champion is one of my big goals and I think that’s really the starting point.
“My brother and I want to win two titles each and conquer the minimum weight division. I don’t feel like losing to anyone. Once my brother moves up to 108 pounds, I want to beat every champion and fight. We intend to unify all four titles.”
Shigeoka was a standout amateur before turning professional in September 2018. He notably stopped former world title challenger Ray Loreto in his fifth fight (KO5). His career stalled after not fighting for 18 months due to the pandemic. The diminutive southpaw landed a number of attacks on Validares before the bout was decided early. He defeated Cuarto in his most recent match (TKO 9).
Validares won his first 11 fights before losing to journeyman Genaro Rios (MD8). He rebounded to score an impressive 2-0 win (TKO 7) over former WBO strawweight titlist Merlito Sabiro, breaking Cristian Araneta’s undefeated record (RTD 4). The Mexican fighter’s match against then-IBF belt holder Pedro Taduran was in good form, but he was cut and the bout ended in a technical draw. The 29-year-old lost his way and suffered back-to-back losses before righting the ship and defeating Quarto (SD 12) to claim the IBF title.
Meanwhile, Yudai (7-0, 5 KOs), who ranks fifth in The Ring’s strawweight rankings, will face Pet Manny CP Freshmart (40-1, 24 KOs), who ranks second in The Ring’s strawweight rankings.
After winning several regional belts, Freshmart won the WBC title in November 2020 by defeating long-reigning compatriot Wangheng Menayothin. The 32-year-old Thai has successfully defended his title four times, most notably defeating Menayothin (UD12) and Norihito Tanaka in the rematch. (UD 12/TKO 8).
Yudai has won five national titles and had dreams of representing Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, like Colasso, the weight class was abolished, and he opted to turn professional in October 2019. Although he is not as highly rated as his younger brother (Ginjiro), he is still an excellent fighter with a promising future. Particularly in 2021, he defeated the experienced Tsubasa Takara (MD12) and in his most recent bout stopped former world champion Wilfredo Mendez (KO7).
Also available on RINGTV:
The Ring Reviewed in 2023 Ratings: Strawweight – The Ring (ringtv.com)
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