ANOTHER SALUDAR SEEKS WORLD TITLE
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 20 Jul 2018
Froilan Saludar (28W-2L-1D,19KO?s) will try to reverse his fortunes on the road when he challenges WBO flyweight world champion Sho Kimura of Japan on July 27 in Qingdao, China.
Saludar?s two career losses both happened overseas. Four years ago, Saludar was stopped in two rounds by Puerto Rican McWilliams Arroyo in an IBF eliminator in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. He suffered his second career loss in Japan in 2016 by unanimous decision to Takuma Inoue.
The 29 year old Saludar had a rebuilding process on home soil after the Inoue loss and won five straight fights by KO or TKO. He is currently ranked number four by the WBO.
Saludar, from Polomolok, South Cotabato, was a three time national amateur champion before he turned pro in 2009 and he subsequently acquired regional WBO belts.
His brother Vic Saludar dethroned Japanese Ryuya Yamanaka last week for the WBO minimumweight world title.
But for the Saludar brothers to make history, Froilan must overcome the sturdy Kimura (16W-1L-2D,9KO?s), who became popular in China when he dethroned China?s boxing star Zou Shiming in Shanghai by 11th round TKO last year.
Since that fight, Kimura made guest appearances in Hong Kong and mainland China during big fight cards.
Kimura, also 29 years old, defended his title successfully last December by TKO against countryman Toshiyuki Igarashi by ninth round TKO in Tokyo.
Kimura is another Cinderella story in boxing. He came in as a heavy underdog against Zou and worked delivering crates of beer for a restaurant in Tokyo before his upset win.
Kimura vs Saludar will be part of a huge fight card in the city known for Tsingtao Beer. The card?s main attraction will WBA minimumweight champion Thammanoon Niyomtrong of Thailand defending his crown against China?s Chaozhong Xiong.
Xiong is the first male Chinese boxer to win a professional world title. In 2012, be beat Mexican Javier Martinez Resendiz for the vacant WBC straweight title. He defended it twice, including a majority decision win against Filipino Denver Cuello in Dubai before losing in 2014 to another Mexican, Oswaldo Novoa, by fifth round TKO.
Also on the undercards ? Filipino Sonny Katiangdagho will fight China?s Baishanbo Nasiyiwula for WBA Asia and WBC Asia lightweight belts.
On July 29, a Filipina will also battle for a world title against a Japanese champion. Gretchen Abaniel faces Tenkai Tsunami for the WBO female light flyweight title in Okinawa, Japan.
Photo ? Froilan Saludar (left) and Sho Kimura.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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