Kyotaro Fujimoto's upcoming WBO Asia Pacific & OPBF title challenger: Suthat Kalalek

Fucking despicable.

I know he was still without an opponent until a few days ago (BoxRec even now still lists Fujimoto vs. TBA for tomorrow) but this oughtn't to be sanctioned. This is beyond the pale.

Kalalek is a 5'7" tall blown-up super middleweight (and even at 168 he was much shorter than average) who for the last couple of years has campaigned at cruiser, and has an overall record of 12-9 (11) with 5 stoppage losses - all of them at the hands of men weighing under 200lbs, most of them 168. Kyotaro is 5" taller, is a world-ranked multiple-discipline combat sports contender, and his average fight night weight is 25lb more than Kalalek's highest-ever.

The only bigger outrage to do with this card is that Fujimoto was reportedly (per translation of some very angry Japanese tweets) given main event status over the light flyweight contest between unbeaten former IBF 105lb champion (vacated to chase paydays in larger divisions) Hiroto Kyōguchi and Tiburtius Monabesa of Indonesia, who is 18-0 (8). Even if the opponent weren't so dire, I'm not sure Kyotaro versus a run of the mill OPBF challenger would be a match of greater merit than Kyōguchi vs. Monabesa - but this farce?

 

It actually makes it less disappointing that none of this card will be televised live. If this is the kind of cherry picking Kyotaro is going to do then he doesn't really deserve a platform for it or any more widespread attention.

Whole situation really sucks for Kyōguchi, though.

 

@UnleashtheFURY @Boxing Prospect @CST80 @Asian_boxing

 

This content is protected

This content is protected

 

Quite a bit got in his hair, too it looks like.

 

That's an insult to Wilder. This matchmaking is more like regional level Zhilei.