Not sure I understand why Hina is taking a step down like this. Don't get me wrong, Ohashi certainly isn't the worst opponent. He's a respectable 17-5-2 (11), and is ranked fifth nationally in Japan and 7th by the OPBF at featherweight...and has scored two decent enough domestic victories since losing his Japanese 126lb title last year. The problem is that Maruta's last two consecutive opponents (Tatsuyoshi Tameda and Coach Hiroto) have both knocked Ohashi out...as did Taiki Minamoto to lift the belt off him in April of 2018, and Tatsuya Takahashi seven years ago. IMO his close scrape with Filipino Benjain Ypon "The Nightmare" Mananquil (who, as it happens, is continuing a three-fight and counting home stand in Japan in a couple of weeks, taking on Takahashi) last year was largely due to Maruta feasting on weak opposition in the wake of his first pro loss, to Hidenori Otake in 2017, and growing complacent. He seemed well on his way to rectifying that mistake by following the Mananquil draw with successive credible foes in Hiroto and Tameda. So why halt and reverse that momentum? Now, of course styles make fights and we all know triangle-theory doesn't work in boxing - yet I'm struggling to see how Ohashi, a straightforward puncher who cites Danny García of all people as his boxing idol dunno) has the stuff to pull off the upset.
This is a Japanese title eliminator, the winner will face Sagawa or Hino in the 2020 Champion Carnival, hence why Maruta is taking this one, it was more forced upon him if he wanted to fight for a Japanese title ASAP (Abe vs Sagawa was mandated to fight Hino, winner is mandated to defend against Marura/Ohashi winner). Thought the judges did the dirty in the Philippines on Maruta tbh. BTW Ohashi's KO vs Wakabayashi is up there with the best of the year, pulled it out whilst well down on my card as well A relatively brief overview of what the Champion Carnival is- http://www.asianboxing.info/champion-carnival.html
