Taniguchi-Jerusalem, Valladares-Shigeoka Title Fight Doubleheader Set For

A title fight doubleheader is in store for the first weekend of the new year.

KWORLD3 – headed by former titlists and now first-year promoters Koki and Daiki Kameda—held a press conference on Friday to formally announce a pair of strawweight title fights to grace a January 6 show from the 5,000-seat EDION Arena in Osaka, Japan. Tokyo’s Masataki Taniguchi defends his WBO strawweight title against The Philippines’ Melvin Jerusalem, while visiting Daniel Valladares attempts the first defense of his IBF title against unbeaten contender Ginjiro Shigeoka.

Taniguchi (16-3, 11KOs) wlll attempt the second defense of his unlikely WBO title reign that began with an eleventh-round stoppage of Wilfredo Mendez last December 14 at the famed Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo. His lone fight of 2022 saw the 28-year-old southpaw stop countryman Kai Ishizawa in the eleventh round of their April 22 rematch at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Taniguchi previously outpointed a then-unbeaten Ishizawa in September 2021.

“This is the first championship match of the new year, and I will defend it in a way befitting a world champion,” Taniguchi said during an entertaining press conference.

The reigning titlist was joined by the show’s participants as well as long-retired former WBA middleweight titlist Shinji Takehara, Taniguchi requested for Takehara—the first Japanese boxer to win a middleweight title—to slap his face “to get fired up.” The former titleholder honored the wish, pulling his punches in delivering a playful slap.

Taniguchi’s win over Mendez was his second attempt at a major title. He came up short in a twelve-round decision to Vic Saludar for the same title in February 2019. It was his last defeat, with his first loss marking his lone other appearance at EDION Arena back in April 2017.

“I was a university student when I lost at this venue,” noted Taniguchi. “I would like to wipe out that bad memory.”

Jerusalem (19-2, 11KOs) enters his second career title bid.

The streaking contender from General Santos City, Philippines came up just short in a January 2017 WBC strawweight title challenge of then-unbeaten Wanheng ‘TBE’ Menayothin in Phitsanulok, Thailand, his lone career bout on the road. A ten-round points loss to countryman Joey Canoy marked the only other defeat for Jerusalem, who has since won seven in a row including a second-round stoppage on August 24 in General Santos City.

“This is my second world title match. I see it as a great opportunity,” stated Jerusalem. “I will definitely bring the belt back to the Philippines.”

Taniguchi gets top billing on the show but it’s his stablemate and fellow titlist who has drawn the most favorable reviews.

Shigeoka (8-0, 6KOs) bids for his first major title, though the 23-year-old southpaw comes in with lofty expectations nationwide. Through four years and just eight pro fights, he has already drawn comparisons to three-division champ and…