Kosei Tanaka to Face Yanga Sigqibo in Possible World Title Eliminator!
Junior bantamweight contender Kosei Tanaka (17-1, 10 KOs) has announced on social media that his next fight will occur on December 11. He will square off against South Africa’s Yanga Sigqibo (17-1-1, 5 KOs) at the Takeda Teva Ocean Arena in Nagoya, Japan.
LICKING HIS WOUNDS
A world champion at 105, 108, and 112 pounds, many pundits view Tanaka as one of the better fighters in the lower-weight divisions. But he’s still shaking off the residue from the sole defeat of his career. Seeking a fourth world title, he stepped into the ring against the reigning WBO junior bantamweight champion, Kazuto Ioka, in December 2020. That night, the champ took Tanaka to school, giving him a boxing lesson before stopping him in eight rounds.
Tanaka has had two fights since that setback. In December 2021, the 27-year-old scored a split decision win over former junior bantamweight world title challenger Sho Ishida. That was followed up with a fourth-round stoppage over Masayoshi Hashizume in June 2022. Ranked #1 by the WBO, #4 by the WBA/WBC, and #5 by the IBF, Tanaka is on the precipice of a world title shot.
THE MYSTERY FACTOR
Now he faces a Sigqibo who will be fighting for the first time outside his home country of South Africa. He’s won his last fourteen bouts and is currently ranked #5 by the WBO and #9 by the WBC at 115. The most notable opponent on his record is a unanimous decision win over former world flyweight title challenger Keyvin Lara in December 2018.
Because he’s fought exclusively in South Africa, little is known about the 28-year-old internationally. But this reporter has seen the South African on film. Sigqibo is a technically sound fighter with a good jab and decent counter-punching ability. He will need all of those attributes against Tanaka. This foe is a big step up in competition and the best opponent of his career.
It’s a big matchup for both men. They both rank in the top five by the WBO. There’s been no official announcement from the sanctioning body as of this writing. However, this fight has the look of a world title eliminator.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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