Yudai Shigeoka Ready to Revisit Pradabsri Fight After Stopping Wilfredo Mendez
After stopping former WBO champion Wilfredo “Bimbito” Mendez (18-3, 6KO) for the WBC Interim title, Yudai Shigeoka (7-0, 5KO) awaits a title shot with WBC champion Panya Pradabsri (39-1, 23KO).
Shigeoka, the older brother of IBF Interim titlist Ginjiro Shigeoka, originally was set to fight Pradasbri for the title. However, the champion withdrew from the fight after needing immediate medical attention.
Mendez entered the ring on a two-fight win streak since losing the title to Masataka Taniguchi in 2021. Looking to get back into the title picture, the former champion rated #7 by the WBC stepped in as a late replacement.
SHIGEOKA OVERCOMES EARLY TROUBLE TO SCORE THE STOPPAGE
The movement of the former champion was giving the hard-punching Japanese fighter trouble at the beginning of the contest. Mendez used footwork and feints to land the straight left hand, which kept Shigeoka from pulling the trigger.
As the fight continued, the older Shigeoka finally started cutting off the ring, closing the gap before launching left and right hooks to the body. Like his younger brother in the earlier fight, he picked up the pace with the body shots, looking to slow Mendez down.
In round five, Shigeoka dropped the former champion with two brutal overhand lefts. Despite surviving the round, Mendez fought in retreat mode until a vicious body shot folded him like a lawn chair, ending the fight in the seventh round.
Shigeoka can put this fight in the rearview mirror. Moreover, he can return to focus on fighting for the title while waiting to see when Panya Pradabsri is able to return to the ring.
