Allan Tañada vowed to win the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super featherweight title with a fifth-round knockout of world-rated Japanese Rikiya Fukuhara in their clash Monday night at the Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
Tañada (9-0-2 with 4 KOs), who is ranked No. 2 by the OPBF, tipped the scales at 129 lb to Fukuhara’s 130 during Sunday’s weigh-in.
Gerry Garcia, a member of Team Tañada, reported that Allan had predicted a KO in the fifth despite the Japanese’ three-inch edge in height.
Tañada, according to Garcia, boasted that Fukuhara won’t be able to take his body shots in their clash, which is in the undercard of a world double championship promotion.
Tañada is coming off a split decision win over Jose Ocampo in a clash for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Youth title last Aug. 7.