Photo caption: Kenny Demecillo. | Facebook photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Former top contender Kenny “Big Heart” Demecillo gets a shot for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia Pacific super bantamweight title as he faces Japanese Kazuki Nakajima on February 16, 2023 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Demecillo, now fighting under Sanman Boxing Gym, will battle Nakajima for the vacant WBO regional title.
The 30-year-old Demecillo, who is formerly based in Cebu with the Omega Boxing Gym, holds a record of 16 wins with 10 knockouts, five losses, and two draws.
Demecillo of Iligan City has won back-to-back matches since he signed with Sanman Boxing Gym. He defeated Eric Pulgo and Macrea Gandionco via stoppage just this year.
It was a huge comeback for him, following his 2019 unanimous decision loss to former world title challenger Michael Dasmariñas.
Demecillo isn’t new when it comes to fighting abroad. He already fought in Hong Kong and Russia. He lost to Mark Anthony Geraldo in 2017 in Hong Kong via decision, while he staged a huge upset against Russian Vyacheslav Mirzaev in 2018 in Anapa, Russia via a fifth round knockout.
However, his fight with Nakajima won’t be a walk in the park. The 29-year-old Japanese has an impressive record of 13-1-1 (win-loss-draw) with 11 knockouts.
Nakajima has won six of his eight bouts since 2020. He only lost once to fellow Japanese Keita Kurihara for the OPBF bantamweight title in 2021 and settled for a draw against Seiya Tsutsumi in 2020.
Demecillo and Nakajima’s WBO regional title showdown will be the main event of a seven-bout fight card promoted by Ohashi Promotions.
/bmjo
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