CEBU CITY, Philippines — Filipino ArAr Andales reportedly withdrew from his world title bout on March 31 in Nagoya, Japan.
Andales was scheduled to fight the reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) world minimumweight champion, Ginjiro Shigeoka of Japan.
Their world title duel was supposedly a double-header world title bout with fellow Filipino Melvin Jerusalem gunning for Shigeoka’s brother, Yudai, who is defending the World Boxing Council (WBC) world minimumweight strap.
However, Shigeoka’s camp announced on Tuesday that they’re either canceling the world title bout or looking for a last-minute replacement after Andales informed them that he is not fighting.
Andales hasn’t announced the reason for his last-minute withdrawal.
The 24-year-old Andales would havethe chance to end the Philippines’ long drought in winning world titles in boxing.
He is a tested ring warrior with experience fighting for a world title.
He fought Thammanoon Niyomtrong in 2019 for the World Boxing Association (WBA) world minimumweight title but lost via a technical decision in Thailand.
This would have also been Andales’s third time to fight in Japan if he didn’t withdraw from the fight. His two previous bouts there ended in disappointing technical draws against hometown boxer Tsubasa Koura and Puerto Rican Wilfredo Mendez from 2022 to 2023.
He has a record of 14 wins with six knockouts, two losses, and three draws. Shigeoka is unbeaten in 10 fights with eight knockouts.
Despite this setback, Jerusalem and Yudai Shigeoka’s world title showdown pushes through.
Jerusalem of Cebu-based ZIP Sanman Boxing team and his trainer, Michael Domingo, are scheduled to fly to Japan tomorrow, March 27.
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