Apolinar returns to Japan for Taduran-Ginjiro undercard bout

Apolinar returns to Japan for Taduran-Ginjiro undercard bout

Pete Apolinar (in red gloves) during his December 30, 2023 fight at the SM Seaside City Cebu. | CDN Digital photo / Glendale Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu-based Pete “Prime Time” Apolinar will fight in the undercard of Pedro Taduran-Ginjiro Shigeoka’s world title duel on July 28 in Shiga, Japan.

Apolinar, a former regional title holder, confirmed to CDN Digital that he will be one of the two Filipinos, including Taduran, who are in the fight card.

The Koki Kameda-backed fight card will pit Taduran, the No. 1 contender, for Shigeoka’s International Boxing Federation (IBF) world minimumweight title in the main event.

READ: Pete Apolinar eyes redemption as he faces Chinese foe in “Prime Fight 3”

Meanwhile, Apolinar will be featured in the co-main event against rising Japanese prospect Matcha Nakagawa in an eight-rounder bout in the featherweight division.

Earlier, Apolinar had a majority draw in his December 30 bout at the SM Seaside City Cebu. He fought Chinese Lingjie Xia for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental featherweight title.

READ: Apolinar out to impress with new promoter in Prime Fight 3 mainer

It was supposed to be Apolinar’s statement win after he recently bounced back from back-to-back losses in Japan.

Nonetheless, the 29-year-old San Pablo, Laguna native still has a promising record of 17 wins with 10 knockouts, four defeats, and one draw.

READ: Pete Apolinar glad to be under the watchful eye of renowned nutritionist Jeaneth Aro

He currently fights at the Prime Stag Sports Boxing Stable in Talisay City, south Cebu.

Meanwhile, Nakagawa, 30, is also coming off from a draw. It was after he fought countryman Hiroki Hanabusa last March 15 in Tokyo, Japan, but ended up with a split draw in their eight-rounder bout.

Apolinar will be Nakagawa’s first Filipino opponent. He has a 15-2-2 (win-loss-draw) record with six knockouts.

The other featured bouts announced in the Taduran-Shigeoka undercard were Toma Kondo versus Hayate Hanada, Keisuke Iwasaki vs. Daichi Morino, and Lim Seavlam vs. Ryusei Morikawa.

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