Kevin Jake Cataraja to face Gaballo’s vanquisher in Japan debut

Kevin Jake Cataraja (left) and Kenbun Torres (right). | Facebook photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Top-ranked Cebuano boxing prospect Kevin Jake “KJ” Cataraja will try to avenge the devastating knockout defeat of fellow Filipino, Reymart Gaballo, by fighting the latter’s tormentor, Kenbun Torres of Mexico on August 24 at the Yamato Arena in Osaka, Japan.

Cataraja, the No. 1 contender in the World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) super flyweight division, made the announcement via Facebook on August 14.

This fight will be Cataraja’s debut on Japanese soil and a chance to avenge thes hocking first-round technical knockout that Gaballo suffered at the hands of Torres in their bout last May in Manila.

READ: KJ Cataraja is WBO’s No. 1 super flyweight contender

Torres floored Gaballo three times in the opening round, securing a quick TKO victory.

Cataraja from Tabuelan, Cebu, brings an impressive unbeaten record of 17 wins, including 13 knockouts, into this high-stakes matchup.

READ: Tabuelan, Cebu’s ‘KJ’ Cataraja earns OPBF title via unanimous decision win over Heno

World title shot

This fight represents a significant challenge for the 29-year-old Cataraja, who is eager to showcase his readiness for a world title shot.  It will also be his first bout since his unanimous decision win over fellow Filipino Jun Blazo in February.

Meanwhile, Torres, 36, boasts a record of 14 wins (10 by knockout) and five losses. Notably, Torres has a strong track record in Japan, with 12 of his 13 victories coming on Japanese soil, including a title win in the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) bantamweight division.

READ: Cataraja walks away with UD win versus Blazo in Manila

Though this will be Cataraja’s debut fight in Japan, he is no stranger to the country. He has been training there for several years with the ZIP Sanman Boxing Team and has sparred with Japanese boxing stars, including Naoya Inoue.

A victory over Torres could position Cataraja for a showdown with the reigning WBO super flyweight champion, Kosei Tanaka, a matchup that looms on the horizon.

Cataraja is currently in Japan, preparing diligently for the bout, which will be part of the “3150 Lushu Bomu” fight card promoted by Kameda Promotions.