Sumabong ready to challenge Japanese foe for WBO regional title

Joseph Sumabong (left) and Goki Kobayashi (right) strike a pose with WBO Asia Pacific Vice President Leon Panoncillo. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Boholano prospect Joseph Sumabong of Black Snake Boxing Gym is ready for his debut fight in Japan.

He made the contracted weight for his scheduled World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia Pacific minimumweight title showdown against the defending champion Goki Kobayashi on Sunday, June 23, at the EDION Arena in Osaka, Japan.

Sumabong and Kobayashi both weighed in at 105 pounds during Saturday’s official weigh-in for their 10-rounder bout in a Shensei Promotions-backed fight card.

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This will be the first Japan fight for the 22-year-old Sumabong who is undefeated in six fights with three knockouts.

The last time that he fought, he won the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) Australasian minimumweight title against countryman Erson Trinidad via unanimous decision in the undercard of “Kumong Bol-anon XII” in his hometown in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

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This time, he will try his luck in the highly competitive Japanese boxing scene against Kobayashi, the current WBO No. 10 minimumweight contender.

Kobayashi, like Sumabong, has a relatively young pro record. The 25-year-old Kobayashi has a 7-1 (win-loss) record with five knockouts. He won the WBO regional title against fellow Japanese Yuri Kanaya last February in Tokyo by a third-round technical knockout (TKO).

His only defeat was against another Boholano, Jake “El Bambino” Amparo of the PMI Bohol Boxing Stable in 2023. Amparo stunned Kobayashi after winning by unanimous decision the same WBO regional title the latter is currently defending.