Japanese bantamweight boxer Manabu Fukushima will fight Ukrainian WBA champion Wladimir Sidorenko in Tokyo in June in his first shot at a world title in three years, his gym said Friday.
The title match will take place at Korakuen Hall on June 4. A former Oriental-Pacific Boxing Federation super bantamweight champion, the 30-year-old Fukushima lost to interim champion Oscar Larios of Mexico on an eighth-round technical knockout in a WBC super bantamweight title fight in August 2002.
Sidorenko, a 28-year-old bronze medalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will take on Fukushima in the first defense of his title. He has a record of 17 wins in as many matches in his professional career, including six knockouts.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.