RJ Ano-os of the RWS Gym of Cebu will fight on the undercard of the WBA world bantamweight title bout between champion Koki Kameda of Japan and John Mark Apolinario of the Philippines in Tokyo on July 23.
The 22 year-old Ano-os (7W-4L, 2 KOs) will face Kuninobu Shimamura (15W-2L, 10 KOs) of Japan. RWS Gym trainer Juanito Ablaca informed CDN of the match-up.
Ano-os will try to bounce back from the 6th round KO loss he suffered last year in Dumaguete City at the hands of Joseph Von Minoza of the ALA Gym. Ano-os also had a unanimous decision loss to Takashi Miura in Japan last year. His last victory was a first round knockout win over Joan de Guia in Liloan, Cebu in 2011.
The 28 year-old Shimamura has scored stoppage wins in his last three fights.
Apolinario (17W-2L-3D, 4 KOs), who hails from Sarangani, is coming off back to back draws against Roberto Vasquez of Panama for the interim version of the WBA title.
Kameda (30W-1L, 17 KOs) on the other hand, has already defended his title six times. He was in Cebu last year together with brother Daiki, a former WBA flyweight champion, and trained at the RWS gym in Labangon.
Ablaca also announced that Marlon Tapales will once again face Fredirex Rodriguez of Bukidnon instead of Mexican Edgar Martinez on the undercard of the WBO world bantamweight title bout between challenger Tomoki Kameda of Japan and champion Paulus Ambunda of Namibia on August 1 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.
Tomoki will try to duplicate the feat of his brothers Koki and Daiki in his first attempt at a world title. /correspondent Rene Bonsubre Jr.