CEBUANO prospect John Kevien Jimenez is set to return to Japan, where he will take on undefeated up-and-comer Ryusei Matsumoto in a 10-rounder on June 7, 2025, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
The 20-year-old Jimenez made his Japan debut last year and it didn’t go as planned.
He suffered his first career loss after bowing down to Takeshi Ishii by a closely-contested unanimous decision in an Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) minimumweight title fight in Tokyo.
Following that loss, Jimenez had another setback and lost to Joseph Sumabong via second-round knockout in a World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia-Pacific Youth minimumweight title contest in Naga City, Cebu.
Jimenez finally ended his slump with a second-round stoppage of Indonesian Faisol Akbar.
Now, Jimenez faces yet another tough challenge in Japan against Matsumoto, who has a reputation of beating Pinoy pugs.
Matsumoto’s first three pro fights were against Filipino fighters. He defeated Erson Trinidad, Darwin Boyones and Jomar Caindog. As an amateur, Matsumoto faced Olympic silver medalist Carlo Paalam but lost by a one-sided decision in a 2018 tournament in Thailand.
The 27-year-old Matsumoto has continued his winning streak, scoring back-to-back stoppage victories against his compatriots. He ended Katsuki Mori’s night in the seventh round and knocked out Masatora Okada in four rounds.
Jimenez is 9-2 with four knockouts, while Matsumoto is 5-0 with three knockouts.
Jimenez along with his promoter Lorenzo “Chao” Sy is leaving for Japan on June 5, 2025.
Two other Pinoy warriors are seeing action in the same card - Michael Casama and Jay Francis Buray.
The 24-year-old Casama (10-3-1, 10 KOs) will lock horns with Yuichiro Taka (4-0) as he seeks redemption after suffering a ninth-round stoppage defeat against Kenji Fujita in a WBO Asia-Pacific featherweight bout. Casama holds a 1-2 record in fights held in Japan.
On the other hand, Buray (13-3-1, 3 KOs) will slug it out with Kota Kaneko (7-1, 6 KOs).
Buray, who is coming off a second-round knockout of Marjhun Tabamo, will be aiming for his first international victory after going winless in his previous two fights abroad. / EKA