FORMER world title challenger Vince Paras is set to return to the ring in an international boxing event from April 17 to 19, 2026, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Paras will fight on the final day, April 19, in an eight-round bout against rising Japanese boxer Aoi Yokoyama at the Gazprom Sports Complex.
The 27-year-old Paras is trying to climb back into the world rankings. A win in this fight could help him move closer to another shot at a world title.
Yokoyama, 24, is currently ranked No. 14 by the International Boxing Federation in the super-flyweight division. He is seen as a young fighter on the rise.
Paras once challenged for a world title in 2018 but fell short. Since then, he has been working hard to get another chance. From 2019 to 2024, he won eight of nine fights, including a big win over Japanese rival Hiroto Kyoguchi. However, he later lost to Kyoguchi in their third fight.
After that, Paras won three straight matches before losing again last year to Ricardo Malajika in a title fight in South Africa.
In his latest bout, Paras bounced back with a second-round stoppage win over veteran Jaysever Abcede last February.
Meanwhile, Yokoyama has been impressive early in his career. He turned pro in 2024 and won his first fight by stoppage. He then defeated Filipino fighters Denmark Quibido and Giemel Magramo.
Yokoyama also beat Magramo by a wide decision to win the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super-flyweight title. He successfully defended his belt against Ryusei Baba last year.
Paras has a record of 25 wins, four losses, and one draw, with 19 knockouts. Yokoyama, on the other hand, is unbeaten with four wins.
Also fighting in the event is three-division world champion Johnriel Casimero, who will face Luis Nery on April 18. / EKA