FORMER world title challenger Froilan Saludar makes his return to Japan after three years and takes on 20-year-old former amateur standout Yuta Sakai in an eight-rounder on June 10, 2026, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Saludar has already fought in Japan five times and won a couple of fights there. His last outing was a first-round stoppage of Keita Kurihara in 2023 to win the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation bantamweight belt. Saludar’s other win in Japan was in 2019, wherein he stopped Tsubasa Murachi in the eighth round to claim the World Boxing Organization Asia-Pacific super-flyweight strap. His other fights in Japan were losses to Takuma Inoue, Ryoji Fukunaga and Daigo Higa.
The 37-year-old Saludar is eager to bounce back after losing his last outing to Charlton Malajika by fourth-round stoppage last year in South Africa.
Sakai is one of Japan’s promising prospects. He had an impressive amateur career in which he won a gold medal in the 2022 International Boxing Association Youth World Championships in Spain.
Sakai turned pro in 2024 and immediately made a mark with a second-round stoppage win over South Korean Ji Yong Kim. Last year, he defeated more experienced foes in Thai warriors Thanyapat Seehanan and Boonrueang Phayom.
Sakai is coming off a unanimous decision win over Pinoy Wesley Caga last March 24 in Tokyo.
Saludar has a win-loss-draw record of 37-9-1 with 26 knockouts, while Sakai boasts an unblemished slate of 7-0 with six knockouts. / EKA
