The ongoing saga that is Wanheng Menayothin vs. Tatsuya Fukuhara being on an endless postponement period continues once again with a report that it has been delayed yet again.
According to Asian Boxing, the fight, for Menayothin's WBC minimumweight title, has now been delayed to May 31. No reason was given for the delay, but it is now at least the third time the title bout was pushed back from its original fight date back on March 1.
The fight was then pushed back to late March and then April 24 taking place in Chonburi, Thailand. The two boxers previously fought in 2017 with Menayothin coming out on top with a unanimous decision victory. As for the open April 24 time slot on local Thai television, that slot was reportedly filled by an OPBF Silver bantamweight title fight featuring former world title challenger Petch Sor Chitpattana.
Menayothin is the sport’s only active boxer to have won more than 50 consecutive fights. Menayothin is also one of boxing’s longest reigning champions, having held the WBC world title since 2014. Menayothin surpassed Floyd Mayweather's 50-0 record last year when he defeated Pedro Taduran, also in Thailand. The rematch against Fukuhara will be Menayothin's 11th world title defense.
Fukuhara, a former world champion at 105 points, previously held the WBO title but lost the belt to Ryuya Yamanaka in the summer of 2017, ending Fukuhara’s reign without a single successful title defense. The loss to Menayothin was Fukuhara’s second consecutive loss, but has since then bounced back with two straight victories in 2018.
