WBO minimumweight champion Vic Saludar’s first world title defense is set.
Saludar will return to Japan to defend his title against Masataka Taniguchi on February 26 at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall. This will be Saludar’s third overall fight taking place in Japan.
The 28-year-old Saludar, undefeated since the summer of 2017, won the title last July when he defeated Ryuya Yamanaka. The fight, which extended Saludar’s win streak to four fights, headlined a boxing show at Central Gym in Kobe, Japan. Saludar is also ranked No. 10 on Fightful's boxing rankings at 105 and 108 pounds.
Taniguchi, a 25-year-old who has been fighting professionally since 2016, is coming off a win over Joel Lino in November to win the WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight title. Taniguchi unsuccessfully challenged for the Japanese and OPBF titles in 2017, but has now won his last three fights. Taniguchi is currently the No. 2 ranked minimumweight in the WBO rankings and is ranked No. 6 by the IBF.
Announced for the show is the second pro fight of highly-touted prospect Ginjiro Shigeoka, facing an opponent to be named later in a six-round bout at 105 pounds. Undefeated boxer Shu Utsuki will face Jerry Castroverde on the card as well in what will be Utsuki’s fourth fight.
Another fight on the card will be a bantamweight bout between rising prospect Fumiya Fuse taking on Naoto Mizutani. According to Asian Boxing, there is also a possibility of amateur standout making his pro debut on the card as well.
