Ryoichi Taguchi Makes Latest Title Defence Against Hekkie Budler

WBA Super Light Flyweight Champion Ryoichi Taguchi, 27-2-2-(12), is set to make the eighth defense of his title against former WBA Minimumweight Chamtitleholder Hekkie Budler, 31-3-(10).

The fight will take place at Tokyo’s Ota-City General Gymnasium on Sunday(May 20).

Taguchi is undefeated in 10 fights since losing a decision to Naoya Inoue in “The Monster’s” fourth pro fight in August of 2013. Taguchi convincingly beat Alberto Rossel for the WBA Light Flyweight Title in December of 2014 and has held it ever since, while also gaining “Super Champion” status in his last fight against Milan Melindo this last December.

Budler, on the other hand, successfully held the WBA Minimumweight Crown for two years while defending it four times before losing a decision to Byron Rojas in a very close fight. Since then he is 2-1, losing a close split decision fight to Milan Melindo this last September.

The fight figures to be a very good one between a pressure fighting style in the champion Taguchi and the slick defensive boxer in Budler. Both men are very tough to beat as their losses could mostly swing either way outside of Taguchi’s loss to Inoue, who many see as a pound for pound list fighter.