ASTON Palicte hopes to join the legendary Manny Pacquiao, Jerwin Ancajas, and Nonito Donaire Jr in the list of current world Filipino champions when he vies for the World Boxing Organization super-flyweight crown on Wednesday night in Japan.
Palicte battles former three-time world champion Kazuto Ioka at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in the Japanese Prefecture of Chiba for the 115-lbs version of the WBO.
Both fighters easily made the limit during the official weigh-in. Palicte tipped in at 114.6 lbs., while Ioka came in at 114.4 lbs.
This will be Palicte’s second shot at a world title in nine months.
The 28-year-old Filipino (25-2-1, with 21 KOs) fell short in his first attempt last September after being held to a split draw by compatriot Donnie ‘Ahas’ Nietes’ for the vacant WBO super-flyweight crown in Inglewood, California.
Nietes ironically, would win that same title belt three months later when he scored a split decision win over Ioka in a New Year’s Eve fight card held at the Wynn Cotai in Macau.
Nietes has since relinquished the crown, paving the way for the Palicte-Ioka showdown.
While Ioka (23-2, 13 KOs) is coming off a loss against Nietes, Palicte enters the 12-round bout fresh from a two-round demolition of Puerto Rican Jose Martinez last January in California.
Aside from being the more active fighter, Palicte is also expected to use his height and reach advantage against the 30-year-old Japanese ring icon.
Kenny Chevalier will be the third man in the ring while the three judges scoring the bout are Philip Austin, Richard Blouin, and Leszek Jankowiak.
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