Galal Yafai has nice memories of his last visit to Japan, and on Saturday evening he will strive to reserve a return trip.
Yafai (9-0, 7 Kos), 32, which won gold in the Flyight Wagi Competition at 52 kg at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (39-6-1, 27 Kos), 32, in Bishop Pulse Live Arena (formerly Arena NEC)) in your home Birmingham, England, on Saturday.
Winner Yafai vs. Rodrigues for the ephemeral title WBC Flyight will proceed in the face of the winner of the clash between the Japanese WBC World Flyight, Kenshiro Teraji (25-1, 16 Kos) and Ricardo Rafael Sandoval (26-2, 18 Kos), from California, in Yokohama, Japan, July 30.
“If Teraji came and win on Saturday, I would like to go to Japan and fight him at the end of the year,” said Yafai Espn.
“I won the Olympic gold medal in Japan. I have good memories of this place and I liked my time there. This is a good omen my story, and it would be nice to go back and win my first world title after winning the Games there.
“Japan is a great country for smaller burdens, it currently has a great tradition with several great warriors, but first I have to defeat Rodrigues before I start thinking about it.”
Yafai looks more than ready for the first world championship after the detention of the former IBF world champion and English rival Sunlit Edwards in round 6 in November November WBC in November last year.
But Yafai, who worked at the car factory before starting an amateur boxing career, realizes that he is against an experienced opponent and is probably ready for a long night than his victory over Edwards Versus Rodrigues, who leaves the division to face the English boxer.
Rodrigues from Monterrey in Mexico was taken by Junto, currently the world weight of Bantamweight No. 1 and WBC-IBF champion, to points in over 10 rounds in 2022, and has not lost since then.
In September 2021, Rodrigues was unanimously overtaken by Kazuto Iok for the title of WBO World Junior Bantamweight, and also unanimously lost points for Donnie Nietes for the title of WBO World Junor Flywer.
“He took such as dug and Iok at a distance, he was in good company and was not detained by these guys, so he is tough,” said Yafai ESPN.
“I am motivated to win titles and want to fight for the full title of the world champion, but you never know in this game what will happen next. I would like to think that if I beat Rodrigues, I will fight for the title of WBC World, but I don’t make decisions.
“I have no idea how long I will continue, because you just don’t know with boxing. I try not to set long -term goals. I would be lucky that I would have another ten fights for five years.”
Such as Skilany and Nayya Inoue have gained many world titles in lighter weight classes, and Yafai has ambitions to box not to fly.
But Yafai insists that the goal was to first win the title of world champion before he starts to call to fight the WBC champion Munior Bantameight, Jesse Bam Rodriguez (21-0, 14 Kos), 25, from Texas.
“I definitely want to pay weight, you have bam [Jesse Rodriguez] In the above ward of weight and he is a great warrior, a huge name, but for now I have an eye on Rodrigues – said Yafai ESPN.
“First, I want to be a world champion in a fly weight, and then I can look at other fights on the divisions about a higher weight. It would be great to go and fight with bam one day, but I did not even fight for the title of world champion.”