Surigao’s ‘The Bull’ to fight for vacant OPBF title in Japan

Arienza won the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council super lightweight crown (Pixabay photo)

DAVAO CITY — Filipino boxer Jeffrey “The Bull” Arienza of Surigao City will face Japan’s Rikki Naito for the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super lightweight title on January 13 at the Korakuen Hall in Japan.

The title was vacated by Australian Darragh Foley, who last defended it successfully last June 23 via a 5th round technical decision also against Arienza at the Entertainment Centre in Australia.

Arienza (16W-6L-1D, 10 KOs) won the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council super lightweight crown by knocking out Indonesian Wellem Reyk (19W-17L-4D, 5 KOs) in the 5th round in 2016.

The native of Surigao City also fought but lost for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific super lightweight title by an 11th round TKO to Akihiro Kondo (25W-6L-1D, 16KOs) in 2016.

The 27-year-old southpaw last won by a 3rd round TKO to Ronald Postrano at the SM Mall of Asia in December 2016.

Naito (18W-2L-0D, 6 KOs), on the other hand, is a former Japanese super featherweight champion.

He is coming from three straight wins. Naito previously won by a split decision against then-unbeaten Baishanbo Nasiyiwula (12-0-1) of China last October 20 at Korakuen Hall.

He also earlier beat Thailand’s Nattaphon Srigosol by a 2nd round technical knockout last Sept. 1 and a UD over compatriot Yusuke Nakagawa (10W-6L-1, 6 KOs) last April 10.