Shokichi Iwata vs Erik Badillo

I’m excited for this one. Shokichi Iwata has the belt, the home crowd, and the sharper tools, but Erik Badillo is unbeaten for a reason, and Mexicans do not fly halfway round the world just to make up the numbers. He’ll come to have a tear-up, make Iwata work every second, and see whether the champion can stay neat when the heat gets turned up.

Iwata is the more polished operator. He punches straight, gets his feet back underneath him quickly, and for a light-flyweight, he carries spite. His record shows 13 stoppages from 16 wins, which tells you he is not just touching you and nicking rounds. Badillo, unbeaten at 19-0, looks more like the steady pressure merchant: not as destructive, but awkward, stubborn, and happy to make a fight ugly if that is what gets him inside.

Iwata must keep the centre, use the jab to blind Badillo, then whip the right hand and left hook before stepping off. If he admires his work, Badillo will be on his chest, digging and dragging him into the trenches. Badillo’s chance is to smother the clean work and make Iwata fight at Mexican rhythm, close, messy, elbows tucked, all engine.

But I think Iwata’s timing and sharper punch selection will tell. Badillo will have brave moments, maybe bloody the champion’s nose, but he’ll walk into heavy artillery.

Iwata wins by stoppage in the second half of the fight.