Three pro fights. One regional title. Next stop… the world ?
Japan's Raito "The Thunder" Kataoka, just 20 years old, stopped the Philippines' ArAr "Asero" Andales in round nine at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall on Thursday night to win the vacant OPBF light-flyweight title.
Kataoka is now 3-0 (3 KOs). His promoter, Hideyuki Ohashi — the man behind Naoya Inoue — admitted Andales was not the kind of opponent you take in a third fight. A dangerous gamble, he said.
And Ohashi wasn't wrong about the danger.
Andales is no stepping stone. The Northern Samar man came in ranked No. 7 by the IBF and No. 12 by the WBC, on a five-fight win streak, and he once challenged Knockout CP Freshmart for the WBA minimumweight title in 2019.
"Asero" means steel — and he lived up to it. Kataoka himself said afterwards he was very tough. The referee finally stepped in at 2:56 of round nine.
So well done to the Thunder.
But big respect to Andales, who flew into the lion's den and took the fight plenty of others wouldn't.
Ohashi now says Kataoka can fight for a world title in his FOURTH pro fight. Win it, and he breaks the Japanese record of five, held by Kosei Tanaka and Kira.
Inoue was ringside, by the way.
And the Filipino steel ? Bent, not broken.
Stay tuned !
