Kawanishi, a 5’7″ Carlos Zarate stylist, 27, annexed the OPBF 115-pound belt by demolishing Noriko Tsunoda in the fourth round in April of the previous year and impressively kept it twice to her credit. She can make good use of her advantageous height and reach to outpunch her opposition.

Both tipped the beam at the 115-pound class limit at the weigh-in at the office of the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC). The officials are as follows: referee Toshio Sugiyama; judges Takeo Harada, Kazunobu Asao and Kazutoshi Yoshida; supervisor Ken Morita (all of the JBC).

This title bout is staged by Takehara & Hatakeyama Promotions in association with Ichiriki Promotions. Both Shinji Takahara (160) and Takanori Hatakeyama (130, 135) were formerly WBA titleholders now handling Fujioka. The ex-middleweight champ Takehara (who once dethroned Jorge Locomotora Castro) said, “Fujioka, in sparring, was stronger than me.” No kidding.