Guro faces Yoshikawa for vacant WBO AsPac belt

FORMER world title challenger Norj Guro guns for another regional belt in the hopes of another run at a world title.

Guro faces Riyuna Yoshikawa for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia-Pacific women’s minimumweight belt on Nov. 27, 2022, at the Sofia Sakai in Sakai, Osaka, Japan.

Earlier this year, the 32-year-old Guro won the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver women’s atomweight strap after defeating kickboxing star Denise Castle by a split decision in Dubai, UAE.

Guro is currently rated No. 3 in WBC’s atomweight division behind No. 2 Mika Iwakawa and No. 1 Maria Soledad Vargas. The current WBC atomweight titleholder is Fabiana Bytyqi.

Guro challenged for a world title twice. She challenged Nao Ikeyama for the WBO women’s atomweight belt but lost by unanimous decision in 2015 in Japan. The following year, Guro fought Yuko Kuroki for the WBC women’s minimumweight belt but lost via an eighth-round knockout.

The 21-year-old Yoshikawa is just an upstart in the pro ranks. She made her pro debut in 2019 and lost to Aoi Watanabe by a unanimous decision. Yoshikawa bounced back and won four of his last five contests.

Yoshikawa is coming off a majority decision over Natsuki Tarui last July 24 in Osaka.

Guro is 12-7-1 with four knockouts, while Yoshikawa is 4-1-1 with a knockout.

Also seeing action in the same card is Juanito Paredes.

Paredes (9-9-1, 4 KOs) looks to end his two-fight slump and takes on Taketo Yamahara (0-1) in a six-rounder.