JESS Rhey Waminal attempts to bounce back from his current slump as he takes on promising Japanese warrior Ryo Nakai on Aug. 30 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.“This is an important fight for me so that I’ll return back up. I really fell from the rankings,” Waminal told SunStar Cebu.Waminal lost his last two fights—a unanimous decision loss to Pete Apolinar last year and a fourth round knockout against Jon Jon Estrada.Waminal is a former World Boxing Association (WBA) Asia bantamweight champion after winning the belt with a ninth round knockout of Jin Wook Lim in 2018 in South Korea.The 27-year-old Waminal was a standout in his amateur days and was one of promising prospects of the now-defunct ALA Gym.Meanwhile, Nakai is relatively new to the pro ranks. He made his pro debut in 2019 with a majority draw with Pinoy Jay Lloyd Quidlat. He won his next two fights before suffering his first career loss to Shu Utsuki. But he bounced back and won his last two contests against Fil-Japanese Go Hosaka, Waminal’s ALA Gym teammate, and Ribo Takahata.Waminal is 14-5-1 with eight knockouts, while the 24-year-old Nakai is 4-1-1 with two knockouts.Also seeing action in the same show is grizzled veteran Mark Anthony Geraldo.Geraldo takes on Japanese prospect Ryuto Owan.The 31-year-old Geraldo is looking to bounce back after losing to Igorot up-and-comer Carl Jammes Martin.Geraldo is a tested veteran and boasts a win over former world champion Jerwin Ancajas. He has also fought but lost to the likes of Nordine Oubaali, McJoe Arroyo and Arthur Villanueva.The 24-year-old Owan is a winner of three straight fights since suffering his first career defeat in 2018 in the hands of Tetsu Araki.Geraldo is 38-10-3 with 19 knockouts, while Owan is 8-1 with six knockouts.