Three Filipino Boxers Fall Short in Japan Across Two Events
In a challenging three-day period for Philippine boxing, three Pinoy warriors experienced defeats in Tokyo, Japan, highlighting a tough stretch for the nation's fighters on the international stage.
Capuloy and Bacaro Succumb on April 5
On April 5, 2026, at the iconic Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, two Filipino boxers faced setbacks. Rhonvex Capuloy engaged in a valiant 10-round battle against former world champion Kenichi Ogawa but ultimately lost by unanimous decision. All three Japanese judges scored the fight in favor of Ogawa, with tallies of 99-91, 98-92, and 99-91. Capuloy's record now stands at 14-5-3 with 11 knockouts, while Ogawa improved to 32-2-1 with 22 knockouts.
In the same event, Carlo Bacaro was stopped by Ryota Toyoshima in the ninth round of their WBO Asia-Pacific super-welterweight contest. The bout ended at the 44-second mark of the ninth round, dropping Bacaro's record to 14-2 with eight knockouts. Toyoshima advanced to 23-3-1 with 13 knockouts.
Tapales Upset by Oguni on April 3
Earlier, on April 3, 2026, at the same Korakuen Hall venue, former unified super-bantamweight titleholder Marlon Tapales was upset by aging ex-world champion Yukinori Oguni via unanimous decision. Tapales started strong and dominated the early rounds, but Oguni gained momentum in the fifth round and delivered damaging body shots in the seventh and eighth rounds. The judges scored it 96-94, 98-92, and 97-93 in Oguni's favor.
Tapales, who fell to 41-5 with 22 knockouts, announced on his Facebook account that he struggled with making weight and plans to move up to featherweight for his next fight. Oguni's record now stands at 24-4-3 with nine knockouts.
These losses underscore the competitive nature of boxing in Japan and serve as a reminder of the challenges Filipino fighters face abroad. The events at Korakuen Hall have prompted reflections on strategy and preparation within the Philippine boxing community.
