Ryuichi Funai, Most Obscure Champion You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Not that anybody really cares who the dominant fighters in the super flyweight division are, but the World Boxing Organization Asia Pacific Super Flyweight champion is former Japanese Super Flyweight champion Ryuichi Funai. At age 32, this 13 year ring pro veteran from Tokyo, Japan, sports a record of 30-7 with 21 knockouts.
Japanese and Filipino fighters tend to dominant the lower weight classes, with some Koreans, and now China entering the mix. Asian fighters tend to be in the lower weights, being the main reason, and the lower weight classes are highly competitive.
Funai has only been 10 rounds once, and lost a majority 10 round decision to world ranked Sho Ishida in a Japanese titular fight. Still, Funai could get a world title shot. The question arises, how many people know who the Japanese fighters are, let alone Funai? In reality, Funai has to be among the most obscure world ranked fighters today. Perhaps some Japanese boxing fans know who he is, but outside of Japan, nobody knows who he is.
Funai, by virtue of his WBO regional title belt, is angling for a shot at the winner of Donnie Nietes versus Aston Palicte in Cebu City, Philippines, for the vacant World Boxing Organization World Super Flyweight title recently vacated Naoya Inoye, who won the WBA World Bantamweight title over Jamie McConnell in Japan this past May.
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