Photo credit: Fernando Randy/VIVA News

Featherweight Satoshi Hosono looks to make the fourth defense of his Japanese National title on Thursday when he faces Takuya Watanabe at Korakuen Hall in Japan.

Hosono, who turns 32 in early November, is upbeat about the fight.

“I am confident that I will be able to win,” Hosono told RingTV.com through translator Tomoyuki Kataoka. “However, I should take care not to relax my guard against him.

“He may make persistent efforts for winning; however, his punches are not fearful.”

The experienced Yokohama resident is clearly not worried about Watanabe’s 38 percent knockout ratio.

Hosono (28-2-1, 20 knockouts) has unsuccessfully challenged for a version of the world on three occasions. In fact the three blemishes on his ledger are all from world title fights.

“I have challenged three times for a world title,” he said. “A fourth shot might be the last one and, therefore, it will be very important for me.”

The former unbeaten OPBF 126-pound titlist dropped four pounds to compete at junior featherweight, losing a majority decision in early 2010 against Thailand’s WBA kingpin Poonsawat Kratingdaengym.

Satoshi returned to featherweight and positioned himself for another title run. It came two years later when he fought WBA beltholder Celestino Caballero. Again, he came up short despite a spirited effort he lost a unanimous decision.

Fifteen months later, “Bazooka” traveled to Indonesia to face long-reigning WBA featherweight titlist Chris John. Unfortunately, the fight was curtailed in the third round due to a clash of heads that left John unable to continue.

Since then, Satoshi has won five fights, collecting the National title. He’s not targeted anyone in particular whom to challenge for a world title.

“If I have a chance, I will have a title match with anyone anywhere.” he said.

Currently, Satoshi is ranked in the top 15 by all four major sanctioning bodies, WBC (No. 11), WBA (No. 3) and IBF and WBO (No. 6).

Former WBA and WBC strawweight champion Hideyuki Ohashi, head of Ohashi Promotions, has helped mastermind the emergence of, among others, the Inoue brothers, rising bantamweight Ryo Matsumoto, two-time world champion Akira Yaegashi and Hosono.

He believes Hosono’s destructive power and toughness will put him in good stead. If all goes well versus Watanabe, it is likely Hosono will close out the year with an interesting fight.

“The next bout [after the Watanabe bout] will be a mandatory match for Japan featherweight championship ordered by Japan Boxing Commission to be held in this December with Akifumi Shimoda, the ex-WBA junior featherweight champion.” explained Ohashi.

The winner of that could expect to challenge for a world title in 2016.

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