News has reached The Ring that Petchmanee CP Freshmart will defend his WBC strawweight title against Tsubasa Koura in Korat, Thailand on August 30.

Freshmart (39-1, 23 knockouts), who is rated No. 2 by The Ring at 105 punds, turned professional in 2014. He won several regional belts before claiming the WBC title by unseating long-reigning countryman Wanheng Menayothin in November 2020. The 31-year-old Thai has successfully defended his title by defeating Danai Ngiabphukhiaw (UD 12) and Menayothin (UD 12) in a rematch.

Koura, 27, (15-2, 10 KOs) also turned professional in 2014. The Japanese fighter was highly touted and once featured in The Ring’s popular New Faces column. The 27-year-old Koura won the OPBF title by halting Jaysever Abcede (KO 4); he edged past future WBO 105-pound titleholder Masataka Taniguchi (MD 12); stopped future strawweight world title challenger Norihito Tanaka (TKO 5) and outpointed Daiki Tomita (UD 12).

However, Koura lost his unbeaten record when Lito Dante came from behind to stop him in the 12th round in March 2019. The young contender took nearly a year off, but the Covid outbreak led to a further 21-month layoff and he was narrowly beaten by Yudai Shigeoka (MD 12) upon his return in November 2021.

Although Koura has been inactive, he should provide a challenge for Freshmart. However, history is against the challenger as no male Japanese fighter has ever won a world title fight in Thailand.

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