KEN SHIRO PLANS TO MAKE RANDY PETALCORIN A STATISTIC IN HIS UNDEFEATED RECORD

L-R: Randy Petalcorin, Australian promoter Peter Maniatis and Ken Shiro.

WBC minimumweight champion Ken Shiro of Japan aims to break the light flyweight record of 13 successful defenses – and his opponent this Monday, Randy Petalcorin of the Philippines – would become victim No. 7 . So Shiro said as much during Saturday's press conference in Tokyo for his fight against Petalorin scheduled on Monday, Dec. 23 in Yokohama, Japan.

“Randy Petalcorin is a fast boxer with good skills,” Shiro said. “But this will be my 7th defense of my WBC world title. I will not lose this fight and plan to break the record of 13 WBC light flyweight defenses.”

Shiro (16-0-0, 9KOs) wrested the title from Ganigan Lopez of Mexico on May 20, 2017 and had successfully defended it six times since including a rematch with Lopez and victories against Filipinos Milan Melindo and Jonathan Taconing. Shiro was originally penciled to unify his belt against IBF champion Felix Alvarado but Alvarado withdraw last month due to illness allowing Petalcorin to enter the picture as a replacement.

The Murata-Butler press conference in Tokyo in which the Shiro-Petalcorin fight serves as a chief support bout.

Petalcorin (31-3-1, 23KOs) however was confident he will frustrate Shiro's plans. “I took this fight on a short notice and I only have four weeks of training and it's not an ideal preparation. But I will win this fight and bring the title back to the Philippines. I would like to thank my team – to my managers Peter Maniatis and Jim Manangquil for all their support,” Petalcorin said.

Petalcorin captured the Interim WBA light flyweight title on Aug. 26, 2014 in Macau against Walter Tello of Panama. But when he fought for the IBF light flyweight title against Felix Alvarado on Oct. 29, 2108 in Manila, he was badly beaten, went down three times in the 7th round before the fight was stopped by the referee. Petalcorin came back and won twice since then.