Japan: A Blessing and a Curse for Filipino Boxers – Undefeated Prospect Dumam-ag Falls

As boxing events ramp up for Filipino fighters, there’s a sense of anticipation and hope among hardcore fans like myself. The dream of seeing the Philippines grab the spotlight in Asian boxing once again burns bright. With current world champions—IBF World Minimumweight Champ Pedro Taduran and WBC World Minimumweight Champ Melvin Jerusalem—leading the way, the hope is to dominate the lower divisions. Prospects and contenders are gearing up for battles, but unfortunately, we’re off to a rough start.

A String of Disappointments

Before we dive into the Japan bouts, let’s talk about other recent results. Mike Plania just lost another career-defining fight, falling to Omar Trinidad via decision for the WBC Continental Americas title. As if that wasn’t bad enough, undefeated Filipino boxer Carlo Bacaro also suffered his first career loss to Russia’s Pavel Sosulin in Armenia while contending for the WBA Asian Middleweight title.

In boxing, you win some, and you lose some. That’s the nature of the sport. But as a long-time fan, I know how tough it is to win on foreign soil. The odds are rarely in our favor.

Mike Plania lost to Omar Trinidad

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Thank You, Japan

We owe a lot to Japan for giving opportunities to Filipino boxers. Without their invitations, many fighters wouldn’t have regular bouts or the chance to earn enough to support their families. While boxing events are happening across the Philippines, the pay here doesn’t compare to what fighters can earn in Japan.

But let’s face it—the win-loss ratio for Filipinos fighting in Japan has been brutal. At one point, it felt like we had only one win for every 10 or even 20 losses. The last win I remember was back on December 15, 2024, when Jeo Santisima and Kenneth Llover both claimed victories in Osaka. It’s a rare occurrence, and those who follow the sport closely know how difficult it is to pull off.

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Undefeated No More: Lorenz Dumam-ag

The label “undefeated” holds a lot of weight in boxing, but on January 18, 2025, Lorenz Dumam-ag (10-1-1) lost that badge of honor. He suffered his first defeat against Jukiya Iimura (8-1-0) via unanimous decision in Japan.

Unfortunately, Dumam-ag wasn’t the only one who struggled. On the same fight card, tough Filipino brawler Alvin Camique (9-4-0) was defeated by Sento Ito, and young prospect Michael Casama (10-3-1) absorbed his third career loss. These boxers are solid contenders back home, but against Japanese fighters, they looked outclassed.

Lorenz Dumam-ag

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Japan: The Boxing Empire of Asia

Japan has solidified its position as the boxing powerhouse of Asia. With Naoya Inoue leading the charge as arguably the best boxer in the world, Japanese fighters dominate the region. Their country isn’t just producing world-class boxers; it’s also become the go-to destination for global fights.

For Filipino fighters, Japan represents both opportunity and challenge. It’s the land where dreams can be made—or broken. But these struggles raise important questions:

• Are we falling behind in modern training techniques?
• Do we lack the facilities and resources to compete at the highest level?
• Is our support system enough to help fighters thrive on the global stage?

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The Bigger Picture

As a Filipino boxing fan, I know we’re fighters at heart. Despite setbacks, we press forward. The losses in Japan are tough, but they should serve as lessons for improvement.

The road to glory is never easy, and while 2025 hasn’t started the way we hoped, there’s still time to turn things around. Let’s continue to support our fighters, win or lose. Every fight is a step toward finding the next Filipino star who can bring back the golden era of Philippine boxing.

As long as we keep fighting, our time will come again.