UNDEFEATED 21-year-old prospect Zyvyr Medecilo will get his shot at a world title when he challenges World Boxing Association (WBA) minimumweight champion Takeshi Ishii on Nov. 26, 2026, at the Ebara Wave Arena in Ota-Ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Medecilo made his professional debut in 2024, but has shown a ton of promise in just two years in the pro ranks. He proved he was ready for the next level after beating tough veteran Richard Garde by split decision last year.
This year marked Medecilo’s breakout campaign. He scored a third-round knockout of former regional champion Jonathan Refugio and then stopped Japanese Tatsuro Nakashima to wrest the World Boxing Council (WBC) International minimumweight title.
Medecilo has broken into the world rankings and is rated No. 8 by both the WBC and World Boxing Organization (WBO), No. 11 by the WBA, and No. 14 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).
He leapfrogged nine other fighters to earn the world title shot after Ishii handpicked him as the opponent for his voluntary title defense.
Ishii, on the other hand, won the WBA minimumweight belt last month with a quick first-round knockout of former world champion Wilfredo Mendez for the vacant title.
Before his world title campaign, the 26-year-old Ishii had a solid run last year, beating Filipino one-time world title challenger Jake Amparo and fellow Japanese Shunsuke Isa.
Ishii’s only dent in his record came at the hands of Pinoy veteran Lito Dante, who beat him by split decision in 2023.
Medecilo has a perfect slate of 9-0 with five knockouts, while Ishii is 12-1 with nine knockouts.
Also on the same card, Miel Fajardo (14-3-2, 12 KOs) will challenge IBF flyweight king Masamichi Yabuki
(20-4, 18 KOs).
Three other Filipinos will see action on the undercard: Vencent Lacar, Melchor Roda, and Ronerick Ballesteros.
Lacar (10-2, 4 KOs) will lock horns with Seiya Nakayama (1-0, 1 KO), Roda (10-6, 6 KOs) will clash with former world title contender Masanori Rikiishi (17-2, 12 KOs), and Ballesteros (7-1-1, 6 KOs) will battle Yuka Fujiki (2-0, 2 KOs). / EKA