Teiken Gym's Rising Stars Riku Masuda and Ryusei Matsumoto Make Their Debut Appearance on 'Excite Match SP' — Broadcasting and Streaming on WOWOW, June 8th at 9:00 PM!

■ Both fighters return from training camp for studio recording

Riku Masuda (28, Teiken), ranked #1 in the WBA and WBO Bantamweight divisions, and Ryusei Matsumoto (28, Teiken), the former WBA Minimumweight champion, will appear on the 'Excite Match SP' broadcast and streaming on June 8th.

Both athletes competed at the event held at Yokohama BUNTAI on March 15th. In the main event, Masuda faced the WBA World Bantamweight title eliminator, defeating 43-year-old legendary five-division champion Nonito Donaire via 8th-round TKO, bringing him significantly closer to his first world title challenge. Matsumoto secured a lopsided decision victory in his rematch against Yuto Takada (27, Lions), successfully defending his WBA World Minimumweight title. On the program, both fighters will provide personal analysis of their respective matches.

For both Masuda and Matsumoto, it was their first time providing self-commentary. They recorded the program after temporarily returning from their training camp in Narita, Chiba. Looking tan and sharp after an early morning training session, they returned to their training camp immediately after filming.

■ Masuda crushes a big name and sets sights on world title match

Masuda, a powerful southpaw with a lethal left, faced Donaire, nicknamed the 'Filipino Flash.' Donaire, who challenged then-WBA champion Seiya Tsutsumi last December, proved that even at 43, he remains a top-level fighter despite a narrow split-decision loss.

Donaire's trademark is his devastating left hook. Masuda revealed he prepared by focusing on 'avoiding that left hook' and 'being aggressive.' He felt the key was to remain cautious of Donaire's power while not letting the veteran control the pace.

Once the fight began, Masuda applied pressure with his right jab. 'In the early rounds, I focused on setting up my shots by properly using the right jab to land my left straight,' Masuda said. By the middle rounds, his timing improved, and his left straight began finding the mark.

Although Masuda sustained damage after taking a right hook from Donaire in the 5th round, it was his only moment of crisis. Afterward, he continued to inflict damage with his jab and left straight. In the 7th round, he landed a perfect one-two combination, sending Donaire to the canvas. In the 8th, after Masuda landed another left straight, Donaire's corner threw in the towel, ending the fight.

Despite the victory over such a big name, Masuda did not smile when the fight ended, explaining, 'I wanted to finish it decisively.' The hard-hitting fighter is now aiming for a spectacular knockout victory in his long-awaited first world title bout.

■ Matsumoto dominates the rematch, relinquishes title for bigger challenges

For the aggressive southpaw Matsumoto, the rematch offered a chance to settle things. He previously fought Takada for the title last September, but the fight ended prematurely when Takada was injured by an accidental headbutt in the 5th round while Matsumoto was leading, resulting in an unsatisfying technical decision win for Matsumoto. This rematch was unavoidable to 'settle the score.'

Seeking redemption, Takada started aggressively, unlike in their previous bout. 'I knew he would come forward, so I focused on making him retreat rather than stepping back,' said Matsumoto. Using brilliant footwork, Matsumoto made Takada miss and hit him with precise counter-punches, maintaining control of the pace.

Matsumoto’s momentum did not stop. Utilizing his natural speed and sharp punches, he widened his lead, continuing to damage Takada. The determined challenger fought until the end, but could not break through. The fight went to a decision, with all three judges scoring it 120-108 in Matsumoto's favor. Having fought more than eight rounds for the first time, Matsumoto reflected, 'Experiencing 12 rounds is a gain, but not finishing him is a future area for improvement.'

■ Both fighters ready for world title bouts

Regarding the WBA Bantamweight title Masuda seeks, regular champion Antonio Vargas (29, USA) will face fellow big-name lightweight Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez (26, USA) on June 13th. While the exact trajectory for the world title is unclear, Masuda remained focused, stating, 'As the #1 ranked fighter, I will simply keep preparing so I am ready at any time.'

Matsumoto relinquished his WBA title last month, seeking to aim higher by pursuing titles from other organizations.