By Ronnie Nathanielsz

The World Boxing Organization in a breakthrough event has launched pro boxing in Sri Lanka with a Atom division world title fight featuring champion Nao Ikeyama of Japan against challenger Jujeath Nagaowa of the Philippines on December 19.

Ikeyama has a record of 16-3-1 with 4 knockouts but is 46 years old, which is the only advantage 28 year old Nagaowa of Benguet Province has over the champion who won the title against another Filipina Jessebelle Pagaduan on May 17, 2014.

Nagaowa has a record of 13-15-1 with 8 knockouts.

Nagaowa won the World International Boixing Association International light flyweight title with a unanimous ten round decision over Yu Jie Luo last June 6 after a string of four successive defeats.

Ikeyama is coming off a ten round unanimous decision over Norj Guro, a southpaw from Lanao province in Mindanao last February 28.

WBO Asia Pacific head Leon Panoncillo told the New Standard/BoxingScene.com that there will also be an eight round pro bout between Tamao Ozawa of Japan and Kledpetch Lookmuangkan of Thailand while the first bout will feature Sri Lanka Olympic Boxers under the aegis of AIBA.