WBC light flyweight champion Ken Shiro, will still fight in Yokohama, in his native Japan, on December 23rd but he'll have a replacement opponent. Shiro (16-0) was originally slated to fight   Felix Alvarado, the IBF champion, in a unification bout. But  the Nicaraguan withdrew due to the lingering effects of bronchitis. Filipino Randy Petalcorin has been penciled in as the replacement for Alvarado. Petalcorin (31-3-1) has two consecutive victories against lower-level opposition since the defeat he suffered against Alvarado about a year ago for the then-vacant IBF title.