The return of Prizefighter has officially been confirmed for Monday, July 15th and it will be shown live on DAZN (excluding Asia). The champion of the eight-man 2024 Prizefighter series will pocket $1 million. The quarter-finals of the Japanese version of the tournament will be held at Osaka’s Yamato Arena with OPBF middleweight champion Kuzuto Takesako replacing Anauel Ngamissengue in the line-up. Takesako (16-1-1, 15 KOs) will be boxing in front of his home fans in his native Osaka when he collides with Britain’s Mark Dickinson (6-0, 2 KOs).

 

The Japanese middleweight title will be on the line in a rematch as all-action Riku Kunimoto (11-1, 5 KOs) defends his title against Eiki Kani (8-4-3, 4 KOs). The pair squared off back in March, with Kunimoto victorious thanks to a sixth-round stoppage in Nagoya.

 

Britain’s Kieron Conway (20-3-1, 5 KOs) will kickstart his quest for glory when he faces a tough opponent in China’s Ainiwaer Yilixiati (19-1, 14 KOs) when the series kicks off.

 

And Aaron McKenna (18-0, 9 KOs) will be out to establish his world-level credentials with ’The Silencer’ out to make a big impression in Japan. Ireland’s McKenna will face unbeaten, 23-year-old American-Puerto Rican Jeovanny Estela (14-0, 5 KOs).

 

The quarter-final draw was made back in January at a launch press conference in Tokyo, alongside Matchroom Boxing’s event partners Never Say Never (NSN) and Rakuten Ticket, Inc. The three companies have committed to staging three major, world-class events per year over the next three years, featuring some of the best domestic and international fighters with the opening event of the competition hosting four bouts over ten rounds.