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| Screenshot, courtesy of RCT Boxing Promotions |
Miel Fajardo is finishing his hardest work in Parañaque before easing off for Japan. Terence Crawford floated a return, while Jai Opetaia booked a real move up in weight.
1. Fajardo puts the hard work before the flight
Three weeks out from his first crack at Masamichi Yabuki’s IBF flyweight title, Miel Fajardo is putting the hardest work behind him before he boards the plane. Nick Giongco reports in the Daily Tribune that the Filipino will taper after this week and plans to leave for Japan on November 20, six days before the fight.
The sequence matters. Fajardo spent about a month doing mostly strength and conditioning in Hong Kong before moving his camp to the Elorde Sports Center in Sucat in mid October. The taper gives him time to shed training fatigue before fight night. Yabuki will make his third defense in Tokyo, with Fajardo entering as the mandatory challenger.
2. Crawford names Garcia and puts 160 pounds on the table
Terence Crawford used two posts on X to open the door to another fight and call out Ryan Garcia at middleweight. The weight is the revealing part: Garcia holds a welterweight title at 147 pounds, so the proposed limit sits 13 pounds above his championship division.
That is a different proposition from a rematch with Canelo Alvarez, who regained the WBC super middleweight belt against Christian Mbilli. Crawford has put an opponent and a weight into the conversation. His posts did not announce a comeback date, venue or deal.
3. Opetaia takes his unbeaten record into Wilder’s division
Netflix confirmed on November 4 that Jai Opetaia will move up to heavyweight to face Deontay Wilder on the December 11 Fury versus Joshua card in Cardiff. The match is scheduled for 12 rounds. Opetaia’s cruiserweight title is not on the line.
Our October coverage of Joe Cordina’s proposed Manny Pacquiao fight on the same Cardiff bill showed how unsettled the supporting card was. This booking is concrete. Opetaia’s southpaw angles give him a way to attack without staying in front of Wilder, but he will have to reset quickly enough to keep the former heavyweight champion from lining up his right hand.
4. McCall’s win leaves a licensing question in Nashville
Former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall, 61, stopped Jeremiah Williams, 54, in the fifth round in Nashville on Tuesday night. Boxing Insider’s Larry Goldberg reported that a right hand worsened a cut over Williams’ left eye before the stoppage at 2:55.
The result is clear. The basis for allowing the bout is less clear. BoxingScene’s Matt Christie reported that the rationale for the Tennessee Athletic Commission’s approval remained unknown. A win tells us who got the better of the fight; it tells us nothing about what the commission weighed before the opening bell.
Recent Results from Our Watchlist
- November 4, 2026: Masataka Taniguchi defeated Erson Trinidad by knockout, round six at 1:08, with a left to the body. The eight round light flyweight bout at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo carried no title.
Upcoming Fights: Philippine Time
Sunday, November 8, 2026
- Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson
Time: 3 AM listed DAZN card start; main event ring walks estimated around 6 AM.
Stakes: Vacant WBC light heavyweight championship.
Location: AO Arena, Manchester, United Kingdom. - Chris Billam-Smith vs. Cheavon Clarke
Time: 3 AM Sky Sports coverage start; individual ring walks to be announced.
Stakes: Ten round cruiserweight bout, no title at stake.
Location: Copper Box Arena, London, United Kingdom.
Thursday, November 26, 2026
- Miel Fajardo vs. Masamichi Yabuki
Time: 2:30 PM scheduled Lemino broadcast start; main event ring walk to be announced.
Stakes: Yabuki’s IBF flyweight championship.
Location: EBARA WAVE Arena Ota, Tokyo, Japan.
Fajardo’s next milestone is the handover from hard training to fight preparation. The planned six days in Japan give him time to settle before the mandatory challenge.