By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Former WBC world flyweight champion Malcolm Tunacao has been given a shot at the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation bantamweight title currently held by Thailand’s Kumarntorng Por Purakkamog.

The Thai won the title from Japan’s Jun Toriumi by a majority decision last July 16 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.  Tunacao who is ranked No. 5 by the IBF and No. 7 by the WBC in the super flyweight division is moving up to the 118 pound limit for the title shot. The fight is regarded as a voluntary title defense.

The lanky southpaw is now managed by respected Japanese businessman and boxing enthusiast Yasuo Matsuoka who also signed up OPBF minimum weight champion Rodel Mayol last June.

Matsuoka’s Filipino wife Gina Matsuoka confirmed that the contract for the title fight was finalized only last Wednesday and that Tunacao would leave for Japan by the weekend to begin training for the title shot.

Tunacao is coming off a seventh round TKO win over Japan’s Ryoichi Hidaka at the Central Gym in Osaka last July 18. Tunacao has a record of 18-1-2 with 13 knockouts.