Kano vs Olascuaga Predictions: Second chance for two former challengers

The vacant WBO flyweight championship will be on the line as Riku Kano takes on Anthony Olascuaga this Saturday, July 20. The title fight will take place at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo, on the undercard of Junto Nakatani vs Vincent Astrolabio. Sky Sports Action will screen the card.

Here are my Kano vs Olascuaga predictions ahead of this flyweight championship showdown.

Whoever wins this one, the victor will emerge with the first world title of their career. Both men have fought for belts before and come into this battle looking to avenge previous failures.

Kano was on the wrong end of a technical decision against ​​Katsunari Takayama for the WBO mini flyweight gold in 2016. Meanwhile, Olascuaga was knocked out by Kenshiro Teraji in nine rounds of his WBA and WBC challenge. 

Despite their title travails, these fighters are both still young. Kano is 26 while Olascuaga is a year his junior. The winner could have a long and successful career ahead of them once they have ascended to elite level.

While their ages are similar, Kano and Olascuaga have taken different paths to Saturday’s showdown. The Japanese southpaw suffered patchy form after turning pro, including a loss on his debut. Few would have tipped Kano for a world title shot when he was 13-4-1 after 18 fights. 

Unbeaten in 10 outings since that rocky start, Kano looks ready to take on this challenge on home turf. It is a testament to his work ethic and improvement that he has grabbed this opportunity. Boxing is obsessed with a spotless unbeaten record, but Kano proves that sometimes there is merit in a comeback tale.

Meanwhile, Olascuaga has only lost once, in the aforementioned world title fight. Unusually, that opportunity arrived in his fifth fight. The Kano bout will only be his eighth outing as a professional. A head-turning amateur, he has reached championship class in double-quick time.

A homeland hero who doesn’t know how to quit. A young upstart who has been taking on big challenges since the moment he turned pro. This is a fascinating combination, only made more absorbing by the addition of a vacant world title belt as the prize. This could be a real sleeper in Tokyo.

Kano vs Olascuaga Fight Odds

Kano is the underdog here, despite having home-field advantage. The Japanese boxer is 11/4 to triumph. Olascuaga is 3/10 to take home the title while the draw is priced at 16/1.

Kano vs Olascuaga Full Card

Junto Nakatani vs. Vincent Astrolabio for Nakatani's WBC bantamweight title 

Kosei Tanaka vs. Jonathan Rodriguez for Tanaka's WBO junior bantamweight title 

Riku Kano vs. Anthony Olascuaga for the vacant WBO flyweight title 

Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Jonathan Rodriguez 

Issei Aramoto vs. Mongontsooj Nandinerdene

Kano vs Olascuaga Prediction

I think Olascuaga is the sensible pick here. The Teraji defeat was a real setback and perhaps that fight arrived too soon. It was also a weight below his natural class. Flyweight is where he belongs and where this fight with Kano will be contested.

For that reason I am backing Olascuaga to win by decision at 4/1.

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