A vacant title fight was ordered to fill the void left behind by Masamichi Yabuki.
BoxingScene has confirmed that the IBF contacted the representatives for Cristian Araneta and Thanongsak Simsri to begin negotiations for the now-available junior flyweight title. The two sides will have until May 8 to reach terms and avoid a purse bid hearing.
Yabuki, 18-4 (17 KOs), was the reigning IBF titleholder at 108lbs when he moved up to 112lbs to challenge Angel Ayala for the IBF title on March 29 in Tokoname, Japan. Yabuki dethroned the previously unbeaten Ayala by 12th-round knockout.
As previously reported by BoxingScene, Yabuki opted to remain at flyweight, where he will next face mandatory challenger Felix Alvarado. The two will likely meet in September once Yabuki is fully healed from minor injuries.
The decision to relinquish the IBF junior flyweight title left the door open for mandatory challenger Cristian Araneta, 25-2 (20 KOs). The 30-year-old southpaw from Cebu, Philippines, has been the top contender to the title since a first-round knockout of Alvin Magramo in January 2024.
Just one fight has followed: a 58-second blitzing of Sanchai Yotboon in December to extend Araneta’s current win streak to six fights.
Thailand’s Simsri, 38-1 (34 KOs), has won 14 straight contests since his lone career defeat. Fittingly to this development, it came at the heavy hands of Yabuki, who won via seventh-round technical knockout in their September 2022 meeting.
The most notable win in Simsri’s current stretch was a 12-round split decision victory over former strawweight titlist Masataka Taniguchi in their title eliminator in December in Osaka. The win secured the 24-year-old Thai as the IBF’s No. 2 contender.
This will be the first career title fight for both Araneta and Simsri.
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