Veteran boxer Pete Apolinar secured his first victory in Japan, defeating Ryusei Ishii by knockout on June 19, 2026, at the Edion Hisaya Plaza in Nagoya, Japan. The bout was scheduled for eight rounds, but Apolinar ended it at the 2:29 mark of the third round.
Apolinar's Long-Awaited Win
The 31-year-old Apolinar had fought five times previously in Japan without a win before this triumph. With this victory, his record improved to 20 wins, 7 losses, and 1 draw, including 13 knockouts. Ishii dropped to 12 wins, 10 losses, and 1 draw, with nine knockouts.
Teammates Also Victorious
Apolinar's teammates from the Zip-Sanman Wellness Center in Cebu City also emerged victorious in their respective fights. Alex Santisima Jr., with a record of 13 wins and 2 losses (7 KOs), knocked out Japan-based Filipino Richard Pumicpic (23-16-3, 7 KOs) in the first round. Kiyoto Narukami (6-2-1, 3 KOs) scored a fourth-round stoppage of Ryoto Maekawa (12-5-1, 8 KOs) in what was announced as his farewell fight.
Narukami Retires at 23
Narukami, a Japanese boxer residing in Cebu, announced on social media that he would retire from boxing at just 23 years old. Former world champion Melvin Jerusalem attended the event as a guest for the Philippine expo.
