Đinh Hồng Quân of Việt Nam (left) lands a punch on Delmar Pellio of the Philippines in their IBF Asia title in April. Quân will defend his title this Satruday in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province. Photo nld.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Đinh Hồng Quân will defend his title on July 30 at The Grand Ho Tram Resort in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province.  

The match is part of the IBF WBO Asia Championship hosted by the Cocky Buffalo Club, home of Việt Nam's first WBO Asia female champion Nguyễn Thị Thu Nhi.

Quân became the first Vietnamese boxer to hold an IBF Asia title after beating Delmar Pellio of the Philippines in a 10-round match of the men's lightweight category in April, also in Vũng Tàu. This was the 24-year-olds first international title.

As the rule, three months after winning, Quân must return to the ring to defend his title. 

After his win, Quân jumped from No 335 to No 233 among nearly 2,200 athletes ranked by IBF around the world.

He has recorded eight wins (four knockouts), one draw and one loss.

His challenger this Saturday is another Filipino, Jules Victoriano, who is considered a tough rival. Victoriano is a rising star in the Philippines with 11 wins and 8 KOs in his 15 matches to date.

The 25-year-old boxer is ranked 325th in the world.

Apart from the Quân vs Victoriano match-up, there will be two other title fights on Saturday.

Cocky Buffalo's fighter Song Chan-ho of South Korea (7-0-0, 3 KOs) will meet Bunchuai Phonsungnoen (4-1-1, 3 KOs) of Thailand to defend his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Oriental Youth's men's super light weight title. 

Ukraine's Olimjon Nazarov (28-5-0, 15 KOs), ranked 44th in the world, will defend his Oriental Asia belt in the men's flyweight class against Bienvenido Ligas (14-2-2, 9 KOs) of the Philippines.

The opening match of the event will be between Sẳm Minh Phát (8-4-0, 6 KOs) of Việt Nam against Indonesia Henri Pornomo (3-10-0, 2 KOs).

Later, American Casey Morton (10-3-3, 2 KOs) will face Wassana Kamdee (5-6-0, 4 KOs) of Thailand in the women's super featherweight 

Uzbekistan's undefeated Abdulazizbek Najmiddinov (9-0-0, 7 KOs) will face off with Rivo Kundimang (9-3-2, 5 KOs) from Indonesia in the men's super featherweight class.

"This IBF WBO Asian Championship promises beautiful and competitive boxing," said Kim Sang-bum, of the organising board.

"The competition is also for talented athletes to compete, sharpen their skill and improve their tactical mind," said Kim who is the director of Cocky Buffalo. VNS