Kumong Bol-Anon 25: Sumabong to face unbeaten Taiwanese champ

CEBU CITY, Philippines — One of PMI Boxing Stable’s rising regional champions, Joseph “The Hunter” Sumabong, is set for another major test as he competes in the 25th edition of the “Kumong Bol-Anon” boxing series on July 11 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

Sumabong, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia Pacific minimumweight champion, will take on undefeated Taiwanese prospect Jheng Ciou, the current Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) silver minimumweight champion, in a highly anticipated unification bout.

READ: Joseph Sumabong faces acid test in Kumong Bol-Anon 24

The PMI Bohol Boxing Stable officially announced the matchup earlier this week.

While the complete fight card has yet to be revealed, the showdown between Sumabong and Ciou has already generated strong interest among Boholano boxing fans, who have long supported the popular boxing series held outside Metro Manila.

Sumabong on a tear

The 24-year-old Sumabong enters the bout riding a four-fight winning streak since December 2024. He captured the WBO Asia Pacific title that same month with a second-round knockout win over Cebuano fighter John Kevin Jimenez in Naga City, southern Cebu.

He later added the Philippine Youth minimumweight title and secured the vacant WBO Asia Pacific crown in impressive fashion, scoring a unanimous decision upset over Japan’s Takero Kitano.

READ: Joseph Sumabong stuns Japanese Kitano, seizes WBO Asia-Pacific title

Sumabong most recently fought in a non-title bout in Tagbilaran last February, stopping Roland Toyogon via sixth-round knockout.

Streaking opponent

On the other hand, Ciou, 12, of Taoyuan, Taiwan remains unbeaten in 10 professional fights. A dangerous and seasoned opponent, he is a former WBC Asian light flyweight champion and former Thai light flyweight champion.

Ciou spent much of his career competing in Thailand, where he built his perfect record. His lone draw came in 2023 in Taiwan against Vietnam’s Huu Thuong Pham in a split decision.

READ: Filipino prospects Sumabong, Quibido clash in Blow-by-Blow main event

Since then, he has strung together eight consecutive victories, capturing multiple regional titles along the way. In his most recent outing last March in Taiwan, he defeated Japan’s Ryoga Hattori via unanimous decision to claim the OPBF title.

However, this will mark Ciou’s first professional bout against a Filipino fighter — and against a highly regarded contender like Sumabong, who is currently world-rated across three major sanctioning bodies in the minimumweight division.

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