Felix Alvarado is back on the hunt for an opponent in an ordered title eliminator.
BoxingScene.com has the IBF has restarted the process to determine the mandatory challenger for its reigning flyweight titlist, Sunny Edwards. A new elimination contest will be ordered following the collapse of an all-Nicaraguan fight between Alvarado and Cristofer Rosales.
The first step is to determine who will be available for such a contest. With that, the IBF has sent an invitation to the teams for Alvarado and Japan’s Seigo Yuri Akui. A three-day deadline is in place for both parties to accept the invitation, at which point the IBF will order a negotiation period.
“Be advised that # 3 rated Felix Alvarado and # 4 rated Seigo Yuri Akui are the 2 highest ranked available contenders in the IBF Flyweight division,” IBF Championship Committee chairman Carlos Ortiz stated to both parties in an official notice letter obtained by BoxingScene.com. “In an effort to determine who the mandatory challenger will be, the IBF is ordering an elimination bout between Felix Alvarado and Seigo Yuri Akui for the number 1 position. The winner will be #1 and the mandatory challenger.
“Within 3 days of April 12, 2023 or no later than April 15, 2023 you should contact this office in writing advising your availability. In the event we do not hear from you in writing by 5 PM EST on April 15, 2023, we will assume that you do not wish to participate in this eliminator process and proceed down the list of rankings to the next available contender.”
Alvarado is promoted by M&R Boxing and managed by William Ramirez. Akui is represented by Mr. Honda’s Teiken Promotions.
Alvarado (38-3, 33KOs) maintained his place in line after agreeing to the terms of an absurdly low purse bid hearing for his previously ordered fight with Rosales. The all-Nicaragua battle of former titlists came with a paltry $2,500 price tag secured by M&R Boxing, with 60 percent ($1,500) due to Rosales as the higher-ranked contender. Alvarado was due $1,000, though expected to make far more through his contract with M&R.
Rosales—whose promoter, Matchroom Boxing, did not participate in the March 23 purse bid hearing—unsurprisingly did not move forward with the bout.
That leaves Alvarado in search of his first opponent since a clear points loss to Edwards last November 11 in Sheffield, England. The setback snapped a 20-fight win streak dating back to 2014. Alvarado claimed the IBF junior flyweight title during that time in an October 2018 knockout win over Randy Petalcorin on the road in Pasay City, Philippines.
Just two defenses followed for Alvarado, whose reign overlapped with twin brother Rene Alvarado’s stay as WBA junior lightweight titlist. A January 2021 tenth-round stoppage of former strawweight titlist DeeJay Kriel was the highlight of his reign, which was followed by a non-title fight later that August due to having to secure a late substitute opponent after Carlos Buitrago withdrew from their scheduled title fight in Frisco, Texas.
The lack of opportunity to unify in the division combined with the struggle to boil down to 108 pounds prompted Alvarado to vacate his title in exchange for a favorable ranking at flyweight. He claimed a stay-busy win at home last May before the loss to Edwards, who recently signed with Matchroom Boxing and is due a voluntary title defense.
Akui (18-2-1, 11KOs) has won his last six starts since a stunning stoppage loss to Filipino journeyman Jaysever Abcede in October 2018. He previously suffered a sixth-round stoppage to Junto Nakatani, who went on to capture the WBO flyweight title. Wedged in between was an April 2018 first-round knockout of countryman Masamichi Yabuki, who later captured the WBC junior flyweight title in a stunning September 2021 upset of Kenshiro Teraji.
Among his last six wins, Akui has defeated two undefeated opponents. Most recently, Akui earned a ten-round shutout of Filipino prospect Jayson Vayson, who was 10-0 at the time of their February 4 clash at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Akui has fought exclusively in Japan throughout his nine-year career.
In the event either fighter declines to move forward with the fight, he will be dropped out of the IBF flyweight top ten for a period of at least six months, per IBF Rule 9.C. Neither boxer can enter talks for another bout once the negotiation period begins.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox