orio Kimura of Japan will try to take the WBA Light Welterweight championship from Andreas Kotelnik of Ukraine in the Western Ukraine city Lviv on Saturday Sept. 13. It will be Kotelnik's first title defense since beating Gavin Rees for the title on March 22 in the Cardiff International Arena.
Kimura, 29, 5-7, has held the Japanese light welterweight title since April 3, 2004 when he won a unanimous ten round decision over Shingo Eguchi. Kimura has successfully defended the title 11 times to compile a 33-5-2 record with 17 knockouts.
Because he is a southpaw known to pack a punch, Kimura was hired to be sparring partner for Juan Manuel Marquez for his unsuccessful March 15 rematch with Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
