A few months before he made his professional debut on the May 2 Fatal Fury card, Reito Tsutsumi told The Ring, “My ultimate goal is to become the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.” Tomorrow, following the best traditions of Japanese boxing, he steps into the ring for the fourth time. One more win, and he will be a few inches closer to his cherished dream.

However, the younger brother of top-ranked contender Hayato Tsutsumi faces a daunting challenge that could potentially derail his plans. Tomorrow, on The Ring V: Night of the Samurai card headlined by Naoya Inoue vs. Alan Picasso, Reito Tsutsumi will take on a battle-hardened veteran from Mexico. Equally ambitious and with little to lose, Leobardo Quintana Sanchez will look to stop the 23-year-old from Chiba Prefecture, Japan. A big question looms: will Tsutsumi, a Ring Magazine ambassador, secure the win, or will Sanchez impose his will? Let’s take a closer look.

Predicting Reito Tsutsumi vs. Leobardo Quintana Sanchez: Who has better stats and a record?

Having won a world championship in the unpaid ranks, Tsutsumi enters the bout with an impressive amateur resume featuring 59 wins against just two losses. A school and national-level standout in Japan, he is a rare recipient of the A-Class boxing license, an honor accorded to only a select few. Since making his professional debut on May 2 this year, he has remained unbeaten. Of his three wins, two have come via knockout, giving him a strong finish rate of 67%.

His 23-year-old counterpart from Mexicali, Baja California, on the other hand, owns a 12–1 record over a three-year span, though some outlets list it as 11–1. With five of his wins secured by early stoppage, Sanchez boasts a knockout-to-win rate of 42%. He suffered his first loss earlier in July, when Jonathan Javier Fierro De Santiago defeated him by unanimous decision.

Reito Tsutsumi vs. Leobardo Quintana Sanchez: Height, weight, reach comparison, and more

Unfortunately, details such as height and reach are unavailable for Leobardo Sanchez. Tsutsumi, meanwhile, stands 5 feet 5 inches (165 centimeters) tall with a 66-inch (168-centimeter) reach. In his most recent fight against Javier Martinez, Tsutsumi weighed in at 129.5 pounds.

Similarly, information regarding Sanchez’s weight in his recent fights is also unavailable.

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The official weigh-in results for the bout are as follows:

Tsutsumi – 129.7 pounds

Sanchez – 129.5 pounds

Fight prediction

The absence of key physical details for Sanchez paints an uncertain picture for the Mexican fighter. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Tsutsumi enters the bout as the heavy favorite. Considering his amateur pedigree and an outstanding professional run within his first year, highlighted by two consecutive stoppage victories, confidence in the rising Japanese star continues to build.

Despite maintaining an active schedule that has seen him fight four to five times per year, Sanchez appears to have suffered a dip in momentum following his loss to De Santiago. Additionally, the Riyadh event marks his first appearance outside Mexico, a combination that few would readily back.

Often shorter than his opponents, Tsutsumi closes distance rapidly with explosive combinations. Remaining constantly active, the southpaw employs a traditional high guard for defense while pressing forward. Mixing head and body shots, he fires sharp counters to unsettle opponents while circling the ring.

With the sport’s biggest stakeholders watching closely, expect Reito Tsutsumi to look for a quick stoppage to cap off his performance.

Do you think Tsutsumi deserves a place in the top 15 rankings if he wins tomorrow, or does he still need to pass a few more tests?