Masamichi Yabuki vs Rene Calixto Preview June 6th, 2026
Former IBF and WBC Light Flyweight Champion Masamichi Yabuki will be defending his IBF Flyweight Crown this Saturday, June 6th, when he takes on Rene Calixto of Mexico. The 12-rounder from Tokoname, Japan can be seen live on ABEMA in Japan while fans in America should be able to catch it on ESPN+. The bout will also likely be broadcast on ESPN Knockout in Latin America. Calixto last fought in December when he stopped Ruben Lezama Gonzalez in the fourth round. In his previous outing he lost for the first time as a pro when he was edged via a split decision by Willibaldo Garcia Perez in a rematch for the IBF Super Flyweight Title. The two first met back in December for the belt but it was declared a 12-round split draw. Yabuki last boxed in December when he stopped former IBF Junior Flyweight Champion Felix Alvarado of Nicaragua in the 12th and final round. It was Yabuki’s second straight last-round knockout as he halted Angel Ayala in the 12th round to take his IBF Flyweight Belt in March, 2025. Five months earlier Yabuki stopped Siventathi Nontshinga in the ninth round to win the IBF Light Flyweight Title.
Yabuki vs Calixto Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Rene Calixto +483
- Masamichi Yabuki -800
My Pick
Yabuki is a solid 33-year-old pro with a record of 19-4 with 18 Ko’s with two of his defeats coming by way of stoppage. He’s just over 5-feet-5-inches in height with a 64.5-inch reach and has boxed just 116 rounds since making his pro debut in 2016 as he’s gone the distance just three times. This is because he possesses tremendous power as 94.7 per cent of his wins have come by knockout including his past seven. The biggest of these victories was an upset 10th-round stoppage over fellow countryman Kenshiro Teraji in September, 2021 to win the WBC Light Flyweight Belt.
Things didn’t go too well in the rematch six months later though as Teraji avenged the defeat and took his title back by stopping Yabuki in the third round. Yabuki’s first defeat came at the hands of Junto Nakatani by four-round unanimous decision in 2016 and he was stopped two years later by Seigo Yuri Akui in just 92 seconds. His other loss also came in 2018 when he was edged via an eight-round split decision by Daniel Matellon. Since turning pro, Yabuki has also claimed the vacant Japanese Light Flyweight Title and has wins over Gilberto Pedroza and Ronald Chacon.
The once-beaten Calixto is 31 years old and climbs through the ropes with a mark of 24-1-1 with 10 Ko’s and has 139 rounds of pro experience under his belt since making his debut in 2016. He measures 5-feet-5-inches tall with an unlisted reach so is just half-an-inch shorter than the champion. He also carries less power in his punches than Yabuki as just 41.7 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage and he’s stopped just three of his last nine opponents.
Calixto took a a step up in class against Perez in his two world-title attempts as just seven of his first 24 opponents entered the ring with a winning record. He hadn’t met any legitimate top-10 contenders up until then. In fact, based on his record, some fans were wondering how he got a world title shot for the belt which Fernando Martinez gave up when he decided to face Kazuto Ioka in a rematch rather than fight his mandatory challenger.
Prediction…
Yabuki rarely sees the finish line as he typically stops his opponent or is stopped himself and he’s taken on some of the top Japanese boxers of his era in Kenshiro Teraji, Junto Nakatani and Seigo Yuri Akui as well as Felix Alvarado and Angel Ayala. Yabuki possesses a ton of power but has been stopped twice but I doubt Calixto has the power to halt him. I’m expecting Yabuki to retain his belt and there’s also a decent chance that he stops Calixto.
Yabuki’s power should do the trick.
Play: Yabuki -800 @ BetOnline.ag
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Masamichi Yabuki betting • Rene Calixto Bibiano betting