Thailand's Suriyan Sor Rungvisai will take on challenger Yota Sato when he defends his WBC super flyweight title in Japan next Tuesday.
Leaving for Japan late last night, Suriyan (20-4-1, 7KOs) has completed 219 rounds of sparring with former national fighter Amnat Ruenroeng and WBA super flyweight title-holder Tepparith Singwangcha.
"I am well prepared and I've also studied Sato's style carefully," said the Nakhon Ratchasima native whose fight will take place at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
"I've improved a lot in terms of punch power and that's why I am confident that I can stop him."
However, his manager Suchart Pisitwutthinan would not underestimate the 27-year-old Sato, ranked third in the 115-pound division, because his style and pace is difficult to handle.
"It is tough because he is not an attack-minded fighter," Suchart said of Sato (23-2-1,12KOs). "He is more of a defensive boxer and that makes it hard to catch him."
Now only two pounds above the weight limit, 23-year-old Suriyan will enter the fight confidently after his best-ever preparation.
"He has never had such a tough training period before," added Surachart.
"He is much stronger now than he was for his fight against Tomas Rojas."
Suriyan defeated Mexican Rojas in Si Sa Ket with an impressive performance to take the WBC belt in August and he showed further improvements during an unanimous victory over Japan's Nobuo Nashiro in the first title defence in Bangkok three months later.
The fight will be shown live on Channel 3 from 6pm.