Two-division champion Kosei Tanaka announced Tuesday he will challenge Sho Kimura for the World Boxing Organization flyweight belt on Sept. 24.
Tanaka (11-0, seven knockouts), who has previously held the WBO light flyweight and minimumweight belts, will aim to add a third title at Kimura's expense when the two meet at Nagoya's Takeda Teva Ocean Arena.
"If I have a chance to win a title in a third division, I want to achieve it," the 23-year-old Tanaka told a newss conference at his gym.
The 29-year-old Kimura (17-1, 10 Os) retained his belt by beating Froilan Saludar of the Philippines by sixth-round knockout on Friday in Qingdao, China. It was his second defense of the title he won from China's Zou Shiming last July.
Tanaka most recently defeated Filipino Ronnie Baldonado by TKO in a non-title fight in Nagoya on March 31.
In related news, Hidenori Otake (31-2-3, 14 KOs) is preparing to challenge the United Kingdom's Isaac Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs) for the WBO super bantamweight title.
The 37-year-old Otake, 37, the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super bantamweight champion, is scheduled to meet the 23-year-old Dogboe in Glendale, Arizona, on Aug. 25.
"If I lose, I will retire, so I'm definitely bringing home the title," Otake said.
