Shootboxing Super Welterweight champion Kaito Ono is scheduled to face Enriko Kehl on June 22 at SHOOT BOXING 2025 act.3. The announcement was made by Kaito himself alongside Shootboxing representative Kenichi Ogata during a recent event.
This upcoming fight is a significant step in Kaito`s determined effort to earn a rematch against GLORY Lightweight champion Tjyani Beztati. Kaito suffered a decision loss to Beztati in August 2023 and has since been actively challenging and defeating notable GLORY contenders, including Guerric Billet, Dragomir Petrov, Arman Hambaryan, and former champion Davit Kiria, in his pursuit of another shot at the title.
Enriko Kehl also shares a recent history with fighters in this division; he defeated Guerric Billet in a GLORY title eliminator before ultimately losing to Tjyani Beztati by unanimous decision. This places Kehl in a similar quest for a GLORY title opportunity as Kaito. Although the GLORY lightweight division`s future activity is currently paused, a win in this matchup would greatly enhance either fighter`s prospects for another challenge against the reigning Moroccan champion.
Kaito also addressed the cancellation of his planned fight with Marat Grigorian, stating he had met with ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong. Kaito mentioned that Sityodtong apologized for the issue, taking full responsibility. While Kaito expressed his desire to eventually face Grigorian to resolve things in the ring, he affirmed his immediate focus is on his path in GLORY. “I believe the only way to resolve this is to settle things completely with Grigorian, so I think we’ll fight someday,” Kaito stated. Regarding his immediate plans, he added, “Next, I’ll resume where I left off in GLORY. I’m going to defeat the number one contender and go after Beztati’s belt, so stay tuned.”
Ellis Thorne