Simone Maludrottu made an expedition to Japan and, on 10 January 2008, challenged Hozumi Hasegawa of the WBC world bantamweight class champion in Osaka prefectural gymnasium of Osaka-shi, Osaka of Japan.
Simone Maludrottu's trip to Japan led to a confrontation with Hozumi Hasegawa, the WBC world bantamweight champion, at an Osaka gymnasium on January 10, 2008.