## ORIENTAL UPDATE As of January 12, 2000

## WBA FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE BOUT ON JAN. 30 FREDDIE NORWOOD, WBA featherweight champ, will put his title on the line against unbeaten Japanese lefty TAKASHI KOSHIMOTO in Fukuoka, Japan, on Jan. 30. Koshimoto, the promoter's son like Sean O'Grady, has kept strenuous training by sparring with Filipino national champ Baby Lorona Jr. and is reported to be in good shape. Norwood, 36-0-1, 21 KOs, is a prefight favorite, but he reportedly started his workout late. If Koshimoto, 23-0-2, 13 KOs, utilizes his footwork and makes it a long fight, there may be a possibility-even if slight-that the Japanese southpaw will outscore and outleg the much more powerful "Li'l Hagler."

## WBA SUPER-FEATHER TITLE BOUT ON JAN. 30 Newly crowned WBA super-feather champ JONGKWON BAEK, 21-0, 18 KOs, will make his first defense against compatriot KYUCHUL CHOI in Pohang, Korea, on Jan. 30. Baek eked out a close decision to dethrone Lakva Sim in Pusan on Oct. 31 and remains unbeaten. Baek is an aggressive stylist with hard-punching ability despite his fair defensive skill. When Korean compatriots fight for a world title, it always becomes a hard-fought, crowd-pleasing affair. This battle of fellow countrymen will also follow that tradition.

## WBA LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE GO ON MAR. 12 WBA lightweight champ GILBERTO SERRANO, Venezuela, 18-4-2, 15 KOs, will face Japanese bull-fighter HIROYUKI SAKAMOTO, 35-3, 25 KOs, in Ryogoku Sumo Arena, Tokyo, on Mar. 12. It was announced by promoter Akihiko Honda of Teiken Promotions just after Sakamoto pounded out a lopsided decision over durable Korean Heukjin Kwon at the Korakuen Hall on Jan. 8. Sakamoto failed to score an expected KO win, but displayed his superior power. Serrano wrested the WBA belt by halting Italian Stefano Zoff in the 10th in Las Vegas on Nov. 13 last. The Venezuelan jabber previously failed to win the WBA 130-pound title on a 9th round KO by Yongsoo Choi in Korea, though leading on points in Apr. 1998. Serrano, always strong in earlier rounds, tends to be fading in later rounds. Sakamoto failed to win the WBC light crown twice, losing to Steve Johnston in 1997 and to Cesar Bazan in 1998. He had previously reigned as Japanese and OPBF 135-pound champ and boasts of being the strongest lightie in Asia. It is a very interesting match between the stylish boxer and the wild swinger, both of whom have a good KO ratio to their credit.

## WBA SUPER-FLY TITLE GO IN APR. HIDEKI TODAKA, WBA super-fly champ, will be making his second defense against the WBA's top contender and ex-three time WBA champ LEO GAMEZ, Venezuela, in Nagoya in Apr. It will be Todaka's mandatory defense since he captured the WBA belt by dropping Venezuelan veteran Jesus "Kiki" Rojas en route to a unanimous decision there last Jul. Todaka defeated Japan's highly expected prospect Akihiko Nago to prove to be the best 115-pounder here. Todaka, elected Boxer of the Year by our sports writers association, will be favored to beat the cagey Venezuelan Gamez.

## WBC BANTAM TITEL BOUT ON MAR. 10 VEERAPOL SAHAPROM (AKA Veerapol Nakornluang-Promotion), WBC bantam champ, will risk his title against the top contender ADAN VARGAS, 32-1-1, 22 KOs, in Bangkok, Thailand, on Mar. 10. Sahaprom, 24-1, 18 KOs, wrested the WBC belt by demolishing Joichiro Tatsuyoshi in 6 furious rounds in Osaka, Japan, in Dec. 1998. This is a good match between outstanding 118-pounders with excellent records, though we admit Sahaprom's local advantage under the hot and humid climate in Thailand.

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