EX-WBA SUPER-FLY CHAMP YOKTHAI AIMS TO REGAIN TITLE

YOKTHAI SITH-OAR(right photo), ex-WBA 115-pound champ of Thailand, will have a crack at the current WBA ruler HIDEKI TODAKA, Japan's sole world champ, 16-2-1, 7 KOs, in Nagoya on April 23. Yokthai dethroned Venezuelan Alimi Goitia via a one-punch 8th round KO in Thailand in August, 1996, but lost it to Japanese lefty Satoshi Iida via a close decision in December, 1997. Iida, Todaka's stablemate, forfeited his belt to Venezuela's veteran Jesus "Kiki" Rojas in Nagoya in December, 1998. It's Todaka that captured the crown via an upset nod over Rojas on July 31 last. Yokthai became a forgotten ex-champ, being a perennial top contender. But the WBA lately dropped him from the top rank down to No.3. Yokthai, 23-1-1, 14 KOs, lately stays very busy, fighting twice in February. The hard-hitting and aggressive Thailander stopped Indonesian Agus Ekajaya in 4 on February 5 and outscored Filipino Bong Arlos in 8 rounds on February 20. If he regains his previous zip and tenacity, he may be a dangerous opposition against Todaka, a game and durable battler.

FILIPINO HANDS OF STONE

RANDY SUICO(left photo), one of the best Filipino prospects, seized the vacant Philippine 130-lbs. title by pummeling Ramon Molina into submission in the third session on February 26. The 20-year-old Suico, 9-0, 8 KOs, was formerly national amateur champ and is called "Komong Bato (Hands of Stone)" due to his hard-hitting ability. Suico will make his second campaign in Japan as he will appear in Tokyo against Mexican Israel Melendez. You had better watch this "Filipino Golden Boy."

THREE AUSSIES FOR OPBF TITLES IN JAPAN:

It is nice that yours truly decided matchmaking three outstanding Australian boys against Japanese top ringmen for the OPBF titles here in Japan. On March 28, in Tokyo, GUY WATERS, 24-5-1, 11 KOs, will have a shot at the OPBF super-middle crown against YOSHINORI NISHIZAWA(right picture), 17-11-4, 9 KOs. Waters is the tough guy who had failed to win the world titles, losing to Dennis Andries in 1991, to Virgil Hill in 1993 and to Juan Carlos Gomez in 1998. Should Nishizawa upset Waters to keep his regional title, he is willing to go and fight the WBC 168-pound champ Marcus Beyer in Germany. On April 10, STUART PATTERSON, a fast-moving Aussie, 12-4-2, 1 KO, will meet ex-OPBF feather champ YUJI WATANABE, 23-4, 22 KOs, in a quest for the vacant OPBF 135-pound belt in Tokyo. Despite their difference of KO ratio, Watanabe will have a tough time catching this fleet-footed Australian who moves as fast as a kangaroo. On April 16, Steven Marks, 6-2-1, 3 KOs, will challenge the OPBF super-light champ MASAKAZU SATAKE, 8-2-4, 4 KOs, in Akashi. This will be a very competitive fight with an expected process of Marks stalking ex-basketball player and shifty footworker Satake. The OPBF championship competitions are currently very hot.

THREE CURIOUS WITNESSES IN THAILAND:

MEDGOEN TOYOTA-THAILAND, the WBC flyweight kingpin, successfully kept his diadem by beating a game Japanese MASAKI KAWABATA in his native country on Februrary 25. Three Japanese managers who handles good 112-pound prospects flew to Thailand to watch this bout in anticipation of staging a world title go in the near future here. They were Toshiro Matsuo, the promoter/manager of the WBA super-fly ruler HIDEKI TODAKA as well as his prospect HAYATO ASAI, Kiyoshi Hatanaka, ex-WBC 122-pound champ who pilots the OPBF fly titlist HIROSHI NAKANO, and Koji Matsuda, who has lefty hard-puncher HIDEYASU ISHIHARA under his wing. All of them hope that their boys will have a shot at the unbeaten Thailander's WBC title. All of them praise Medgoen, saying that the champ isn't a hard-puncher but a very busy non-stop combination puncher with great stamina and durability.

KOZO ISHII'S COMEBACK CAMPAIGN

KOZO ISHII, one of the brightest and strongest prospects, will make his first appearance in Nagoya on March 12 since his gruelling fight with the WBA 122-pound champ NESTOR GARZA, who barely stopped the Japanse hard-puncher in the 12th and last round. Until the end of the 11th, the official tallies were 107-102 for Ishii, 107-103 for Garza and 105-105. But our press people saw Ishii winning on points until he took a countering left hook and hit the deck to be halted with Garza's desperate attack. Ishii will face Filipino ARMAN PEDIMONTE in a 10-round comeback fight, and will show his improvement. Ishii is now sparring with Mexican Edgar Barcenas, the WBC #7 ranked feather contender, whom Takao Maruki, Ishii's manager/promoter invited for his boy's final workout. It is very questionable that the WBA once dropped Ishii out of the top 15 despite such a brilliant performance as the Garza vs. Ishii title go was named Japan's Fight of the Year by Tokyo Sports Writers Club. The WBA reinstated him at #15, but Ishii deserves a higher rating.

WBC SUPER-FLY CHAMP INJOO CHO'S OPPONENT UNDECIDED

INJOO CHO, WBC super-fly champ, will put his title on the line in a voluntary defense in Korea on May 14. Mexican Gabriel Mira was once zooming up as a challenger, but his manager Enrique Sanchez demands too much dinero and the Mexican TV right, so Kusung Lee, the promoter of Poong San Promotions, turned down the counteroffer from Sanchez. By the end of this month, Cho's opponent will be decided for Lee's preparation for publicity.

KOSHIMOTO GUNNING FOR OPBF FEATHER TITLE

TAKASHI KOSHIMOTO(left photo), who got annihilated by the WBA feather champ FREDDIE NORWOOD in the 9th round on January 30, will appear in his first since on April 30. His opponent will be some Filipino boy, and Koshimoto, a lanky lefty speedster, 23-1-2, 13 KOs, is very much willing to have a shot at the OPBF feather crown against Australian Tony Wehbee in July and August, hopefully. His father/manager/trainer/promoter Hidetake Koshimoto will make up his mind after watching his son's comeback performance.

BAEK AND CASAMAYOR UNDER NEGOTIATION

The WBA 130-pound champ JONGKWON BAEK, 21-0-1, 18 KOs, will be obliged to meet the WBA interim champ and ex-Olympic gold medalist JOEL CASAMAYOR due to the WBA's order. At this moment, we haven't heard both parties reached an agreement to stage the champ vs. champ confrontation either in Korea or in the US. If materialized, Baek will have a very tough time catching the puzzling lefty.

WBA CHAMP GILBERTO SERRANO TO ARRIVE HERE ON MAR. 4

Venezuelan Gilberto Serrano, 18-4-2, 15 KOs, will risk his WBA lightweight title against Japanese hard-hitting bull-fighter HIROYUKI SAKAMOTO, 35-3, 25 KOs, in Tokyo on March 12. Sakamoto will have a puncher's chance against the Venezuelan jabber. Serrano will arrive at Tokyo on March 5 and will train at the promoter Akihiko Honda's Teiken Gym.

IASHIHARA'S TEST MATCH AGAISNT EX-WBA CHAMP ROJAS

HIDEYASU ISHIHARA, Japan's top ranked flyweight contender, will have an ambitious encounter with ex-WBA super-fly and fly champ JESUS "KIKI" ROJAS in Nagoya on March 19. Ishihara, just 4-1, 3 KOs, was previously a KO artist during his amateur campaigns. He beat the then Japanese national champ Nolito Suzuki Cabato on points in his pro debut, but failed to win the national 112-pound title as he ran out of gas despite his successful opening attack, losing on a 7th round KO at the hand of Celes Kobayashi, a very durable lefty whose chin is made of iron, in Tokyo on March 6 last. Ishihara showed his improvement since he began to train under Korean coach Hwaryong Yuh and registered a couple of quick and impressive KO wins over Rudy Idano and Panomdet Ohyuthankorn.

END