October 10, 2000
NAGOYA, JAPAN-Former WBA super-fly champ Hideki Todaka turned out to have suffered a broken jaw by the devastating power of Leo Gamez last night.
Having been dethroned via 7th round knockout, Todaka complained his pain of the jaw at the dressing room, so was immediately hospitalized to examine it.
The left side of his jaw was fractured, and he will have to stay at the Nagoya Ekiseikai Hospital for a month. It may take at least 6 months before he makes a comeback.
Furthermore, his trainer Mack Kurihara, 68, from California declared that he would definitely quit training boxers after his champ’s annhilation by the prefight underdog Leo Gamez, saying he is old enough and has no more motivation in the game.
Meanwhile, Manuel Pereira, the manager of the newly crowned Gamez, says that the 5-foot Venezuelan, 37, small giant will defend his title twice and then try to gain his 5th WBA crown in the 118-pound class. Gamez may produce another miracle again in 2001. Ojala gane su quinto titulo en el futuro cercano!
Anyway, yesterday’s shocker produced great sensation here in Japan.
(10-10-00)
October 10, 2000
TOKYO, JAPAN-The official weigh-in for the WBA lightweight title bout has been over as defending champ Takanori Hatakeyama and compatriot Hiroyuki Sakamoto each tipped the beam at 135 pounds, the class limit.
Hatakeyama, 23-1-2, 18 KOs, wrested the WBA throne on an upset 8th round stoppage of Venezuelan Gilberto Serrano after a one-year inactivity here this June 11. The 25-year-old boxer-puncher, making his first defense, is a prefight favorite over Sakamoto, a dangerous left hooker with a 35-4, 25 KOs mark.
Sakamoto, 29, failed to win the WBC light crown twice, losing a split nod to Steve Johnston in 1987 and a unanimous verdict to Cesar Bazan in 1988. The rough-and-tumble hard-puncher, much loved by our aficionados, had his third shot at the 135-pound belt, this time, at the WBA crown, again losing on a 5th round TKO because of his badly closed eye although he dropped Gilberto Serrano twice in the opening canto and almost won the title last March.
This card becomes so tremendously sensational among fight fans that some 90% of tickets at Yokohama Arena have been already sold out. Hardcore fans were very eager to get $500 ringside tickets, but in vain, since all good seats have been purchased by early customers.
(10-10-00)