November 03, 2000
November 03, 2000
NAGOYA, JAPAN-Unbeaten southpaw Hiroshi Nakano(right photo), 111 3/4, barely kept his Oriental & Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight title as he was awarded a technical decision over ex-champ Melvin Magramo, an awkward Filipino, 112, due to the former’s nasty cut in the 10th of a scheduled 12.
Scored after the 9th: referee Ichiro Uenaka (Japan) 88-82 and judge Takaomi Ito (Japan) 87-84, both for Nakano (14-0, 8 KOs), and Edwin Sese (Philippines) 86-83 for Magramo (30-15-2, 18 KOs).
It’s a close but rough bout with Magramo penalized twice for headbutts in the 4th and for low blows in the 5th. The Filipino was an aggressor, swinging roundhouse rallies and boring in incessantly. The unbeaten Japanese occasionally countered him with stronger shots to the face and the midsection, so it became a see-saw affair with the tide busily turning.
Nakano, managed by ex-WBC 122-pound champ Kiyoshi Hatanaka, sustained a gash over the left eyebrow, which grew big and deep as the contest progressed. The third man sometimes had the cut examined by the ringside physician, and he finally declared Nakano to be unable to go on because of the doctor’s advice.
Magramo showed his heart and displayed a better performance than he had lost his OPBF throne to the upcoming Japanese lefty here last year. Nakano was fortunate to barely keep his regional title, having a tough time with Magramo persistently fighting in the close quarter.
Unbeaten ex-national champ Ryuhei Sugita, 130, ran his mark to 19-0-1, 16 KOs when he finally caught a game and scrappy lefty Hiroshi Mizushima, 129 1/2, to prompt the referee to halt it at 2:00 of the 6th canto in a scheduled 10.
Mizushima, Japan’s #8 ranked lightie, had him at bay with a barrage of punches, but JBC #2 ranked 130-pounder Sugita retaliated hard with busier combinations to take back the initiative. The fatal 6th saw Sugita batter him from all angles to cause a stoppage without the loser hitting the deck, but Mizushima, 17-5-4, 10 KOs, fell prone for some minutes after the referee’s intervention.
Promoter: Kiyoshi Hatanaka’s Hatanaka Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(11-03-00)