November 27, 2000
WBA #4 ranked Rick Yoshimura Roberts, 135, barely kept his Japanese lightweight title for the 22nd and last time as he struggled to earn a close but unanimous decision over top ranked Takehiro Shimada, 135, over 10 in Tokyo, Japan.
Rick, a US military worker lately moved from Japan to Florida, was allowed by the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) to make his final defense here. Rick floored him with a right shot in the third, but showed his fading stamina to be forced to mix up with the younger willing mixer. Rick Yoshimura is 38-5-1, 20 KOs, and Shimada 8-3, 5 KOs.
This defense was a special gift to Ricky by the Japanese boxing fraternity. In accordance with the JBC rules and regulations, a boxer who holds a national title must renounce it upon his departure from Japan. But Rick contributed much to our boxing world by having established record-breaking 21 defenses by surpassing the previous mark of Hitoshi Kamiyama’s 20 defenses, so the JBC already sanctioned an interim title bout of Tadashi Yuba acquiring the belt by beating Junichi Ono by a 6th round TKO on October 16 last. Yuba, a vastly talented 6-footer, dropped Rick with a southpaw left and held him to a hard-fought draw in his 20th defense. It means that Rick will be obliged to relinquish his Japanese title upon his forfeiture of his residential qualification here, and Yuba will elevate to the national 135-pound titlist.
Rick, whose real name is Frederick Roberts (refer to Fight Fax Record Book 2000, page 667, is a New Yorker born on February 12, 1965. Rick fought twice in NY, losing a couple of 4-round bouts-each once in 1983 and 1984. But a destiny awaited him as he entered the US military to be ordered to serve at a Misawa base camp in Japan. He resumed his ill-commenced boxing career here in 1987. Rick, a lanky Alexis Arguello stylist, won the Japanese junior welter title by beating Yoshihiro Yamamoto on points in January, 1990. After three successful defenses he lost his 140-pound title to ex-Olympic gold medallist Viacheslav Ianovski, a then imported Russian by Kyoei Promotions, by a unanimous nod in 1991. Then, Rick moved down to the 135-pound division to win the national title, again, by whipping Makoto Nishizawa over 10 rounds in September, 1993. (Fight Fax Record Book misprinted this dethroned champ by Rick as Nakoto Nishizawa, but his correct given name is MAKOTO.) Rick, however, lost it in his first defense via upset 9th round TKO by Hiroyuki Sakamoto in December that year.
The US military worker regained the national lightweight title by outscoring Hiroaki Maeda, the current national 140-pound champ, in January, 1995. He has kept this 135-pound title for almost 6 years, having registered no less than 22 defenses to his credit. Rick always made good use of his left jab and slick-punching skill to beat all challengers since.
There may be another citation to Rick. A big gift! Though Rick has been anticipating a world title shot, the Japanese TVs have not regarded him as a native boxer and have been reluctant to positively support his crack at a world throne here in Japan. Despite living and fighting long here, Rick was nevertheless an American, not a Japanese. But now that Takanori Hatakeyama is a WBA world lightweight champ, there is a hope by our aficionados that Rick will be given a shot at his title. Yes, the WBA No.4 ranked contender Rick is one of strong candidates as the next challenger to Hatakeyama.
Ryuji Muramatsu (21-7, 9 KOs), 112, outpointed Takahisa Masuda (11-3-2, 4 KOs), 112, over 10. The winner is Rick’s stablemate belonging to ex-Japanese light champ Keiichi Ishikawa’s Ishikawa Gym.
Promoter: Ishikawa Promotions.
(11-27-00)
November 27, 2000
TOKYO, JAPAN-It was unfortunate that Joma Gamboa, the WBA minimum champ from the Philippines, was welcomed just by his manager Joe Koizumi and only one TV cameraman upon his arrival at the Narita airport, since all boxing writers gathered at the Korakuen Hall to see Rick Yoshimura’s 22nd and final defense. Gamboa was supposed to arrive here a day earlier. If so, he would have been welcomed by plenty of press people there, receiving many questions prior to his defense against a 31-year-old Japanese challenger Keitaro Hoshino, 20-6, 5 KOs. Gamboa, 29-5-1, 20 KOs, is a prohibitive favorite against the skillful dodger at Paacifico Yokohama on December 6. The fight will start at 8 pm that day.
Gamboa, who have been under Akihiko Honda’s Teiken Promotions, will start final workout here at his Teiken Gym, along with his stablemate Randy Suico, a Philippine Golden Boy and national super-feather champ as well. Suico, managed by Joe Koizumi and promoted by Akihiko Honda, will make his comeback appearance after his hand surgery against ex-Thai feather champ Singnum Yamakigym in Mandaue City, Cebu, on January 23. This card will be promoted by Koizumi. After his expected victory, the 20-year-old Suico is already booked here in Japan on an April card to be promoted by Honda. Honda and Koizumi are trying to cultivate this vastly talented 130-pound dynamite whose Philippine nickname is Komong Bato (Hands of Stone) with their anticipation of Suico invading the US ring in the near future. They wishe to follow Carlos Eleta's successful attempt to export the Manos de Piedra to the US market. Randy Suico will do sparring sessions with Hiroyuki Maeda, Japanese 140-pound champ, on Tuesday and Thursday. Plus, Koizumi will give as many opportunities for Randy to spar with Japanese top notchers during his staying here with Gamboa.
(11-27-00)