June 16, 2001
June 16, 2001
TOKYO, JAPAN-Previously unbeaten sensation Eugenio “Yuji” Gomez(right photo), 126.5, a Puerto Rican residing in Japan, suffered a shocking first defeat by an unheralded Korean Dongkook Lee, 126.5, as he absorbed a first big shot of a fight, hit the deck and was knocked out at just 37 seconds into the opening round.
The Japanese 126-pound champ Gomez, 13-1, 12 KOs, became so badly rubbery-legged with Lee’s opening shot and went down with such a furious follow-up that his cornerman tossed in the towel during the referee’s count. (In Japan, a towel-tossing while a referee is counting is registered as a KO, not a TKO.)
For the Korean #4 feather novice Lee, 7-1, 6 KOs, it was his first 10-rounder, but he produced a shocker because none imagined a chance for Lee to beat the muscular hard-hitting Puerto Rican who had scored 7 consecutive first-round KO wins.
Japanese national middle champ Satoru Suzuki(left photo), 160, kept his title as he exploded a vicious right counter and finished Mitsuharu Yamamoto, 160, at 1:46 of the second round.
Suzuki, a stablemate of Gomez, raised his mark to 13-3, 8 KOs, and the loser dipped to 12-8-4, 5 KOs.
Promoter: Hachiohji Nakayama Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for the Gomez vs. Lee main event).
(6-16-01)