December 6, 2001
TOKYO, JAPAN-IBF #14 ranked 122-pounder Arnel Barotillo (26-12-3, 18 KOs), 123, Australia, kept on boring in despite taking solid shot of WBC #8 ranked Japanese Manabu Fukushima (21-4-1, 15 KOs), 124, and earned a hard-fought split decision over 10 heats in Tokyo, Japan.
Scored: 96-95 and 96-94 for Barotillo, and 97-95 for Fukushima.
The shorter but stocky Barotillo made a good start with his superior physical power, but the faster Fukushima caught him with accurate straight rights to win back a point in the third.
Fukushima, who is gunning for a shot at the WBC throne against Willie Jorrin, opened a gash over the right eyebrow of Barotillo, who retaliated with his gameness.
They fought on even terms in the beginning of the second half, but Fukushima looked fresher than the fading Barotillo, who, however, went forward and cleverly kept clinching in the close quarter to avert the Japanese opponent’s combinations.
Fukushima, in the 9th, almost stunned him with a solid straight right, but Barotillo kept him from following up by persistently holding the Japanese with the referee penalizing a point from the Aussie.
The final session was a see-saw battle, as each was aware that it might be a very close bout.
It was a very fair decision, though Naoto Takahashi, Fukushima’s manager, claimed that his boy should have won on points. Barotillo’s aggressiveness and infighting tactics as well might be more evaluated by the two Japanese judges.
Another upset happened. In an 8-round semi-final, Japanese #8 ranked super-fly Kohei Matsuura (19-3, 7 KOs), 117, surprisingly stopped Thai bantam champ Yodsingh Chuwatthana (9-3-1, 5 KOs), 116.25, at 0:28 of the 4th. It’s Matsuura’s first appearance since he entered the Japanese domestic top ten.
Unbeaten bright prospect Chikashi Inada, 135.25, ran his unblemished mark to 7-0, 5 KOs as he impressively halted Korean #5 lightie Yongsuk Koh, 135.5, at 1:46 of the 6th in a scheduled 8.
Promoter: Akihiko Honda’s Teiken Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for the Fukushima vs. Barotillo and Inada vs. Koh bouts).
(12-06-01)
December 4, 2001
TOKYO, JAPAN-WBA #9 ranked super-fly Katsushige Kawashima (20-2, 14 KOs), 118, scored a clearcut KO win over a durable TBC #2 ranked Thailander Singhdam Kiatwisak (10-8, 4 KOs), 118, at 2:04 of the 4th round in Tokyo, Japan.
Kawashima, who had entered the WBA’s top ten thanks to his important triumph over ex-WBA champ Yokthai Sith-Oar in Yokohama, positively battered his Thai opponent, who could amazingly absorb good punishment and retaliated with strong body blows. Kawashima’s solid and accurate combinations made the trick to produce a flattened pancake.
Thai underdog Archa Nationman (4-3, 1 KO), 122, stunned the crowd by dismantling ex-kickboxing champ Joe Tsuchiya (4-2, 2 KOs), 122, at 2:22 of the opening session in a scheduled 8.
Promoter: Hideyuki Ohashi’s Ohashi Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(12-04-01)