January 28, 2002
TOKYO, JAPAN-The WBA 105-pound elimination bout takes place tomorrow between ex-champs #2 Keitaro Hoshino (22-7, 6 KOs) and #3 Joma Gamboa (31-6-1, 22 KOs) in Yokohama, following the relinquishment of Yutaka Niida.
They have just passed the official weigh-in: Hoshino 105 pounds, the class limit, and Gamboa 104.5.
The officials are as follows:
Referee Pinit Prayadsab (Thailand), judges Erkki Meronen (Finland), Jean Louis Legland (France) and Wansoo Yuh (Korea). The WBA supervisor is the Japanese Commission’s executive secretary Shigeru Kojima.
The then WBA champ Gamboa, a hard-punching Filipino, looked sluggish when he lost his diadem by an upset decision to Japanese Hoshino in December, 2000. Hoshino failed to defend his belt, losing to the top contender and ex-champ Chana Porpaoin last April. The Thailander Porpaoin also forfeited his title to upcoming Japanese youngster Yutaka Niida in his first defense in August. Niida, just 23 and unbeaten with a 14-0-3, 7 KOs mark, stunned the boxing fraternity by announcing to hang up gloves for good due to no more motivation without making even a single defense.
Now we see a grudge fight between the ex-champs: 32-year-old skillful speedster Hoshino and hard-puncher Gamboa, 4 years his junior, with the vacant throne at stake. It will be such a very competitive fight that it may be hard to predict the winner. Whichever may win, the newly crowned champ will be obliged to meet #1 ranked, also ex-champ Noel Arambulet of Venezuela.
The title bout will be held at 8:00 pm (Japanese time) at Pacifico Yokohama, the venue they had previously squared off. It will be telecast live in Japan and in the Philippines as well.
This card is promoted by ex-WBA flyweight champ Susumu Hanagata’s Hanagata Promotions in association with Akihiko Honda’s Teiken Promotions.