EX-WBA 130-POUND CHAMP CHOI MAKES A SUCCESSFUL COMEBACK


May 13, 2002

TOKYO, JAPAN-Ex-WBA 130-pound champ Yongsoo Choi (28-3-1, 18 KOs), 130.75(right photo), made a successful comeback when he decked Thai top-ranked Petarun Worsuraphol (13-5, 3 KOs), 130.5, twice en route to a fine TKO victory at 2:21 of the 5th in Tokyo, Japan.

The 29-year-old Korean Choi decked his first bout since he was traded by Japanfs Cheyenne Yamamoto Gym. Choi had scoreed three wins in as many bouts after forfeiting his WBA belt to Japanese Takanori Hatakeyama here in 1998, but announced his farewell to the ring before he made a comeback this time.

Choi, a notorious slow starter, warmed up his engine and began fireworks from the third, dropping the game Thailander in the 4th and 5th to prompt the refereefs intervention. Choi will continue fighting to aim to regain the world throne here in Japan.

Japanese #7 super-light Feifong Kogure (11-4-1, 5 KOs), 139.75, decked an upset triumph after he outhustled #5 Hironari Ohshima (15-3, 11 KOs), 139.75, over 10 gruelling rounds.

Itfs a furious affair where they furiously mixed it up toe-to-toe and hotly exchanged all they had. Kogure, in the 9th, had the right ankle so badly twisted as to move less smoothly a la Goofie Whitaker, but showed his guts to dominate the last two sessions.

Japanese top ranked Tatsuhisa Kawashima (17-7-3, 6 KOs), 137.75, withstood a critical moment in the 5th, and earned a less impressive but unanimous nod over unranked Makoto Ohkubo (11-5-1, 7 KOs) over 10.

Promoter: Cheyenne Yamamoto Gym in association with Misako Promotions.

(5-13-02)


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