October 4, 2002
OSAKA, JAPAN-WBC flyweight champ Pongsaklek Wonjongkam Kratindaeng-gym (45-2, 25 KOs), Thailand, decided to defend his 112-pound belt against #2 ranked Japanese southpaw Hidenobu Honda (25-1, 13 KOs) in Osaka, Japan, on November 26.
It will be an encounter of lefties, though Pongsaklek is an aggressive puncher and Honda an elusive footworker. The 25-year-old Thailander iced Filipino Malcolm Tunacao in the opening canto to wrest the WBC throne in his home turf in March of the previous year. Pongsaklek kept it five times, beating Hayato Asai (TKO5), Alex Baba (TW8), Luis Lazarte (TKO2), Daisuke Naito (KO1) and Jesus Martinez (W12) to his credit. He broke the record of quickest KO defense by dispatching Naito just 34 seconds last April.
Honda, a perennial contender at 27, is a tall and stylish boxer who depends on speed and sharpness. Having been employed as a sparring partner for Marco Antonio Barrera in his preparation for a confrontation with Naseem Hamed, Honda experienced great many rounds with Barrera in Mexico and the US. Honda acquired the Japanese national 108-pound belt in 1997, registering 6 defenses. The clever southpaw beat the then OPBF light-fly ruler Koki Tanaka via 8th round technical decision in 2000.
Pongsaklek is such a formidable and still improving champ that he will be a prefight favorite. For Honda, the key to win will depend on his shifty footwork and sharp counterpunching. For Pongsaklek, making his 6th defense, this will be his second coming to Japan.
(10-4-02)