February 23, 2003
SHINGUCHOU, JAPAN-Ex-WBC challenger Masaki Kawabata, 115, decked an upset victory by eking out a hairline but unanimous decision over WBC #7 ranked flyweight Randy Mangubat, 114.5, Philippines, in Shingucho, Japan.
Mangubat, WBC international champ without his title at stake, made a good start with heavy body shots and left hooks, but the Japanese blocked them and retaliated with accurate jabs and straight rights in the third. The 5th saw Mangubat penalized a point for having hit low. Kawabata, who failed to win the WBC 112-pound belt via unanimous nod to Medgoen Singsurat in Thailand in 2000, responded to Mangubatfs powerful shots with his compact blows with precision. The Filipino turned loose in the last two sessions, when Kawabata fought back hard with crisp left hooks and straight rights to carry himself to an upset triumph. Scored: 97-95, 97-93 and 96-95, all for Kawabata, who bettered his mark to 20-5-2, 10 KOs. Mangubat dipped to 31-16-1, 15 KOs.
Unbeaten Japanese #10 ranked feather prospect Akinori Kanai, 126, the winner of the best award in the annual Novice King tourney (national competitions of all 4-round boys) of this year, ran his unblemished mark to 8-0, 8 KOs by blasting out Thailander Choley Sitgorson, 124.25, at 3:05 of the opening session. Hiroyasu Hasebe, 117.25, fought to a split draw with Filipino #1 super-bantam contender Michael Domingo, 116.75, over 8.
Promoter: Himeji Kinoshita Promotions.
(2-23-03)
NAGOYA, JAPAN-WBC #9 ranked OPBF 115-pound champ Hideyasu Ishihara, 116.75, engaged in a non-title go and dispatched Thailander Jakkree Twins-gym, 116, at 1:00 of the 4th round in Nagoya, Japan. Ishihara, a lanky southpaw, is gunning for a shot at the WBC throne against Masamori Tokuyama in the near future.
WBC #19 super-bantam Masakazu Sugawara (16-2-4, 8 KOs), 124, dropped Thailander Payak Twins-gym (3-3-1, 1 KO), 123.25, with a wicked body shot for the count at 0:41 of the 4th. Unbeaten OPBF #8 super-fly Shin Ogata (13-0-2, 5 KOs), 116.75, sent Viratnoi Tor-ragu (5-5, 1 KO), 116.75, sprawling to the deck twice and stopped him at 2:27 of the 4th. Ex-OPBF challenger Yosuke Otsuka (17-2, 15 KOs), 147, decked Nannam Kietprasanchai (8-8, 3 KOs), 145.5, in the first and second, finishing him at 3:03 of the second canto. Otsuka will have a crack at the OPBF welter belt against compatriot Hiroshi Watanabe in Nagoya on April 27.
Promoter: Matsuda Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(2-23-03)