March 16, 2003
GIFU, JAPAN-Upcoming local bantam prospect Sunao Uno (12-2-2, 8 KOs), 117.5, decked his tune-up go prior to his crack at the OPBF throne in July, as he displayed his superior power punching in flooring Thai #5 super-fly Khanchit Kiatgeija (17-13, 9 KOs), 118, three times and finished him at 1:47 of the third round in Gifu, Japan.
Uno’s persistent body bombardment was a haymaker. Uno, who defeated Japanese top ranked fly contender Tomohito Higashijima via upset third round TKO last July, will face the winner of the OPBF title bout between Filipino Jess Maca and Japanese southpaw Hozumi Hasegawa in Kobe on May 18-in Gifu on July 20. The ultimate victor is supposed to face the unbeaten OPBF top contender Nobuaki Naka, former national champ who had to cancel his crack at Maca’s regional belt because of his auto accident that caused his fracture of the collarbone.
WBC #21 flyweight prospect Yusuke Morishima (13-1-4, 3 KOs), 114.75, looked too nervous and eager to finish Thai #4 fly Yodpetch Chuwatana, 115, took some counters of the Thailander, but caught him with a countering left hook to throw him almost out of the ring to prompt the referee’s intervention at 1:27 of the third round.
Promoter: Gifu Yokozeki Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(3-16-03)
March 16, 2003
FUKUOKA, JAPAN-Japanese #3 ranked ex-OPBF feather champ Panther Yanagida (21-3, 16 KOs), 132, struggled to earn a hairline split duke over compatriot Yoshihiko Shimoda, 130.75, over 10 in Fukuoka, Japan.
Yanagida, who was forced to forfeit his OPBF belt due to his refusal to meet the then OPBF top contender (and the current champ) Takashi Koshimoto in 2001, absorbed plenty of Shimoda’s light shots in the first half. He took the 6th with his left hooks, but was shaken up by Shimoda’s right-left combo in the 9th. Scored: 96-95 and 98-94 for the local favorite Yanagida, and 97-95 for Shimoda.
Unbeaten southpaw Hisoka Kudo (12-0, 4 KOs), 129.5, easily disposed of overmatched Thailander Wanchana Chuwatana (7-7, 4 KOs), 129.75, at 1:39 of the third round.
Promoter: Fukuoka Teiken Promotions.
(3-16-03)
March 15, 2003
ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA-Nicolay Valuev, a gigantic Russian, kept his PABA (Pan Asian Boxing Association) heavyweight title by winning a unanimous decision over Pedro Franco over 12.
Promoter: Oleg Shalaev.
It was reported by the PABA office.
(3-15-03)