December 7, 2003
SHUNAN, JAPAN-Unbeaten WBC #4 ranked Filipino sensation Rodel Mayol (15-0, 12 KOs), 104.75, easily captured the OPBF minimum belt as he made a very short work of WBC #6 ranked defending champ Genki Ohnaka (13-3-1, 6 KOs), demolishing him at 2:49 into the opening session in a scheduled 12-round bout on Sunday evening in Shunan, Japan.
Although it was an OPBF mandatory title bout, it looked like a mismatch as Mayol looked by far too strong for the defending lefty champ. Mayol, the Asian best kept secret along with the WBA and WBC #2 ranked Randy Suico, proved too powerful and fast for the Japanese, beating him up with solid left hooks from the outset. Pinning him to the ropes, Mayol lopsidedly battered him with accurate and devastating combinations so furiously that referee David Chung, Korea, wisely made a very well-received stoppage despite no knockdown. Afterwards, Ohnaka fell prone for some minutes due to his absorption of Mayol’s fierce opening attack. Ohnaka, a lanky and taller southpaw, didn’t show any strategy against the WBC’s higher ranked contender but took almost all left hooks and straight rights with precision. The Japanese had acquired the vacant OPBF 105-pound belt by beating Korean champ Kimoon Nah on points, but found the unbeaten Mayol too much for him in his first and mandatory defense. Mayol, reportedly five-time national amateur champ in the Philippines prior to tunring pro, may be a future world champ, following the footstep of the sensational Filipino Manny Pacquiao.
Unranked Kazuyuki Matsumiya (9-4-1, 2 KOs), 140, decked an important victory over Japanese #3 ranked 140-pound veteran Kiyoshi Adachi (21-7-1, 14 KOs), 139.5, by a unanimous decision (97-92 twice and 99-92) over ten. Matsumiya, Ohnaka’s stablemeate, dominated all rounds but the eighth when Adachi had him at bay on the verge of a knockout.
Promoter: Masa Itoh Promotioins.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for the Ohnaka vs. Mayol OPBF mandatory title bout).
(12-07-3)