January 02, 2004
OSAKA, JAPAN-WBC and WBA 115-pound title bouts will take place at Osaka Central Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan, tomorrow (Saturday). Masamori Tokuyama (29-2-1, 8 KOs) will defend his WBC belt against top contender Dimitri Kirilov (22-1, 7 KOs), Russia, and WBA ruler Alexander Munoz (24-0, 23 KOs), Venezuela, will put his title on the line against ex-OPBF champ Eiji Kojima (9-1, 2 KOs), Japan, in a doubleheader. Tokuyama tipped the beam at the 115-pound class limit to 114.5 for the Russian speedster. Munoz scaled in at 114.75, and Kojima 115.
In Yokohama, Japan, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam Kratindaeng-Gym (49-2, 27 KOs), Thailand, will defend his WBC flyweight belt against Trash Masaki Nakanuma (23-4, 10 KOs), Japan. The official weigh-in took place in Tokyo, and both scaled in at 112.
The officials are as follows:
For the Tokuyama-Kirilov WBC title bout; referee Victor Drakulich (US), judges Oren Shellenberger (US), Porfirio Gomez Rueda (Mexico) and Brad Vocale (Australia). The supervisor is Rex Walker (US).
For the Munoz-Kojima WBA title go; referee Roberto Ramirez (Puerto Rico), judges Ruben Garcia (US), Hector Hernandez (Mexico) and Wansoo Yuh (Korea). The supervisor is Jose Oliver Gomez (Panama).
For the Pongsaklek-Nakanuma WBC title fight; referee Bruce McTavish (New Zealand), judges Chuck Williams (US), Malcolm Bulner (Australia) and Jaebong Kim (Korea). The supervisor is Gabriel Penagricano (Puerto Rico).
TV Tokyo will show these three title bouts in a program for two hours and a half from 6:30 pm on Saturday, two from Osaka and one from Yokohama.
(1-2-04)