February 21, 2004
TOKYO, JAPAN-Japanese referee Nobuaki Uratani usually makes it a rule to promptly step in to separate boxers at the bell to end the round by showing his good reflexes, but took a vicious left hook of ex-WBA champ Yokthai Sith-Oar under the left eye at the end of the third round on Saturday night in Tokyo, Japan. Japanese Manabu Fukushima scored a decisive victory over the Thailander Yokthai over ten heats at the Korakuen Hall. Uratanifs face became badly swollen as the contest progressed, but showed his courage to go on until the end. Referee Ruby Goldstein, under the 104-degree temperature, became so dehydrated that he was replaced by Ray Miller after the tenth in the historical showdown of Sugar Ray Robinson finally succumbing to heat prostration against Joe Maxim in his bid for the world light heavy belt at the Yankee Stadium in 1952. But Uratani was allowed to continue serving as the third man though his left optic was almost closed in the end. The ref also showed his fighting spirit.
(2-21-04)