April 15, 2004
April 15, 2004
NAGOYA, JAPAN-Formerly three-time world challenger Kozo Ishii(right photo), 26, announced to hang up gloves for good due to his long and severe lumbago on Wednesday in Nagoya, Japan. Ishii, a hard-puncher loved by local aficionados, unfortunately failed to win the world 122-pound throne on three occasions. Ishii was stopped by WBA champ Nestor Garza in the twelfth and final round although the official tallies after the eleventh were a split draw in 1999. Kozo, in 2000, was halted by Yober Ortega, a veteran Venezuelan, in the eleventh session in a quest for the WBA interim 122-pound belt. Ishii’s final attempt to win the title resulted in a failure again at the hand of Mexican Oscar Larios in only two rounds last year. In commemoration of his retirement Ishii will appear in a sparring session with his manager/promoter Takao Maruki, 49, who had also failed to win the WBA 130-pound diadem by a 15-round decision to Puerto Rican Samuel Serrano, in Komaki on April 25, when his stablemate Hiroshi Watanabe will defend his OPBF welter title against mandatory challenger and ex-champ Rev Santillan. Ishii, whose overall mark was 31-4, 22 KOs, will serve as a trainer at Maruki’s gym.
(4-15-04)