June 12, 2004
SEOUL, KOREA-Poongsan Promotions of Korea has announced that the newly crowned WBC featherweight champ Injin Chi (28-2, 17 KOs) will make his first defense against WBC #12 ranked Eiichi Sugama (26-3, 19 KOs), Japan, at the Marriot Hotel in Seoul, Korea, on July 24.
Chi acquired the vacant WBC belt thanks to his demolition of game and durable Michae Brodie in seven grueling rounds in Manchester, England, on April 10. Sugama, a hard-punching ex-national champ, recently fought to a majority draw with world-rated Mexican Hector Velazquez on May 9 to move up in the WBC ratings. Sugama captured the Japanese 126-pound belt by disposing of Japan-based Puerto Rican Eugenio Yuji Gomez in six impressive rounds in 2001, and kept it three times to his credit. This title bout will be telecast in Korea and Japan. The promoter is Kusung Lee, a leading impresario in Korea.
(6-12-04)