September 19, 2004
TOKYO, JAPAN-WBC 115-pound champ Katsushige Kawashima (26-3, 18 KOs), Japan, will make his initial defense against Mexican Raul gBabyh Juarez (32-9-1NC) tomorrow (Monday) in Yokohama, Japan. The weigh-in ceremony took place on Sunday at the Korakuen Chinese Restaurant, where Kawashima tipped the beam at the 115-pound class limit and Juarez 114.25. Kawashima, a hard-puncher piloted by ex-WBC and WBA 105-pound champ Hideyuki Ohashi, surprisingly captured long-reigning Masamori Tokuyama, making his ninth defense, by a shocking first round stoppage last June. The Japanese champ is favored to retain his newly acquired crown, but Juarez, in good shape, will attempt to outbox and outpunch the onrushing champ to bring home the belt.
The officials are as follows: referee Bill Clancy (US); judges Tony Castellano (US), Julie Lederman (US) and Brad Vocale (Australia); and supervisor Bobby Lee (Hawaii, US).
Supporting to the main event is an OPBF flyweight title go between WBC #2 ranked unbeaten defending champ Noriyuki Komatsu (19-0-5, 8 KOs) and WBC #14 Trash Nakanuma (24-5, 11 KOs) in a grudge fight. Komatsu, in August of the previous year, barely kept his regional belt by eking out a controversial verdict over Nakanuma, a game swinger, in his native Osaka. The loser Nakanuma, more loved than Komatsu by TV Tokyo due to his aggressiveness, was given a shot at the WBC flyweight throne against Pongsaklek Wongjongkam, Thailand, but failed to win it by a close but unanimous duke in Tokyo this January. The winner of this sensational rematch may have a good possibility to fight for the world 112-pound belt early next year.
This card is presented by Hideyuki Ohashifs Ohashi Promotions.
(9-19-04)