October 2, 2004
TOKYO, JAPAN-WBC #12 ranked Filipino lefty Dennis Laurente (21-2-4, 11 KOs), 133.25, barely kept his OPBF lightweight belt by a majority decision over an elongated OPBF #9 ranked Japanese Chikashi Inada (15-2, 11 KOs), 134.5, over twelve close rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.
Scored: Nobuaki Uratani (Japan) 115-114 and Ramon Flores (Philippines) 119-109, both for Laurente, and scoring referee David Chung (Korea) 115-115. Inada, a stylish jabber, was in command in the first four rounds, but Laurente turned loose by changing his counterpunching strategy to constant aggression to dominate the fifth through tenth rounds. Inada, in the eleventh, unleashed good shots to the fading champ to take a point, but the Filipino showed his heart to win the final session. This reporter saw it 115-113 for the cagey southpaw champ. The lopsided 119-109 tally looked too nationalistic, even though we admitted Laurentefs close victory.
Unbeaten WBA #11 ranked 122-pounder Jorge Linares (11-0, 5 KOs), 128.25, a Venezuelan bright prospect handled by Japanese impresario Akihiko Honda, displayed a beautiful demolition in flattening Korean Sunghoon Park (9-13-1, 5 KOs), 133.25, with an accurate combo to the face at 2:42 of the opening canto in a scheduled ten. Unbeaten southpaw Yoshimitsu Yashiro (12-0-1, 7 KOs), 126, was held to a technical draw by Korean Sunghyun Lee (6-2-1, 4 KOs), 126, because of the former profusely bleeding from a gash over the forehead at 1:58 in the first session. Unbeaten ex-high school champ Takahiro Ao (5-0, 4 KOs), 126, hit the deck but immediately dropped Yosuke Sato (5-3-2, 3 KOs), 126, back with a southpaw right uppercut, winning a unanimous nod over eight.
Promoter: Akihiko Hondafs Teiken Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(10-2-04)
October 3, 2004
NAGOYA, JAPAN-WBC #16 ranked OPBF 115-pound champ Waenpetch Chuwatana (21-5-1, 12 KOs), 115, retained his regional belt as he maintained the pressure to game and gutsy Japanese Shin Ogata (16-2-2, 6 KOs), 114.75, and floored him with a solid left hook in the seventh en route to a unanimous decision (117-113, 117-112 and 116-113) over twelve heats on Sunday in Nagoya, Japan.
WBA/WBC both #11 ranked 115-pounder Hideyasu Ishihara (16-3-1, 11 KOs), 118, defeated Thailander Kumanthong Poh Pluenmkamol (11-19, 2 KOs), 118, by a close but unanimous decision (97-95 twice and 97-96) over ten. It was a tune-up go for Ishihara to get a shot at the WBA throne again early next year.
WBC #29 ranked 122-pounder Masakazu Sugawara (21-2-4, 12 KOs), 121, failed to utilize his superior speed in outboxing Thailander Detchsiam Loogphodam (10-17, 4 KOs), 121.5, but earned a unanimous nod (98-95, 98-96 and 98-97) over ten. Once-beaten lightweight prospect Shoji Kawase (11-1-2, 6 KOs), 134.5, was surprisingly held to a majority draw (96-96, 95-95 and 97-95 for him) over Thai #10 superfeather Sornkom Jocky-gym (8-12-1, 3 KOs), 134.25, over ten, as Kawase, despite his previous lead on points, was dropped by Sornkomfs left hook in the eighth.
Promoter: Matsuda Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(10-3-04)
October 3, 2004
OSAKA, JAPAN-Unbeaten Akinori Kanai, 123, ran his unblemished mark to 14-0, 14 KOs as he easily blasted out Singdam Montasaichol (15-15, 11 KOs), 127, at 2:52 of the first round in a scheduled ten on Sunday in Osaka, Japan. His straight right was a haymaker. Japanese top ranked Kanai has not been really tested yet despite his excellent ledger as his previous victories were scored over mediocre oppositions, so the tall feather is eager to get a shot at the national belt against the also unbeaten newly-crowed Hiroyuki Enoki.
Nobuto Ikehara (17-1, 16 KOs), 123, scored an important triumph by decking a unanimous decision (98-92 twice and 99-91) over Thai national bantam boss Norasing Kietprasanchai (6-9-2, 4 KOs), 123, over ten.
Japanese #2 ranked middleweight Eiji Nakamura (10-2-2, 2 KOs), 160, halted Shingo Asatsu (5-10-2, 4 KOs), at 2:15 of the seventh. Japanese #3 lightfly Takashi Kunishige (12-2, 1 KO), 108, registered his career-first stoppage over Prkarn Twins-gym (3-8, 1 KO), 107, at 2:44 of the third round in a scheduled eight.
Promoter: Osaka Teiken Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(10-3-04)