January 27, 2005
OSAKA, JAPAN-Formidable southpaw Pongsaklek Kratindaeng-gym Wongjongkam (54-2, 29 KOs), from Thailand, will put his WBC flyweight title against Japanfs ex-OPBF ruler Noriyuki Komatsu (19-1-5, 8 KOs) on this coming Saturday in Osaka, Japan.
Pongsaklek, making his eleventh defense, is a prefight favorite, of course, thanks to his achievements and good credentials as well. He captured the WBC 112-pound throne by dropping Malcolm Tunacao three times en route to a shocking stoppage in the opening session in March 2001. Since then, the steadily improving lefty, now 27, kept his diadem ten times to his credit by defeating Hayato Asai (TKO 5), Alex Baba (Technical Decision 8), Luis Lazarte (TKO 2), Daisuke Naito (KO 1), Jesus Martinez (W 12), Hidenobu Honda (W 12), Randy Magubat (W 12), Husein Hussein Hussein (W 12), Trash Nakanuma (W 12) and Luis Martinez (TKO 5) during his reign for some four years. Not a hard-puncher as he is, the Thailander is a well-educated sharpshooter with his good defensive skills. Pongsaklek, unbeaten in these eight years since his last defeat in 1996, usually connects with numerous combination punches to the face and the belly of with precision to effectively weaken his opponent. If neither dynamic nor powerful, he is said to be one of the most skillful flyweight boxers Asia has ever produced.
Komatsu, unbeaten until before his previous bout, is a busy-punching speedster with his fine hand speed and fast footwork. The taller Japanese youngster, 25, acquired the vacant OPBF belt by outscoring Korean Jungoh Song in Osaka in September 2002. The bearded prospect, handled by former world top bantam contender Eijiro Murata (who drew with Lupe Pintor and Jeff Chandler in his first two out of four unsuccessful cracks at the world crowns), kept his regional title five times, as he defeated Roly Lunas (TKO 2), Panomdetch Auyuthanakorn (TKO 5), Trash Nakanuma (W 12), Edgar Rodrigo (Technical Decision 8) and Takeyuki Kojima (Technical Decision 10). His third defense with Nakanuma, however, was so controversial that they faced again with Trash emerging victorious over Komatsu by an also disputed hairline decision last September. Komatsu and his manager Murata still claimed the victory. Pongsaklek said after his careful study on some videotapes of Komatsufs previous fights, gI already beat four Japanese challengers, but Komatsu will be the fastest boxer out of them.h Komatsu said, gIfll stun the world.h
The WBC has already made an order for the winner of this title bout to participate in a mandatory defense against Jorge gTraviesoh Arce, Mexico, who has renounced his WBC 108-pound throne in order to have an obligatory shot at the 112-pound crown. In this regard, the fistic world pays its great attention to this Pongsaklek-Komatsu encounter in Japan.
On the undercard, WBA #9 ranked bantam Nobuaki Naka (18-1-2, 12 KOs), will square off against Eiji Kojima (11-3, 3 KOs), ex-OPBF superfly champ, over ten rounds. They previously fought for the world titles, Naka dropping a hard-fought decision to WBA bantam kingpin Johnny Bredahl in Denmark and Kojima being annihilated twice by WBA superfly ruler Alexander Munoz in Osaka. It is a sensational encounter of the locally popular prospects.
Unbeaten WBA #8 ranked 140-pounder Daudy Bahari, PABA champ, will appear in Japan for the first time, when he faces Daigoro Yamamoto, a hard-hitting but less skillful puncher, over ten.
This show is co-promoted by Kanazawa Promotions and Eddie Townsend Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions.
(1-27-05)