February 8, 2005
TOKYO, JAPAN-Ex-WBA 115-pound and 118-pound champ Hideki Todaka, 31, recently announced to hang up gloves for good, and his retirement ceremony will take place beneath the OPBF heavyweight title bout between his stablemate and defending champ Peter Okello and Japanese challenger Ryosuke Takahashi at the Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, on March 23.
The short but sturdy switch-hitter captured the WBA super-fly belt by dropping Venezuelan veteran Jesus Kiki Rojas en route to a unanimous decision in Nagoya in 1999. Having kept it twice against Akihiko Nago (W12) and ex-WBA ruler Yokthai Sith-Oar (TKO11), Todaka faced his grudge rival, Venezuelan little giant Leo Gamez, only to forfeit his belt by a seventh round knockout in 2000. Todaka made a comeback and moved up to the bantam category. He was given an opportunity to face Leo Gamez against in a quest for the vacant WBA bantam throne, winning a hard-fought split decision to seize his second belt in 2003. Todaka, however, failed to defend his title against Mexican footworker Julio Zarate, who kept circling and jabbing all night to bring home the belt by a split verdict in March of the previous year. It eventually became Todakafs last performance, as he finally abandoned his idea to return to the ring warfare. He is supposed to open his gym to cultivate youngsters in the near future.
(2-8-05)