July 13, 2005
TOKYO, JAPAN-Unbeaten WBA bantamweight champ Wladimir Sidorenko (17-0, 6 KOs), Ukraine, has recovered well from a thumb fracture and will put his belt on the line against Japanese challenger Manabu Fukushima (28-6-2, 19 KOs) at the Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, on October 15. It was announced by JB Sports Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions on Monday. It was originally slated to take place at the same venue on June 4, but Sidorenko, 28, suffered an injury during his workout and had to postpone his initial defense since acquiring the vacant throne by outscoring Julio Zarate in Germany last February. Sidorenko, having frequently fought in Germany under the promotional agreement with Universum Box-Promotion, underwent an operation and has been recovering soundly to keep training there. Fukushima, 30, once reigned as Japanese and OPBF 122-pound champ, having defeated Yutaka Manabe, Reynante Jamili, Arnel Barotillo, Jaekwang Chung et al. He failed to win the WBC belt, being stopped by Mexican banger Oscar Larios in eight rounds here in 2002. On the original schedule for his second title crack, June 4, Fukushima had to meet a Filipino trail horse named Tata Polinar instead in a tune-up go and scored a fine KO triumph in three rounds. The Ukrainian boasts of a very tight defense in a peek-a-boo style, so neither Venezuelan Leo Gamez (who lost to Sidorenko in a WBA eliminator to decide the mandatory challenger last October) nor the interim champ Zarate successfully penetrated his shell-like guard. We wish a Viel Gluck (good luck) for Sidorenko not to sustain any injury again.
(7-13-05)