November 5, 2005
TOKYO, JAPAN-The Japanese boxing fraternity suffered a unexpectedincidents for a couple of shows on this weekend. OPBF #2 rankedIndonesian champ Larry Siwu was supposed to arrive here in Tokyo onWednesday prior to his mandatory shot at the OPBF lightweight titleagainst WBC /WBA both #9 ranked Chikashi Inada on Saturday. Siwu failedto arrive here, claiming that he would not be able to make the weight,being still more than ten pounds heavier than the limit. The Indonesianchamp didnft come to the airport though matchmaker WillyLasut was waiting there. Urgently the promoter Akihiko Honda, TeikenPromotions, decided to book Korean champ Youngbeum Lee on such a shortnotice on his behalf under the OPBFfs sanction. Beingfurious against the unfaithful act of the Indonesians to jeopardize hiscard to be telecast nationwide by Nippon TV, Honda will appeal to theJapanese commission (JBC) to ask the OPBF to suspend Siwu and thematchmaker for a certain period soon.
Also, formerly two-time world challenger, WBA#11/WBC#12 super-fly EijiKojima was abruptly forced to pull out of a main event in Osaka onSunday, because he was diagnosed that he had suffered a detached retina. His encounter with Thai national bantam ruler Kaonah Khlongphajon waseventually cancelled, and a supporting bout of OPBF #2 140-pounder DindoCastanares and local prospect Daigoro Yamamoto will headline the showaccordingly. Promoter Hideo Kanazawa, who is the manager of the WBC115-pound champ Masamori Tokuyama, now plans to dedicatetomorrowfs show to Kojimafs farewell to the ring.
(11-5-05)