January 20, 2006
TOKYO, JAPAN-WBC bantamweight champ Hozumi Hasegawa (19-2, 6 KOs), Japan, will risk his belt against ex-titlist Veeraphol Nakhonluang-Promotion (51-2-2, 36 KOs), Thailand, in a grudge fight in Kobe, Japan, on March 25. Originally scheduled to face then WBC top ranked Diego Morales in his second defense, the Mexican finally declined to have a long-awaited mandatory shot at Hasegawa due to his incapability of making the 118-pound limit. Once Genaro Garcia, the WBC #2 ranked contender, was mentioned as a possible challenger, but Veeraphol’s party strongly insisted on the currently top ranked ex-champ having the priority to Garcia, and Hasegawa decided to face Veeraphol first in the WBC obligatory defense.
Hasegawa, 25, captured the WBC belt by an upset unanimous verdict over Veeraphol, then making his 15th defense, in Tokyo last April. The Japanese southpaw successfully registered his first defense as he annihilated Mexican Gerardo Martinez via seventh round stoppage in Yokohama in September. Veerphol, now 37, scored four victories with three inside the distance against all southpaw opponents since in preparation for this rematch with his conqueror. It will be a sensational rematch as Veerphol previously had kept his throne against Joichiro Tatsuyoshi and Toshiaki Nishioka (four times) and the Japanese aficionados realize his real power very well. Many Thai people might think that it was just a fluke that Hasegawa defeated Veerphol,, the Thai pride, who unexpectedly forfeited his long-reigning crown only because of his overconfidence and underestimation of his then unheralded challenger, so the Thailander will regain his belt this time.
(1-20-06)