August 28, 2006
TOKYO, JAPAN
WBA 105-pound champ Yutaka Niida suffered such a painful rib injury during a sparring on Saturday that his manager Mitsunori Seki accordingly has decided that his title defense against ex-WBC ruler Katsunari Takayama on this coming Saturday (September 2) in Tokyo, Japan, will be postponed after Niidafs recovery.
It is a shocker that stunned the Japanese fraternity since Hozumi Hasegawa had previously put off his mandatory defense with Genaro Garcia, slated on July 15, by a same reason. Both Niida and Takayama got disappointed at the postponement, and the new date will be decided after Niidafs medical care.
(8-28-06)