December 17, 2006
SEOUL, KOREA
Ex-WBC champ Injin Chi (31-3-1, 18 KOs), 126, struggled to regain the WBC feather belt as he barely outhustled Mexican defending champ Rudy Lopez (19-3-1, 13 KOs), 125.75, and earned a unanimous decision over twelve hard-fought rounds on Sunday in Seoul, Korea.
The official tallies were as follows: Lou Filippo (US) 116-112, Stephen Blea (US) 116-113 and Raul Nieves (Puerto Rico) 117-111, all in favor of the ex-champ. The referee was Curtis Thrasher (US) who did a good job in controlling a rough brawl into a clean fight.
Chi, ten years his senior at 33, was amazingly sluggish from the start unlike his title-winning performance over Michael Brodie in England and a couple of successful defenses in Korea probably because he had been inactive for ten months and had to make the class limit with his severe reduction of weight.
The more experienced Chi applied pressure to the nervous champ, making his initial defense, and scored with solid combinations to be in command in the first two rounds. But Lopez turned aggressive to pin the Korean to the ropes with a flurry of punches, though with less precision, in the third. The fourth saw Chi connect with a strong right cross to have him staggering to the ropes. After the fourth, the open scoring system showed: 39-37 for Chi, and 38-38 twice.
Lopez, in round five, became positive and landed a solid right counter, forcing him to the ropes though Chi averted the champfs combos with weaving and ducking. Chi connected with good jabs to have the champ retreating to win a point in the sixth and seventh.
Chi, however, looked visibly fading due to his less perfect condition in the eighth, when Lopez kept punching regardless of precision, winning a point. After the eighth, the interim tallies were; 77-75 twice for Chi and 76-76.
Lopez was in command in the ninth, but Chi dominated the last three rounds by showing his heart and pride despite his fatigue, which carried him to a hard-battled but well-received unanimous verdict.
Chifs promoter Kusung Lee of Poong San Promotion said after Chifs emotional triumph, gWe will abide by the WBCfs order for Chi to defend his belt against the official challenger Oscar Larios in his next defense. Chifs condition wasnft perfect today, but won this important fight with his will power. Chi will show a better performance against Larios either in the US or in Korea.h
Rudy Lopez, handled by his manager Jose Alberto Gomez out of Cancun, showed his best, but their difference of experience was so obvious that Chi saved his energy in a sluggish showing for the sake of his last surge from the tenth round on. Lopez maybe will be given another opportunity to regain his belt, since he is still young and still full of motivation to go on.
Byungchul Moon, 130, captured the Korean national 130-pound belt by winning a unanimous nod (97-94 twice and 97-93) over OPBF#3 ranked defending champ Heejae Cho, 130, over ten. Cho overpowered the lanky champ by utilizing his physical power due to moving down to this division from the lightweight category.
Promoter: Poong San Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for the Chi-Lopez title bout).
(12-17-06)