January 2, 2007
January 2, 2007
TOKYO, JAPAN
Sensational KO artist, Venezuelan southpaw Edwin Valero (20-0, 20 KOs with his first 18 bouts finished in the opening round) will make his initial defense of the WBA 130-pound belt against Mexican Michael Lozada (29-3-2, 10 KOs) tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan.
A weigh-in ceremony took place at the Tokyo Dome Hotel, where Valero scaled in at 58.9 kg (130 pounds) to 58.7 kg (129.5 pounds) for Lozada. The WBA officials are as follows: referee Rafael Ramos (US); judges Henk Meijers (Nederland), Derek Milham (Australia) and Moohong Moon (Korea); and supervisor Tsuyoshi Yasukochi (Japan).
Valero moved from Venezuela to Japan to make it his second home turf a couple of months ago. The hard-hitting southpaw had captured the WBA throne by impressively halting Vicente Mosquera in ten furious see-saw rounds in Panama last August. He will make his first appearance since and people here expect him to score his 21st KO win in as many bouts.
Lozada, two years his junior at 23, lost to Jose Armando Santa Cruz in a quest for a vacant IBF North American lightweight belt via fourth round TKO last April, but scored three victories since. The Mexican, whose amateur career was reportedly 66-12, is a boxer-puncher who will try to outbox the Venezuelan sensation and counter the onrushing opponent. Valero said at a press conference prior to the weigh-in ceremony, gI may fight 12 full rounds to win, but if therefs a chance, Ifll try to knock him out.h
Valero has been strenuously training and sparring with OPBF light champ Randy Suico, WBC ranked 140-pounder Arturo Morua, Mexican prospect Daniel Estrada, Japanese 130-pound champ Yusuke Kobori, etc. at his promoter Akihiko Hondafs Teiken Gym since November. He already experienced 12-round sparring sessions several times to show his stamina and strength, though some are still worried about his endurance should it go to a later stage of the fight. Valero is a hard-punching sharpshooter with good hand speed, always hitting in combination with precision. The audience is looking forward to watching his dramatic KO triumph, if not in the first round.
(1-2-07)
January 2, 2007
TOKYO, JAPAN
Fast-moving Mexican southpaw Cristian Mijares (29-3-2, 10 KOs) will risk his newly acquired WBC 115-pound belt against Japanese grudge rival Katsushige Kawashima (30-6, 20 KOs) tomorrow (Wednesday) in Tokyo, Japan. It will be the main event of a world twibill presented by Teiken and Ohashi co-promotions.
Both weighed in at 52.1 kg (115 pounds), the class limit, today. The officials are as follows: referee Mike Ortega (US); judges Chuck Hassett (US), Malcolm Bulner (Australia) and Maximo de Luca (US); and supervisor Frank Quill (Australia), the OPBF president.
They had battled for the vacant interim belt here this September with Mijares emerging victorious with such a hairline verdict of 114-113 twice for him and 113-114 for Kawashima. The decision was debatable, as Kawashima badly dropped the Mexican with a vicious overhand right in the second, but Mijares showed a remarkable recuperation and maintain hit-and-run tactics to earn a closest decision.
Mijares, seven years his junior at 25, already made his first defense by outscoring Colombian Reynaldo Lopez on November 18. The young speedster doesnft seem to care about a short interval of only 46 days since, and looks in good shape. Mijares, then the interim champ, elevated to the full titlist as the champ Masamori Tokuyama lately renounced his WBC belt to move up to the bantam category last December.
Kawashima, a Japanese banger, once wrested the WBC super-fly belt by registering a shocking first-round stoppage of Tokuyama, but yielded it to him in their rubber battle in 2005. The Japanese isnft so skillful, but his physical power and tremendous stamina is his trademark by which he previously overpowered many opponents. Kawashima, handled by ex-WBC/WBA 105-pound champ Hideyuki Ohashi, said at a press conference, gI am in perfect shape, and wish to get the belt back to me. Mijares confidently said, gIfll bring back the belt either by a decision or by a knockout.h
The key for victory may be speed on hand and foot. Mijares is a very fast gFancy-Danh, furthermore a puzzling southpaw, but Kawashima is also a fast fighter. Kawashima has a bad tendency to miss big punches in the close quarter, but he says he would catch the elusive target with sharper punches. Should he wear down the champ with persistent body bombardments, Mijares may be slowing down so that Kawashima will be able to catch the lanky Mexican hombre in a later round. But Mijaresf defensive skills and fast footwork may be a nuisance enough to frustrate the one-dimensional infighter. Kawashima will have a puncherfs chance.
(1-2-07)