April 20, 2007
TOKYO, JAPAN
WBA flyweight champ Takefumi Sakata (30-4-1, 15 KOs), Japan, will face WBA interim ruler Roberto Vasquez (24-1, 17 KOs), Panama, at the Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan, on July 1. It was announced by Keiichiro Kanehira of Kyoei Promotions.
The 27-year-old Japanese, in his fourth attempt, finally captured the WBA 112-pound belt by halting Venezuelan Lorenzo Parra in the third this March. In his third trial for the WBA throne Sakata had lost a hairline split decision to Vasquez, 23, in an interim title bout in Paris last December, so it will be a greatly anticipated grudge fight.
Vasquez, nicknamed gLa Arana (Spider)h in Panama, boasts of his long reach in a southpaw stance, having gained the WBA 108-pound belt by demolishing Colombian Bebis Mendoza via tenth round stoppage in April 2005. Since then, the Spiderman impressively kept his title three times by defeating Jose Antonio Aguirre (TKO4), Nerys Espinoza (W12) and Noel Arambulet (W12) before moving up to the 112-pound category. Then he faced Sakata to acquire the WBA interim belt in France.
It will be a very competitive rematch, as Vasquez is a vastly talented boxer-puncher who can box and punch with good speed, while Sakata relies on his abundant stamina and tremendous durability. We are looking forward to seeing the WBA flyweight belts unified between the excellent flyweight ringmen.
(4-20-07)