June 21, 2008
June 21, 2008
TOKYO, JAPAN
WBC#14 Motoki Sasaki (30-7-1, 19 KOs), 145.5, Japan, kept his OPBF welter belt in his initial defense as he swept the first six rounds with ease, withstood a furious retaliation of OPBF#9 Darsim Nanggala (14-10-3, 9 KOs), 145.5, Indonesia, and displayed a last surge to pound out a unanimous decision (119-110, 118-110 and 120-110) over twelve hard-fought rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.
Sasaki, one of the most eloquent and flamboyant boxers in Japan, didn’t speak in a post-fight TV interview in the ring as much as usual, as he was probably exhausted in a nearly lopsided but tough defense. Sasaki, a 5’7” stocky puncher and Waseda Univ. graduate, might have consumed his stamina a little too much in the first half, as he looked to almost finish the game but less skillful challenger and kept connecting with many combinations upstairs and downstairs. Nanggala, however, displayed his recuperative power and surprisingly came back to be in command in the seventh and eighth. But the defending champ showed his will power and battered the Indonesian with his last energy.
Sasaki, a man of upsets, is a strange fighter. In 2003, he unbelievably upset a then formidable national 140-pound champ Tadashi Yuba, a southpaw six-footer, via ninth round TKO to become a hero after the night. But Sasaki, a capricious boy, lost his Japanese belt to unheralded Shingo Eguchi by an upset fifth-round stoppage in his first defense three months later. He again produced an upset by defeating then WBA rated PABA champ Daudi Bahari, Indonesia, by a one-sided verdict (99-92 twice and 99-93) to enter the world top ten. Sasaki, however, again lost an unexpected decision to neglected underdog Koji Iida to drop out of the WBA ratings. That’s Sasaki. When against such strong prefight favorites as people thought Sasaki would have definitely no chance against, the perverse boy displayed upset triumphs, but dropped the following bouts to forfeit what he had (world ratings).
The then formidable OPBF champ from whom Sasaki had captured the belt this February was tall Filipino southpaw Rev Santillan (24-4-1, 17 KOs). Santillan is also a unique boxer with a fluctuating career who had won the OPBF welter belt four times, since the Filipino forfeited the title three times and regained it as many times. Sasaki will be obliged to face Santillan in his second defense due to the option agreement, so we will see whether Sasaki’s previous coronation was just a fluke or whether Santillan will recapture the regional belt for the fourth time. It will take place probably in November.
Up-and-coming JBC#2 lightweight Ryuji Migaki (11-1, 8 KOs), 136.5, sent Indonesian #7 Rocky Alap-Alap (17-6, 4 KOs), 136.25, sprawling to the deck in the second and prompted the ref to toll a halt on his acceleration of follow-up at 1:40 of the third session in a scheduled eight. Migaki, powerful though a little methodical, seems promising enough to be a threat against national 135-pound champ Ichitaro Ishii.
Koji Iida (11-6-2, 3 KOs), 140, was held to a majority draw (77-77 twice and 77-76 for him) by Shingo Tanaka (8-4-5, 2 KOs), 139.75, an early starter with little stamina, over eight. It’s ironic that Iida, a previous conqueror of the current OPBF champ Sasaki, thus fought on the undercard.
JBC#4 Junichiro Sugita (14-1, 7 KOs), 115, one of the Sugita twins, pounded out a nearly shutout decision (80-75 and 79-74 twice) over Hideki Imanishi (13-7-1, 3 KOs), 115, over eight.
Ex-national amateur champ Yu Kimura (4-1-1, 1 KO), 107.5, was floored by a quick one-two combo of fast-punching southpaw Shin Ono (10-2, 2 KOs), in the third, and dropped an upset unanimous technical decision (49-47, 49-45 and 50-45) at 1:53 of the fifth round in the first eight. The handsome face of Kimura was grotesquely covered with red ribbon flowing from a nasty gash over the forehead after an accidental butt.
Promoter: Teiken Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for the Sasaki-Nanggala, Migaki-Alap-Alap bouts).
(6-21-08)