October 25, 2008
TOKYO, JAPAN
38-year-old ex-WBC bantamweight champ Joichiro Tatsuyoshi (19-6-1, 13 KOs), Japan, will make a highly criticized and reckless comeback, not in Japan but in Bangkok, Thailand, where he will face very mediocre Thailander Phalangchai Chuwatana tomorrow (Sunday).
Tatsuyoshi, three-time WBC 118-pound champ, made up his mind to return to the ring in Thailand against the dissuasion of the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC). The JBC responded to an inquiry from the Thai commission and asked not to authorize the ex-champ’s problematic comeback. The TBC explained that Tatsuyoshi himself submitted the TBC three medical certificates of his availability and the promotion had been already on. In conclusion, the TBC decided to allow Tatsuyoshi to fight there as scheduled.
Tatsuyoshi lost his WBC belt to Veeraphol Nakhornluang-Promotion of Thailand and failed to regain it in a rematch both via bad KO route in 1998 and 1999 respectively. The ex-Japanese superstar fought just twice more since, as he stopped ex-WBA flyweight ruler Sean Sor Ploenchit in six in 2002 and barely decisioned Mexican Julio Cesar Avila in 2003. Tatsuyoshi, a flamboyant big mouth, has been inactive for more than five years, though he kept training privately, still saying, “I’ll win the world belt again.”
It is said that Tatsuyoshi, already worn and torn, hasn’t shown any good sparring even with green boys. His opponent Phalangchai is terrible enough, having suffered five KO defeats in as many bouts in Japan in 2005 through 2007. We are just worried about the medical condition of the former national hero after this campaign and his future.
(10-25-08)