## FILIPINO NAZARENO STOPS NUMATA

July 28, 2009

TOKYO, JAPAN

19-year-old Filipino, OPBF#7 ranked Philippine top welter contender Dan Nazareno (11-2, 7 KOs), 145.5, impressively scored a fine TKO victory over ex-Japanese national 147-pound champ Koji Numata (15-4-1, 10 KOs), 146.5, as Nazareno opened such a deep gash over the left eyebrow with a legal shot to have the referee call a halt at 1:58 of the fourth round on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Nazareno had the upper hand with his faster and stronger combinations, some of which, however, made the ref give him repeated warnings of open blows. As it was very rare that heavier Filipino boys won here, Nazarenofs good performance won the praise of the audience.

Though there was a successful exception of world middleweight champ Ceferino Garcia in late 1930fs, we have rarely seen good Filipino boxers in the welter or heavier categories except ex-OPBF welter ruler Rev Santillan. But the Pacquiao wave might invade into the heavier divisions in the future, which might be a threat to the Japanese boxing fraternity.

(7-28-09)

## IOKA DECKS SECOND PRO BOUT

July 26, 2009

OSAKA, JAPAN

Formerly eight-time amateur champ, 20-year-old Kazuo Ioka (2-0, 2 KOs), 107, stunned the crowd with his quick stoppage of veteran campaigner, JBC#7 minimum Hiroshi Matsumoto (18-11-4, 8 KOs), 106.75, at 2:59 of the second session in a scheduled eight on Sunday in Osaka, Japan. Kazuto, the nephew of ex-two-class world champ Hiroki Ioka (his current manager), had registered an excellent amateur mark of 95-10, 64 stoppages. Having failed to represent Japan for the Beijing Olympic Games, he turned professional last April when he finely scored Thai top flyweight contender Thongthailek Por. Vorasing in three rounds. It may be still too early to predict he will be a real thing, but he looked vastly talented, having dispatched the durable and tough Matsumoto (who once had the current WBA 105-pound ruler Roman Gonzalez go the distance for the first time) so quickly. His overhand right was the haymaker.

WBC#5 light-fly Takashi Kunishige (20-3-2, 2 KOs), 107.5, had a tough time because of his opponentfs tight guard but earned a unanimous decision (79-75, 78-75 and 78-76) over 18-year-old Thailander Rungnirung Sakporton (7-2, 2 KOs), 105, over eight.

Promoter: Ioka Promotions.

Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.

(7-26-09)

Back to Oriental Boxing

Go to Top