October 23, 2011
October 23, 2011
TOKYO, JAPAN
Preoccupation is sometimes dangerous in our expectation. Before the WBA minimum champ Pornsawan Porpramook (23-3-1, 16 KOs) (right), a cagey veteran from Thailand, arrived here in Tokyo a week ago, our experts and aficionados as well had expected a high possibility of Japanese challenger Akira Yaegashi (14-2, 7 KOs) (left) winning the belt at the Korakuen Hall tomorrow (Monday). Pornsawan, however, greatly impressed our press people with his energetic workout and power-punching at the public workout. The muscular champ had battled some 300 Muay-thai bouts, winning more than 280 to his credit prior to his entry into the paid ranks. In his second bout in the international style fighting Pornsawan quickly acquired the PABA (Pan Asian Boxing Association) minimum belt, having kept it sixteen times.
Then, why our hardcore fans had underestimated the champ nicknamed Terminator? Pornsawan had failed to win a world belt four times, since he lost to Donnie Nietes in the WBO 105-pound elimination bout, lost once to compatriot WBC ruler Oleydong Sithsamerchai and drew with him in a rematch, and suffered a fourth-round TKO defeat at the hand of Edgar Sosa in Mexico in 2009. He is already thirty-three. Also, he struggled to dethrone 39-year-old Indonesian Muhammad Rachman via hairline controversial majority decision of 115-114, 115-113 and 114-114 in Jakarta this July. But the champ in good shape has high motivation to defend his belt in his initial defense this time.
How good is Yaegashi? He used to be an excellent amateur national champ and a senior to the current WBC 105-pound champ Kazuto Ioka when both were unpaid boxers. He seized the vacant OPBF (Oreintal & Pacific Boxing Federation) 105-pound belt in his just fifth pro bout. His manager/promoter Hideyuki Ohashi, ex-WBC/WBA minimum ruler some twenty years ago, recklessly had his pupil take a shot against then WBC titlist Eagle Den Junlaphan in 2007, when Yaegashi badly sustained fractures of the jaw bone at two places and lost a lopsided verdict in Yokohama. His broken jaw needed no less than eleven months before his return to ring warfare. Yaegashi, now 28, won the vacant national belt in 2009 and kept it three times against top-notch contenders such as Junichiro Kaneda, Kosuke Takeichi and Norihito Tanaka. He has technically improved through various experiences.
Yaegashi may be faster on foot and hand than Terminator, who, however, will be stronger in mixing up in the close quarter. The champ said at a public workout on Wednesday, “Yaegashi, don’t run but come out fighting me to capture my belt.” The champ seemed to have great confidence in swapping punches toe-to-toe in the close range. The Japanese speedster says, “I wish to respond to his attack with my quicker hand.” It may become an interesting and competitive battle tomorrow.
The WBA officials are as follows: referee Erkki Meronen (Finland); judges Ruben Garcia (US), Silvestre Abainza (Philippines) and Pier Luigi Poppi (Italy); supervisor Yansup Shim (Korea).
The promoter Hideyuki Ohashi said at the press conference today, “The belt in front of the champ Pornsawan used to be my belt. It was wrested by Chana Porpaoin, a Thai veteran, who was handled by the same promoter Mr. Niwat Laosuwanwat that now handles Pornsawan. My pupil Yaegashi will win back my belt, hopefully.”
Both tipped the beam at the 105-pound class limit. Their confrontation will start at about 8 PM at the Hall. Should Yaegashi win the belt, he will be the sixth current world champ out of Japan. If we include six female world titlists, Yaegashi, if crowned, will be the twelfth. But Pornsawan looks formidable for Yaegashi.
(10-23-2011)