November 3, 2011
November 3, 2011
KOBE, JAPAN
Unbeaten but less experienced, OPBF#15 Yukinori Oguni (7-0, 2 KOs) (right), 121.5, astoundingly stunned the crowd when he dropped highly regarded OPBF super-bantam defending champ Roli Gasca (17-2, 3 KOs) (left), 121.75, twice in round five, took the initiative and pounded out an upset unanimous decision (116-111, 115-111 and 119-109) over twelve hard-fought rounds on Thursday in Kobe, Japan. Itfs a hot combat of youngsters: Gasca, 22, and Oguni, a year his senior. The taller Oguni, formerly Japanfs national #3 amateur boxer, threw very sharp left-right combinations from the outset by soundly keeping his distance. After the fourth, the official tallies were: 38-38 twice and 39-38 for Oguni. The fifth witnessed an unexpected climax where Oguni landed a picture-perfect straight right, badly decking the champ to the canvas. The rubbery-legged Gasca barely regained his feet but hit the deck again with Ogunifs furious combos. Gascafs pride and perseverance made him last the crisis and go on fighting. After the eighth, 79-72, 78-72 and 77-73, all for Oguni. Gasca then displayed his lion heart, swinging desperate rallies to stalk the lanky challenger from pillar to post, while Oguni responded to his last surge with solid counters. The dethroned Gasca repented of his carelessness, if not his overconfidence. Gasca, who had acquired the vacant OPBF belt by impressively defeating ex-titlsit Hiromasa Ohashi on points in Kariya months ago, may deserve a rematch with the upset victor.
Promoter: Shinsei Gym in association with Vady Gym.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(11-3-2011)