December 30, 2011
December 30, 2011
TOKYO, JAPAN
Unbeaten WBA super-feather champ Takashi Uchiyama (17-0, 14 KOs) (right), Japan, will engage in a highly anticipated unification title bout with WBA interim titlist Jorge Solis (40-3-2-1NC, 29 KOs) (left), Mexico, tomorrow (Saturday) in Yokohama, Japan. The weigh-in ceremony took place this afternoon at the Korakuen Chinese Restaurant, where each tipped the beam at the 130-pound class limit. “I’m in tip-top shape, and will keep my belt,” said Uchiyama, making his fourth defense since dethroning Mexican Juan Carlos Salgado via twelfth round stoppage some two years ago. Solis, 32 as the champ, also expressed his confidence, saying “I’ve got acclimated with the climate here and am well-prepared enough to win the belt and bring it back to Mexico.”
The officials are as follows: referee Roberto Ramirez (Puerto Rico); judges Levi Martinez (US), Rafael Ramos (US) and Wansoo Yuh (Korea); supervisor Alan Kim (Korea).
This will be a competitive fight though Uchiyama is favored to win and retain his throne at his home turf. The hard-hitting champ had kept his belt by stopping a compatriot southpaw Takashi Miura after the eighth session last January. His dislocation of the hand bones caused an eleven-month hiatus, during which Uchiyama was said to hone his left hand by jabbing or left-hooking. Uchiyama is a good fighter who can box and fight with fine footwork and defense. Only one problem is his hand. Uchiyama says, “My hand has completely recovered.” But we look forward to watching how frequently he will use his right hand in attacking the busy-punching Mexican.
The reason why Solis, standing 5’8” as Uchiyama, seems rather underestimated is that he was so easily floored by Yuriorkis Gamboa on no less than five occasions en route to a fourth round TKO defeat this March. Solis, however, suffered defeats only by such name opponents as Manny Pacquiao, Cristobal Cruz and Gamboa. A defeat by Pacman isn’t a shame but an honor, as Solis proved he was then qualified to compete with the then fast-rising Filipino in 2007. Some Mexican experts describe Solis nicknamed Coloradito (a boy who loves red-colored ones) as a boxer who has already passed his peak. But the Mexican, who accompanied his wife and two children, enjoyed Christmas holidays here as well as diligently kept training after arriving here on Christmas eve. He looks much motivated to win the belt with his trainers Willy Arroyo and Victor Manuel Martinez.
In terms of durability each hit the deck in the last fight as Uchiyama was floored by the hard-punching southpaw Miura, while Solis was annihilated by Gamboa. But they have different styles since Uchiyama is an orthodox boxer-puncher, while Solis a busy combination puncher. Should Solis take an initiative early, Uchiyama may have a tough time coping with his volume of light but busy punches. Uchiyama, with a long amateur career before turning professional, is a thinking boxer with cleverness and coolness. If he can control Solis with his imporved leading lefts, he will effectively hurt the Mexican hombre with his steady combinations upstairs and downstairs as Solis doesn’t seem to defend himself so well. His hands are low, his face is stationary and his legs aren’t so fast, plus he doesn’t pull his chin properly.
Reportedly Uchiyama is in very good condition, having sparred some three hundred sessions. If true, and if his hand shouldn’t betray him, he may emerge victorious by catching the Mexican counterpart with his vaunted power. But Solis has a hot heart as other Mexican boxers even in this cold Japan.
(12-30-2011)