JOICHIRO TATSUYOSHI, newly crowned WBC bantam champ, will put his title on the line against JOSE RAFAEL SOSA, Argentina, in Yokohama, Japan, on Mar. 8. Tatsuyoshi, 14-4-1, 11 KOs, impressively dethroned previously unbeaten Thailander Sirimongkol Nakornthron-Parkview on a 7th-round TKO in Osaka on Nov. 22. Sosa, who mark is 24-8-5, 16 KOs, once had an ambitious crack at the WBO 115-pound title against Johnny Tapia, losing a unanimous nod in New Mexico, 1995. Tatsuyoshi, lately selected "Japan's Fighter of the Year" by our boxing scribes, is expected to score a fine defense.
SAMAN SORJATURONG, Thailand's WBC light fly ruler, will appear on the same crad, risking his title against lanky Japanese speedster SHIRO YAHIRO, 23-3-2, 13 KOs, in Yokohama. Sorjaturong, making his 9th defense, surprisingly captured the WBc title from Humberto "Chiquita" Gonzalez via a 7th-round come-from-behind TKO at the GW Forum in Jul., 1995. The power-punching Thailander kept his throne on 8 occasions, including a 9th-round stoppage of Yahiro in Thailand in Aug., 1996. Sorjaturong, 37-2-1, 30 KOs, will repeat his triumph over the fast but powder-puff punching Japanese.
YONGSOO CHOI, WBA junior light champ, Korea, will defend his title against #1 contender GILBERTO SERRANO, Venezuela, in Korea on Feb. 28 or Mar. 7. Kukdong Promotions, which handles the sole Korean world champ Choi, won the purse bidding over AB Stars Production of France that holds Serrano under its wing. Choi, 23-2-1, 13 KOs, will be a prefight favorite over Serrano, 15-3-1, 13 KOs, in the chilling cold Korea. It will be Choi's 7th defens since he acquired the vacant WBA 130-pound title by a 10th-round TKO over Victor Hugo Paz in Argentina in 1995.
LUISITO ESPINOSA, WBC feather kingpin, prepares to fight a non-title bout on the undercard of Prince Naseem Hamed in England on Mar. 28. Espinosa's opponent has yet to be announced by Frank Warren, the promoter of the card. Having kept his WBC title against all tough opponents 5 times, Espinosa, 30, expects to face Hamed in the nearest future.
SATOSHI IIDA, WBA junior bantam champ, is planning to make his first defense in his home turf Nagoya either on Apr. 29 or May 5, since he captured the title on a unanimous decision over Thailander Yokthai Sith-Oar on Dec. 23.
YURI ARBACHAKOV, former WBC flyweight kingpin, decided to hang up his gloves for good on Jan. 6. Yuri, a Japanese-based Russian, lost to the WBC interim champ Chatchai Dutchboy Gym last Nov. after a 14-month inactivity due to his hand fracture. Yuri, 31, compiled an excellent overall record of 23-1, 16 KOs, and will serve as trainer at Kyoei Gym that he had belonged to. Yuri had a plan to establish his own gym in the future. Yuri registered 9 defenses to his credit, being loved by many Japanese aficionados.
Jan. 10
TOKYO--Masahiko Nakamura, newly crowned OPBF bantam champ, 119, found it
easy to flatten ex-WBC light fly ruler Rolando Pascua, 121 3/4, with a
solid right shot to the button at 2:20 of the 2nd in a non-title 10.
Nakamura, 13-1-1, 9 KOs, had captured the OPBF 118-pound throne by
outhustling Korean Insik Koh in his previous bout last Nov. His sole
defeat was given by Philippine national bantam champ Jess Maca via a
lopsided decision in the previous year. Limited as his talent is,
Nakamura's manager Masao Suzuki intends to have his boy gunning for a
world throne in the near future due to his tremendous power punching.
Pascua, who looked like a shot fighter that night, reportedly fell to
44-18, 14 KOs.
Tatsuya Tojo, 121 1/2, was awarded a TKO win over ex-national champ Ysushi "Leo" Arai, 121 1/2, at 2:16 of the 9th. It was a busy affair, each hitting the deck and absorbing much punishment. After the referee decalred a halt, Arai succumbed face-first prone for a while, but he was OK. Tojo, JBC #4 jr. featrher, is 13-3-1, 7 KOs. Arai dropped to 23-8-2, 12 KOs.
Jan. 19
TOKYO--Akihiko Nago, a bright prospect piloted by ex-WBA junior fly
champ Yoko Gushiken, 117, ran his unbeaten mark to 10-0, 8 KOs, since
turning pro after winning All Japan high school championships, as he
demolished Filipino Roy Tarasona, 115 3/4, at 1:41 of the 3rd in Tokyo
on Jan. 19. Nago, 21, dropped Tarasona with his opening southpaw right
hook in the first, and floored him again with a vicious right in the
third to prompt the ref to intervene. Tarasona reportedly fell to
10-13-4, 4 KOs.
Unbeaten OPBF middle champ Kevin Palmer, a US military worker staying in Japan, found it very easy to drop Filipino Noel Toledo, 158 3/4, twice and polish him off at 3:07 of the 2nd. Kevin's OPBF title wasn't at stake. Kevin, the WBC's #9 160-pounder, is 16-0-1, 10 KOs. Toldeo, a beer-barrelled loser, is reportedly 22-012-9, 4 KOs.
Upcoming hard-puncher SHIGERU NAKAZATO, JBC #4 bantie, had a tough time,
as he hit the deck in the 2nd, desperately fought back, downed more
experienced Filipino Rico Paquibot, 118, in the 10th and final round,
and won a unanimous decision over 10. Scored: double 97-93 and 97-92.
It's a good lesson for Nakazato to have fought such a dangerous lefty
counterpuncher at this stage of his career. Nakazato, a promising KO
artist, is 12-1, 7 KOs. He is a more tremendous hard-hitter than this
credentials indicate. Paquibot is reportedly 17-11-2, 11 KOs. It was a
crowd-pleasing give-and-take affair.
Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.
Jan. 4
KWANGJU--The WBA #6 ranked bantam Yonghoon Lee, 123 1/2, floored durable
Mexican Agustin Lorenzo, also 123 1/2, and won a unanimous decision over
a 10-round hard-fought and gory bout. Lee was bleeding profusely, but
he showed his determination and durability to outhustle the clever
Mexican foe.
Korean national bantam champ Sukhwi Cho, 118, kept his title by outscoring Palman Shin, 117 3/4, over 10.
Taekil Kim, 132 1/4, decisioned Jungro Cho, also 130 1/4, in the first 10.
Promoter: Milino Promotions.
IT IS TRULY A GOOD NEWS THAT I CAN HAVE UP-TO-DATE REPORT FROM THE PHILIPPINES LINKED WITH THIS "ORIENT UPDATE" REPORT. IT WILL BE CONTINUALLY SUPPLIED BY PHILIPPINE #1 SPORTS WRITER, MY FRIEND, AND REAL GENTLEMAN, MR. QUINITO HENSON. IT IS AS FOLLOWS:
Joaquin Henson wrote:
Jan. l7.
Tondo High School Gym, Manila.
Promoters: Rod Nazario, Lito Mondejar.
Philippine No. 3 featherweight Jeffrey Onate scored a unanimous
10-round decision over Noel (The Hammer) Pan. Both fighters were badly
bloodied in the brawl. A point was deducted from Pan's card for an
accidental headbutt that opened a cut over Onate's right eye. The win
raised Onate's record to l8-8-4, with 10 knockouts. In his previous
outing, Onate poleaxed Mexican Juan Jimenez in a single round in the
undercard of the Espinosa-Rios bout in Koronadal, South Cotabato, last
December. In the companion main event, unbeaten Philippine No. 3 junior
bantamweight Benjie Torres got up from an eighth round knockdown to pound
out a majority 10-round decision over Ricky Sales. Torres improved his
mark to 11-0, with seven knockouts. In other fights, junior flyweight
Eugene Gonzalez decked rugged veteran Jaime Aliguin once enroute to a
10-round unanimous decision, featherweights Chu Ferrer and Jun Codeldiego
battled to a first round technical draw (the bout was stopped at 2:08 of
the first as Codeldiego was ruled unfit to continue due to a cut inflicted
by an accidental headbutt), flyweight Jerwin Balaba halted Gilbert Acop in
the third round, junior flyweight Flash Murillo stopped Juhnver Halog in
the sixth round, bantamweight Arman Pedemonte outpointed Marlon Limpiado in
six, and Filipino-black American Dowin Delatonga defeaated Richard Royo on
points in four.
On Jan. 24, promoter Hynes (Boy) Gualin is staging a blockbuster card in Cagayan de Oro City. Heading the bill is the World Boxing Federation (WBF) featherweight title match between defending champion Rico Siodora and Thai challenger Kongthawat Oratai. Rolando Toyogon faces Thai Jaray Suwanassilp for the vacant WBF junior flyweight crown and Philippine junior welterweight king Jongjong Pacquing stakes his throne against Tata Regatuna. Another fight pits Philippine bantamweight champion Jess Maca against former Oriental ruler Jin Hyong Yun of Korea.
Promoter Zander Khan is laying the groundwork for World Boxing Council superflyweight chanpion Gerry Penalosa's mandatory defense against No. 1 contender Joel Lunza Zarate of Mexico on March 2l at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Penalosa is guaranteed $l50,000 while Zarate will be paid $40,000. Kahn has also agreed to pay Zarate's promoter Forum Boxing a $20,000 rights fee. In the main supporting bout, former World Boxing Association junior welterweight champion Morris East makes a long-awaited comeback when he takes on Texan Jaime Lerma for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental junior middleweight diadem. Khan plans a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 22, at the Hotel Sofitel on Roxas Boulevard to announce the coming Penalosa defense.