I am sorry to delay my report due to my absence here in Japan, as I was staying in Manila, Philippines, from February 1 through 11. The following are fight results during my absence.
Feb. 10
TOKYO--Ex-WBA junior fly champ KEIJI YAMAGUCHI, 117, showed his superior
speed, and swept all rounds before he was awarded a TKO win over WATARU
KAITO, 117, at 2:06 of the 7th in a scheduled 10.
It was Yamaguchi's first appearance since he failed to win the WBA fly throne from Venezuelan Jose Bonilla on a 6th-round stoppage in Osaka on Nov. 22. Although Kaito scored a sensational one-punch KO of ex-national junior feather champ Yasushi "Leo" Arai in his previous bout, he didn't belong to the same category with Yamaguchi. The lanky lefty Yamaguchi had him at bay in the 2nd and 4th with a flurry of punches. As Yamaguchi battered him so lopsidedly in the fatal session, ref Uratani intervened to save the loser from further punishment. Yamaguchi, who previously became the WBA 108-pound champ by upsetting Panamanian Carlos Murillo but lost his crown to Phichit Chor Siriwat in his first defense, is 23-3, 11 KOs. Kaito, JBC #3 ranked bantam, fell to 9-4-2, 4 KOs.
Taiji Okamoto, 121 1/4, scored a final round stoppage over Yoshiaki Harada, 122, at 2:08 of the 8th. Okamoto, 10-0-1, 9 KOs, is managed by Kazuo Katsuma who once had an unsuccessful shot at the WBC super-fly throne against Jiro Watanabe. Harada fell to 10-5-2, 6 KOs.
Hiroyuki Ishikawa, 119 1/2, fought (or not fought) to a technical draw with Seiji Iwaisako, 118 3/4, at 2:42 of the 2nd in a scheduled 8. The former is 10-3-4, 3 KOs. The latter is 6-6-3, 2 KOs. Promoter: Kukubunji Saito Promotions.
Feb. 9
TOKYO--Fast-rising JUNICHI ONO, 140, put on a see-saw performance with
ex-national light champ HIROYUKI MAEDA, also 140, and fought to a split
draw over 10. Scored: Sarasas 96-96, Tezaki 97-96 for Ono and Kanaya
97-96 for Kanaya.
There were no knockdowns. Ono had the upper hand in the first 3 rounds, but the taller Maeda turned loose to dominate the next 4 rounds. Ono retaliated with busy combinations and seemed to be in command in the last 3 sessions. It was a hard-fought draw. Ono, who failed to win the national jr. welter crown from the WBA's 11th ranked 140-pounder Hisao Arai last Apr., is 13-1-2, 6 KOs. Maeda, who was previously dethroned by Japanese-based American Rick Yoshimura, is 15-5-2, 9 KOs.
In a supporting 10, Toshiharu Kayama, 147, landed more effective straight rights to lefty Joya Kawai, 147, to be awarded a majority nod. Scored: 98-97, 98-96 and 98-98. Kayama, JBC #6 welter, is 9-0-1, 4 KOs. Kawai, JBC #3 junior middle, tasted his first defeat and dropped to 6-1, 3 KOs.
Rugged fighter Kenji Fukunaga, JBC #7 jr. lightie, 135, scored a hairline majority decision over Hwaiian-born Andrei Bunta, JBC #4 lightie, 135, over 8. It's a close affair, but Fukunaga was a little more aggressive so that he might gain a bit more points of the judges. Scored: 77-76, 79-76 and 77-77. Fukunaga is 11-5-3, 6 KOs. Andrei fell to 10-3-5, 6 KOs.
Kyo Morooka, former East Japan Shinjin-o (novice king) tournament winner, 130, outpointed Makoto Saito, 129 1/2, over 6. Promoter: Shin-Nihon Kimura Promotions.
Feb. 7
TOKYO--TOSHIKAGE KIMURA, jbc #3 FEATHER, 126, showed his improvement in
outpunching Korean JAEHYUN KIM, 126, en route to a fine TKO victory at
1:41 of the 4th in a scheduled 10.
Kimura, ex-All Japan Shinjin-o winner, dropped Kim with a slid straight right in the fatal round. Though Kim barely regained his feet, Kimura swarmed over him with a barrage of punches so furiously as to prompt a stoppage by ref Kumazaki. Kimura, handled by his promoter/manager Akihko Honda, is 16-1-3, 7 KOs. Kim, KBC#3 junior feather, impaired to 14-9, 10 KOs.
Lefty prospect Kengo Nagashima, 130, landed a countering southpaw left to Filipino Johnathan Mercado, 130, who fell for the count at 0:59 of the 3rd round in a semi-final 10. Nagashima, whose father is his manager, is 10-1-1, 8 KOs. Mercado is reportedly 23-18-7, 12 KOs.
Atsushi Sai, JBC #2 junior fly, 109, swept all rounds to show his
superiority and finally caught him with effective body shots to finish
Kenya Orihara, 109, at 0:58 of the 9th in the first 10. Sai, who
previously had an unsuccessful crack at the national jr. fly title only
to be stopped by Takashi Shiohama in Osaka years ago, is 12-2, 6 KOs.
The lefty loser Orihara is 7-5-3, a KO.
Promoter: Teiken Promotions.
AKIRA OHIGASHI D10 TATSUFUMI ITO
Feb. 3
OSAKA--Ex-two time world champ HIROKI IOKA, 117, was a bit befuddled by
reckless infighting of compatriot HIDEKAZU SAKATA, 117, in the first 2
rounds, but took the pace and finally caught him with a fusillade of
punches to stop him at 1:13 of the 9th canto. Ioka is 32-6-1, 17 KOs.
Sakata fell to 10-4-1, 2 KOs. Ioka is said to be given a shot at the
WBA junior bantam champ Satsoshi Iida in his first defense in Nagoya on
Apr. 29, but it is not yet finally confirmed yet.
Japanese junior middle champ AKIRA OHIGASHI, 153 3/4, barely kept his national title, as he fought to a majority draw with ex-champ TATSUFUMI ITO, 153 3/4, over 10. Ohigashi had a tough time coping with Ito's incessant attacks to the belly and face in the second half. This decision was cricized as very controversial, so their 5th encounter will be inevitable. Ohigashi, who scored his 6th defense, is 23-7-2, 16 KJOs. Ito fell to 9-2-2, 4 KOs.
Ex-OPBF junior bantam champ Kazuhisa Machida, 116 3/4, made a successful
comeback after a 14-month layoff due to hepatitis, as he floored
Masayuki Kubo, 114 3/4, and earned a unanimous decision over 8. Machida
lost his OPBF title via a TKO by Filipino Raffy Montalban in Osaka in
1996.
Promoter: Green Tsuda Promotions.
Jan. 31
Hiroaki Tsuda, 53, was urgently hospitalized and underwent an operation
due to brain hemorrhage for 5 hours in a hospital in Osaka. But the
operation was successful, and he will come back in some months. He is
one of the most influential promoters, having cultivated Hiroki Ioka and
Keiji Yamaguchi to the world crowns. We are looking forward to his
recovery soon.
Mar. 8, Yokohama, Japan
WBC bantam champ Joichiro Tatsuyoshi will put his title on the stake
against Argentine Jose Rafael Sosa in his first defense.
In a companion title go, WBC light fly champ Raman Sorjaturong,
Thailand, will face Shiro Yashiro, Japan, in a remtach in his 9th
defense.
Apr. 29, Nagoya, Japan
Newly crowned WBA junior bantam champ Satoshi Iida will risk his title
against either Julio Gamboa or Hiroki Ioka in his first defense. The
challenger will be decided and announced soon.
Jan. 24.
Urdaneta Cultural and Sports Center, Urdaneta, Pangasinan.
Promoter: Eduardo Palabay. Philippine featherweight champion Joe
Escriber's younger brother Edward, ll9, stopped Raul Cabato, ll8, at l:29
of the fifth round of a scheduled tenner. In other l0-rounders, Edwin
Casano, l23 l/2, knocked out Joebar Damosmog, l2l l/2, at 2:37 of the
second and Jun Balabat, l27, battled Jun Aguilar, l27, to a split draw.
Jan. 28.
Elorde Sports Center, Sucat, Paranaque.
Promoter: Johnny and Liza Elorde. Philippine junior lightweight champion Lauro Wilton, l35,
blasted Ali Albarracin, l3l, into submission at 2:38 of the eighth round of
a scheduled l0-round, non-title fight. Referee Silvestre Abainza stepped
in to save Albarracin from further punishment. In other tenners, Zosimo
Delgado, ll5, pounded out a unanimous decision over Rico Macaubos, ll5, and
Roger de la Rosa, ll0 l/2, and Oro Amisola, ll0, fought to a third round
technical draw.
In an earlier message, I reported a card on Jan. l4 at the Elorde Sports Center, Paranaque, with Gabriel (Bebot) Elorde, Jr. as promoter. The main event saw Philippine junior featherweight champion Arman Molina retain his crown via a unanimous l2-round decision over No. 2 contender Dino Olivetti. In the undercard, Olivetti's older brother Eder, known as Tiger Ari, dropped hard-hitting Al Coquilla in the third round and won on a technical decision at l:00 of the fourth. Coquilla opened a deep cut on Ari's forehead, prompting referee Danny Rodenas to call it a night on the advice of the ringside physician. Under Games and Amusements Board rules, a fight that is halted because of an accidental headbutt after the third round is decided by the scorecards. The three judges saw Ari ahead on points at the time of the stoppage. The win raised Ari's record to 46-5-2, with l7 knockouts. Ari, the son of former Oriental junior lightweight champion Oscar Reyes (who reigned in the l960s), has not since dropping a l0-round decision to former world champion Samart Payakaroon in Thailand in January l994. Ari has not lost in his last l4 bouts. Coquilla, who sent two-time world title challenger Lupe Gutierrez into retirement after a brutal seventh round stoppage in l994, was fresh from a first round disposal of Arnold Jaspe. Last year, Coquilla was halted twice in the first round by Hiromu Kuwata and Kiyoshi Adachi in Japan.
NOTES: World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental flyweight champion Melvin Magramo stakes his crown against Thai challenger Pornchai Sitsipraphon at the Manuela parking lot in Las Pinas, Paranaque, on Feb. l4. In the undercard, Oriental junior bantamweight titleholder Raffy Montalban takes on Bong Arlos in a non-title tenner and former World Boxing Federation (WBF) miniflyweight ruler Ronnie Magramo battles veteran Jerry Pahayahay of Cebu. The Magramo brothers are wards of promoter Johnny Elorde while Montalban belongs to Marty Elorde's stable. Both Johnny and Marty are sons of the late world junior lightweight king Flash Elorde.