JAPANESE FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE
TAKASHI KOSHIMOTO W10 ATSUSHI HAGIWARA
Feb. 15
MUNAKATA, FUKUOKA PREFECTURE--Elongated lefty TAKASHI KOSHIMOTO, 126,
kept cautiously outfighting and withstood the body attacks of also
southpaw ATSUSHI HAGIWARA, 125, to retain his national feather throne
on a well-received but split decision over 10.
Scored: Takeda 100-94 and Kuwata 97-94, but Makizumi 96-95 for Hagiwara. It was Koshimoto's third defense since he acquired the vacant title by stopping veteran Atsushi Tamaki in 1996. In his first defense, Koshimoto had a very tough time hitting the canvas badly by Junichi Nakamura although he was saved by a tremendously controversial technical draw in Mar. of the previous year. The JBC (Japan Boxing Commission) ordered a rematch, so they faced again with Koshimoto utilizing new tactics of keeping his distance and outboxing Nakamura to retain the title last Oct. Before this rematch with Nakamura, Koshimoto was an aggressive lefty puncher despite his 5'9" frame. Koshimoto changed his style since thereafter. The lefty champ kept sticking southpaw jabs to dominate the first 4 rounds. Hagiwara attempted to bore in all the way, and he looked effective in the 5th and 6th. But the taller champ sticked to his original fight plan, and kept jabbing and couterpunching in the last 4 session, though Hagiwara was in command with his persistent body bombardments in the 8th. Koshimoto, whose father is his promoter/manager/trainer, is the WBC's 13th ranked 126-pounder, and raised his unbeaten mark to 17-0-2, 8 KOs. Hagiwara, the JBC #1 contender, is 18-4, 9 KOs.
Lefty Hiroaki Nishimura, 117 3/4, pounded out a nearly shutout decision (double 59-56 and 59-55) over Takayuki Hashimto, 118, over 6. Nishimura is 5-3-2, 2 KOs. Hashimto fell to 3-3-2, a KO.
Remarks: I, as manager of the WBC feather champ Luisito Espinosa,
previously asked Koshimto to stay in Manila for weeks to serve as sparring partner
of Luisito prior to the champ's 3rd defense against lefty Japanese
Nobutoshi Hiranaka on Nov. 2, 1996. Koshimoto, who had not yet become
the national champ at that time, received good lessons by Luisito, as
the Japanese was still immature, stiff and slow. But he always tried to
show his best in sparring sessions with Luisito. There is still some
room for Koshimoto to improve, but he is steadily improving with his
severe experience with Nakamura.
Promoter: Fukuma Sports Promotions.
Feb. 14
KOGA--Masaru Irisawa, 135, remained aggressive enough to win a shutout
decision over Filipino Teofilo Tunacao, 133 3/4, over 8. Scored: double
80-75 and 80-76. Irisawa, 10-2-1, 5 KOs, attempted to weaken and stop
the Filipino with body shots, but Tunacao endured them to last the
contest. Tunacao, GAB #7 lightie, is reportedly 19-12, 6 KOs. He is
the younger brother of Noel Tunacao who previously fought Hiroki Ioka
for the WBA junior fly title only to lose on a lopsided decision in
Kita-kyushu City in 1992.
Kazunori Osato, 112, unanimously decisioned Yuichiro Watanabe, 112, over 6. Scored: all 59-58 for the former, 7-5-1, 2 KOs. Watanabe fell to 5-3, 2 KOs.
Masahide Kaneda, 122, was alos a unanimous points victor over Yoshihisa
Nakayama, 121 1/2, over 6. Kaneda is 7-1, 4 KOs. Nakayama, a lefty
loser, is 6-3-1, no KO.
Promoter: Eighteen Promotions.
Feb. 13
TOKYO--Shigeki Moriyama, 118, was held to a split draw by Hiromune
Sakai, 118, over 6. It was a main event of this card. Scored: 57-57,
58-58, and 58-57 for Sakai, 3-4-3, 2 KOs. Moriyama is 5-4-3, a KO.
Masahiro Minami, 113 3/4, dropped Toshifumi Saito, 113 3/4, twice and chalked up a TKO triumph at 2:49 of the 2nd round in the first 6. Minami is 2-0, as many KOs. Saito fell to 2-1, a KO. Promoter: Kikuchi Promotions.
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Jan. 31 NAGOYA--JBC #2 ranked middleweight Hiroki Tomi, 159, had a tough time coping with the more skillful Korean Hyunsik Lee, KBC #4 middle contender, 158 1/4, but eked out a hairline unanimous decision over 10. Scored: double 97-96 and 97-95. Tomi is 11-2-2, 5 KOs. Lee dropped to 13-6-3, 8 KOs. It was a see-saw affair. Tomi, ex-Shinjin-o (novice king) tourney winner, looked more positive and aggressive in the first half, but Lee came back hard despite his obvious fatigue in the last half. There were no knockdowns, though Lee had him at bay in the 6th. Tomi previously failed to win the national title only to lose a unanimous nod to Yoshinori Nishizawa in Tokyo in the last year. |
Hiroki Tomi
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| In a companion 10, up-and-coming junior feather Kozo Ishii, 121 3/4, floored Korean Seungpyo Hong, KBC #2 bantam, 121, in the 4th, 5th and 6th, and finally halted him with the towel fluttering from the latter's corner at 1:56 of the 6th. Ishii, JBC #9 122-pounder, is a bright local prospect, bettering his mark to 13-1, 9 KOs. Hong impaired to 7-6-2, 4 KOs. |
Kozo Ishii
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Jan. 23
KURI--Lanky boxer INJOO CHO, WBC #9 and WBA #11 115-pounder, 116,
registered a quick knockout over a Thai boxer named Tanpit Sithlula
(translated from Mr. Yoochang Kim's report in Japanese, but this boxer
could not found in the TBC ratings since the beginning of 1997), 118
1/2, at 2:59 of the second round in a scheduled 10. Cho, who had fought
just once in the previous year, is still unbeaten, raising his
unblemished mark to 13-0, 7 KOs.
Cho was awarded a disputed decision over the then world rated Abraham Torres in 1993 to enter the top ten. He is a stylish speedster with good footwork and fine speed unlike many Korean infighters. But the declining economy of Korea prevented him from getting a title shot for years, though he remains in the WBA and WBC ratings since his points win over Torres.
Hyungjung Lee, 150 3/4, knocked out Changbok Choi, 153 1/2, at 2:02 of
the 4th canto in a semi-final 10.
Promoter: Pungsan Promotion.
The Filipino boxer who fought under the name of Jeffrey Onate in the PABA featherweight title bout against Chamokpet Chorchamuang in Phet Buri (another spelling of this fight place is Petchburi), Thailand, on Jan. 18 proved to be GARY GARAY, another Filipino boxer.
This imposter was detected by Mr. Phil Marder of Fight Fax, Inc. as I sent him another report by Mr. Quinito Henson from the Philippines, which stated that Jeffrey Onate won a unanimous decision over Noel Pan in Tondo, Manila, after gory 10 rounds on Jan. 17. It is impossible for Onate to fly to Thailand in time for the next day's PABA title bout. Therefore, I brought a videotape of the aforementioned PABA title bout to the Philippines, where I visited the GAB (Philippine Commission) and asked them to clarify who on earth he was. The GAB officials sharply pointed out that the Filipino who fought Chamokpet was GARY GARAY, who is said to be a free agent with no manager. The GAB will investigate who manipulated this incident. Thank you, GAB Chairman Dominador Cepeda, for the sake of accuracy in our record-keeping.
Jan. 29
Bangkok--Thai jr. feather champ Wichit Chuwatana, 20-3, 14 KOs,
outscored Wihok Jockygym in a non-title 6.
Jan. 21
Bangkok--Ex-WBA bantam champ Weerapon Nakonluang-Promotion, currently
ranked #4 in the junior bantam division by the WBA, 15-1, 11 KOs, scored
a 5th round KO over Filipino Joel Avila.
WBC #14 ranked straw Surachai Saengmarakot, 19-3, 9 KOs, decisioned ex-Philippine national champ Jerry Pahayahay over 10.
Unbeaten Pone Saengmarakot, WBC #12 super-fly, 12-0, 4 KOs, outscored ex-WBU super-fly champ Suwatchai Nakonluang-Promotion over 10.
Charley Sitharan, TBC #1 junior light contender, 8-0, 5 KOs, stopped Choocherd Eausampan in 3.
Jan. 18
Petchburi--On the undercards of the problematic PABA title bout between
Chamokpet Chorchamuang (AKA Chamuakpetch Chorchamoang), WBA #2 bantam
Lakhin CP-Gym, 23-0-2, 17 KOs, stopped Filipino Joel Junio in 3.
WBC #21 ranked straw Kwanchai 3K-Battery, 16-4, 9 KOs, outpointed Filipino Pinoy Montejo in 2.
Ex-OPBF fly champ Chokechai 3K-Battery, WBC #15 fly, 36-3, 16 KOs, decisioned San Sithnarupon, TBC #9 bantam, over 6.
Unranked and unheralded Odnoi Sawaswaree made a stunning debut, as he outscored TBC #2 ranked fly Panomdet Oh Yutanakorn over 6.
Jan. 8
Bangkok--TBC #3 jr. feather Wisut Kiatsakkongka, 45-12, 29 KOs, scored a
tko over Apichart Por Tawatchai in 2.
Remarks: When I talked with Mr. Quinito Henson, one of the best sportswriters there, in Manila in the beginning of this month, I heard that there were some Filipino boxers who fought in Thailand without getting the GAB's permission for them to fight abroad. The wave of Internet will detect those unfaithful campaigns abroad in the near future, hopefully.