July 13, 1998
TOKYO--Korakuen Hall--Elongated Japanese TAKEO IMAOKA(right photo), 126, barely kept
his OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) feather title as he
eked out a majority decision over ex-champ SAMUEL DURAN(left photo), a Filipino
veteran, 125, over 12 lousy rounds. Scored: referee Ukrid Sarasas
(Thailand) 116-116, judges Virgilio Garcia (Philippines) and Ken Morita
(Japan) 114-113 and 117-116, both for Imaoka. The champ, making his 2nd
defense, raised his mark to 21-3, 11 KOs. Duran, 2 years his senior at
29, fell to 56-18-2, 27 KOs.
Imaoka, WBC #8 ranked 126-pounder, floored Duran with a short left hook
in the 4th, which eventually carried him to a hairline triumph.
This reporter, also the matchmaker of this title bout, has seen the game of boxing for more than 40 years, but can definitely say that this was the very worst fight ever seen in terms of the performances of both contestants and the third man. How many times did they--the three--fall down together? Numerous! It looked like a Judo or Sumo game.
Imaoka, who had dethroned Duran by dropping him twice en route to a unanimous decision last Nov., paid his respect to the ex-champ's power punching, so he tried to keep his distance in earlier rounds. But from the 6th round onward, Imaoka often grabbed Duran after hitting him with the champ throwing him or the Filipino challenger throwing him to the deck repeatedly. The referee tried to break them away only to be thrown onto the canvas. This reporter remembers that Primo Carnera and Max Baer tumbled down on numerous occasions, but this bout saw the third man fall along with them repeatedly and repeatedly.
Leonil Lazarito, Duran's manager and chief second as well, became so frustrated and furious against Imaoka's repeated grabbing tactics that he protested by grabbing Sarasas's shoulder in the recess after the 9th. Leonil attempted to sprinkle water on the ref, when this reporter promptly jumped up to the apron to make him calm down. With this reporter's advice, Leonil regained his cool and shook hands with the ref. But the JBC's chief of inspectors, Mr. Yasuhara, came to Duran's corner during the 10th, giving his instructions to Leonil. "If you repeat such a rough protest, your boxer will be disqualified." This reporter translated it into English and Leonil nodded.
The fight itself was lousy enough. Imaoka was in command in the 2nd by landing solid overhand rights as he pinned Duran to the ropes. Duran took back a point by landing a strong left-right combo in the 3rd. Imaoka floored him with a short left hook following a one-two combo, though it looked like a half-slip and a half-knockdown. Anyway, the ref counted the mandatory 8 against Duran.
From the 6th rounds on, Imaoka became apparently defensive and negative enough to apply hit-and-grab tactics. With too many clinches, each threw the other repeatedly.
During the 6th session, the referee Sarasas fell down together with his back-head bouncing on the deck. He stood up, but he was staggering for the remainder of the round. It was a funny and daffy scene.
About the result, this reporter might agree with the decision with Imaoka as a hairline winner, because Duran didn't throw any telling shots in the last three rounds despite his manager's shouting. Even a draw might be acceptable. In Japan, there is famous jeering words to a dull affair, "Both are losers!" This night, there were 3 losers in the ring due to Imaoka's too much grabbing, Duran's less aggressiveness and the ref's poor control of the bout. This reporter really became dumb with disgust after the fight.
Hard-hitting but vulnerable YASUHITO KASAGI, 143 1/4, absorbed much punishment by straight rights of lefty RYOJI TEZUKA, 142 1/4, but gave him more damage and dropped him with a flurry of punches en route to a TKO win at 2:02 of the 5th in a scheduled 10. JBC #8 super-light Kasagi is 14-5-1, 13 KOs. Tezuka, JBC #9 super-light, is 7-2-3, 3 KOs.
It was a brutal give-and-take affair, as they didn't show any good
defense to avert the opponent's solid shots. Kasagi began to bleed from
a gash over the left eyebrow, which continued streaming crimson until
the end of the bout. Tezuka looked overpowered by Kasagi's aggressive
rallies.
Promoter: Saida Promotions.
(7-13-98)