Aug. 23
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN--It was a main event of a triple WBC world title bout
before estimated 17,000 spectators at Yokohama Arena.
Tricky but fast Japanese JOICHIRO TATSUYOSHI, 118, barely kept his WBC bantamweight title as he suffered such a bad gash to fight on and was awarded a unanimous technical decision over previously unbeaten lefty PAULIE AYALA, 116, Texas, US, after the 6th round.
It's Tatsuyoshi's 2nd defense since he regained the WBC throne by an upset 7th round TKO over unbeaten Thailander Sirimongkol Nakornthorn-Parkview in Osaka last Nov.
The most popular and most flamboyant Japanese boxer started positively with fast jabs and good straight rights to befuddle the southpaw Texan. The NABF champ and the WBC #1 ranked contender Ayala, however, scored an effective left to the button of the champ and shook him up temporarily. It was Tatsuyoshi's round.
The 28-year-old champ dominated the 2nd through 4th rounds with his fine display of superior speed and precision. Tatsuyoshi moved well, and dug solid left hooks to the side of the belly. Ayala, also 28, winced and absorbed the champ's jabs and right shots.
The 3rd saw Tatsuyoshi start showboating with his hands low despite our criticisms. But he still took the initiative as he caught Ayala with sharp jabs and accurate straight rights. The patient lefty Ayala obviously lost a point, but he once scored a good combination--a straight left followed by a southpaw right hook to the face.
The Japanese dominated the 4th with his effective body shots--especially left hooks to the belly. But Ayala stood and fought to occasionally retaliate with a left-right combo. Ayala might get accustomed with Tatsuyoshi's tricky style and gradually solve the champ's strategy.
Ayala, who had kept his NABF title 5 times, was in command in the 5th, as he landed effective right hooks to the champ's face. Tatsuyoshi also caught him with a few jabs and lefts to the body, but Ayala was apparently more accurate in this round.
A collision of head happened midway in the 6th, and Tatsuyoshi abruptly stopped fighting and claimed his pain. Referee Guadalupe Garcia, Mexico, had his cut under the right eyebrow examined by ringside physician Dr. Otsuki, who once allowed him to go on. Tatsuyoshi, with his face in crimson, resumed fighting, but the red ribbon around his optic seemed to prevent him from seeing his opponent well.
After the 6th, Dr. Otsuki checked his cut again, talked with the third man and advised him to declare a halt. Tatsuyoshi was about to come out for the 7th, and he sat down and cried in tears as he misunderstood that he was declared a TKO loser.
No, no! A technical decision was taken after deducting a point from Ayala due to the unintentional butt based on the WBC rules and regulations, as follows--Lou Filipo (US) and David Chung (Korea) both 59-56, and Sergio Silvi (Italy) 58-57, all for Tatsuyoshi who raised his mark to 17-4-1, 12 KOs. The crestfallen Ayala tasted his first defeat and fell to 25-1, 11 KOs.
Promoter: Teiken Promotions in association with Top Rank.
WBC supervisor: Mario Latraverse (Canada).
(8-23-98)
LOU FILIPO (US)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | TOTAL |
| TATSUYOSHI | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 59 |
| AYALA | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 56 |
DAVID CHUNG (KOREA)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | TOTAL |
| TATSUYOSHI | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 59 |
| AYALA | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 56 |
SERGIO SILVI (ITALY)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | TOTAL |
| TATSUYOSHI | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 58 |
| AYALA | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 57 |
NON-SCORING REFEREE: GUADALUPE GARCIA (MEXICO)
REMARKS: After the accidental butt in the 6th, referee Guadalupe Garcia declared a 2-point deduction from Ayala. The score of the 6th, at first, was described 10-9 for Tatsuyoshi, because it was Ayala's 10-9 round, so it became 9-8 for Tatsuyoshi after deducting 2 points from Ayala. The 9-8 score was moved to 10-9 (for Tatsuyoshi) due to the WBC's 10-point must system. But after the bout, Mr. Jose Sulaiman, the WBC president, pointed out that the deduction should have been just a point, not 2 points, because it was merely an unintentional butt. Therefore, it was Ayala's 10-9 round, but it became 9-9 due to a one-point deduction from Ayala, so it eventually resulted in 10-10 based on the WBC's understanding of the 10-point must system.