Sep. 5
TOKYO, JAPAN--Unbeaten Japanese prospect TAKANORI HATAKEYAMA(right photo), 130,
captured the WBA super featherweight title as he withstood the opening
attacks of defending champ YONGSOO CHOI(left photo), 130, Korea, fought back hard in
later rounds and earned a majority decision over 12 heats.
Scored: Rodolfo Maldonado (Panama) and Hank Meijers (Netherland) both 116-113 for Hatakeyama, and Pinit Prayadsab (Thailand) 114-114.
It was a grudge fight as Choi very barely kept his crown on a split draw in their first encounter in Tokyo last Oct. The rematch was not a better fight than their previous battle from the technical viewpoint. But some 8,500 fans were in frenzy to see the new champ at Ryogoku Sumo Arena.
The previous fight had seen Choi sweep the last 3 rounds to barely reach a
split draw, but it was Hatakeyama, this time, that won the last 3
sessions to seize the victory.
After they probed each other in the opening canto, Choi started his usual buzzsaw attack to press the action, winning the 2nd and 3rd. It was remarkable that Choi, a notorious slow starter, displayed so fine opening rallies with solid right crosses and good combinations.
Hatakeyama, formerly Japanese and Oriental & Pacific champ, turned loose midway in the 4th, as he threw a barrage of punches to the stationary target, Choi. The Japanese, however, had the right cheek swollen in the 4th, and it became worsened as the game progressed.
Choi, making his 8th defense, attempted to punish him with his trade-mark non-stop short combos, but Hatakeyama managed to avert them by making good use of his feet. In the 7th, Hatakeyama mixed it up and connected with right uppercuts to the onrushing Choi to win a point.
Choi was in clear command in the 8th, when he released a fusillade of punches to the fading Japanese. As Choi had a reputation of admirable stamina despite his lack of finesse, the crowd then expected Choi to grow stronger, as usual, in later rounds.
But Choi was not what he used to be. It was rare that Choi started his fireworks early, and he seemingly became so tired as to fail to show his well-reputed last surge. Hatakeyama welcomed his second wind, and desperately went forward to apply his hit-and-grab tactics. It apparently worked well, as Hatakeyama landed a flurry of punches and clinched to avert Choi's retaliations.
The game Korean shifted his target to the belly of Hatakeyama, but he often hit lower than the belt. The referee Mitch Halpern, from Nevada, gave his warning to Choi twice, and declared a penalty of a point in the 11th when Choi committed a low blow for the 3rd time in the fight.
It was such a close affair as people didn't see which was leading on points after the 11th. But Hatakeyama showed his determination and gameness in maintaining the pressure on Choi in the final session.
Hatakeyama, 23, raised his unbeaten mark to 22-0-1, 17 KOs. Choi, 26, fell to 24-3-1, 14 KOs.
It was a foul-studded bout with each repeatedly butting, Choi landing low blows, and Hatakeyama spitting out his mouthpiece to take a rest. But it was Hatakeyama's night due to his superior fighting spirit.
Hatakeyama, who wanted to be a baseball player, gave up his ball and dropped out of a high school in Aomori to come up to Tokyo to try his fists. He won the All-Japan Novice King tourney in 1994, acquired the vacant OPBF 130-pound title by stopping Joungchil Choi in 2 rounds in 1996 and kept the regional title thrice.
In his first shot at the WBA title against Choi, Hatakeyama showed impressive attacks in the first half and was comfortably ahead on points. But his fast pace deprived him of stamina in the last 3 sessions, which Choi desperately dominated to keep the title. Though Hatakeyama wasn't a loser, a draw in the title bout meant a failure to win the title.
Hatakeyama, former bad boy in Aomori, jubilantly said, "I thought before the 12th and final session, 'If I lose the last round, I cannot show my face to my fans and supporters.' So, I fought with all I had to win the last round. I am happy to start boxing by abandoning my baseball career."
Choi kept silent, and left the arena immediately after the doping test. His manager and trainer Chunsok Kim showed his strong claim against the decision.
In the near future they may face for the third time to decide which the best man is.
KEITARO HOSHINO(right photo), 104 3/4, scored a close but unanimous decision over previously unbeaten HIROSHI NAKAJIMA, 105, to retain his Japanese national mini-fly title in 10.
Scored: Tezaki 97-96, Abe 98-95 and Morita 97-96, all for the more aggressive champ. Hoshino, making his 5th defense, is a really powder-puff puncher who, however, raised his mark to 18-6, 5 KOs. Nakajima, who failed to show any determination to win the title at all, tasted his first defeat and dropped to 11-1, just one KO. It was a lousy and sleepy bout.
Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.
WBA supervisor: Bolivar Icaza (Panama).
Remarks: After the fight, the Korean party furiously protested against a point deduction by the referee Halpern, claiming that he ignored Hatakeyama's intentionally spitting out a mouthpiece to be given a rest. Angie Chun Lee, Choi's female promoter, also pointed out Hatakeyama's repeated clinches in later rounds to conceal his fatigue and avert Choi's furious combos in the close quarter. But it was true that Choi did not show his best form this night. Choi had been a much more aggressive fighter, but he failed to show his genuine pugnaciousness, losing his title to the upcoming Japanese boy.
RODOLFO MALDONADO (PANAMA)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| CHOI | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10-1 | 9 | 113 |
| HATAKEYAMA | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 116 |
HANK MEIJERS (NETHERLAND)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| CHOI | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10-1 | 9 | 113 |
| HATAKEYAMA | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 116 |
PINIT PRAYADSAB (THAILAND)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | TOTAL |
| CHOI | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10-1 | 9 | 114 |
| HATAKEYAMA | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 114 |
REFEREE: MITCH HALPERN (US)
(9-5-98)