December 29, 1998
OSAKA, JAPAN-Underestimated Thailander VEERAPOL NAKORNLUANG-PROMOTION,
118, stunned the crowd of 9,300 as he displayed his astounding strength
and skill in flattening the defending champ JOICHIRO TATSUYOSHI, 118, at
2:52 of the 6th session to capture the WBC bantam throne at Osaka
Central Gymnasium. Veerapol, previously fighting as Veerapol Sahaprom,
had wrested the WBA title in his 4th pro bout, but lost it to Nana
Konadu on a come-from-behind 2nd round KO in his first defense in 1996.
Since his sole defeat, Veerapol decked 16 wins straight including 11
KOs.
Tatsuyoshi, 28, was a prefight favorite due to his superior experience against name opponents like Greg Richardson (TKO10), Victor Rabanales (TKO by 9 and W12) and Daniel Zaragoza (TKO by 11 and L12). The Japanese star, making his 3rd defense, regained the WBC 118-pound title by decking an upset 7th round TKO over Thailand's Sirimongkol Nakornthorn-Parkview in Nov. of the previous year. Tatsuyoshi made a couple of successful defenses over Jose Rafael Sosa (W12) and Paulie Ayala (Technical Decision 6) to his credit.
Tatsuyoshi started busily jabbing to the cautious Thailander in the opening canto. Veerapol, with his high and tight guard, covered himself up and once scored a countering right to the aggressive champ. It was Tatsuyoshi's round.
The Japanese followed the same pattern and tried to outjab and outspeed the flat-footed Veerapol, two years his senior at 30, in the 2nd. Tatsuyoshi, an excellent jabber, seemingly took the initiative, though Veerapol attempted to counter him with a right shot.
The tide began to turn in the 3rd. Tatsuyoshi maintained the pressure on the shorter but sturdy Thailander with his incessant jabs. Veerapol, however, often landed countering rights to have the champ bewildered.
The 4th saw Veerapol throw more accurate and effective jabs to the champ. Tatsuyoshi kept jabbing and moving, but Veerapol occasionally caught him with accurate right-left combinations. The champ started bleeding from the nose with his absorption of Veerapol's sharpshooting jabs and right shots.
Veerapol, formerly Muay-thai (Thai kick-boxing) champ in 3 divisions, turned more aggressive in stalking the fading champ with his accurate combinations to the face and midsection. The Thailander obviously swept the 3rd through 5th rounds.
The powerful Thailander, in the fatal 6th, connected with effective shots to have the champ slowing down. Veerapol caught him with a solid jab following a vicious right, and sent the champ sprawling to the deck. Tatsuyoshi barely beat the mandatory 8 count, but the cool Thailander accerelated his attack and landed a fusillade of punches to the groggy champ. When the referee Chuck Hassett, US, declared a stoppage, Veerapol's solid right had been thrown to the champ's face. Tatsuyoshi collapsed prone and stayed there for minutes.
Tatsuyoshi's overconfidence might account for his shocking defeat. But Veerapol was a much better warrior with his tight guard and sharp countering than people had expected.
Scored after the 5th: Marty Sammon (US) 49-46 and Ray Solis (Mexico) 48-47, both for Veerapol, and Gale Van Hoy (US) 48-47 for Tatsuyoshi.
Veerapol raised his credentials to 21-1, 15 KOs. Tatsuyoshi, who bled from a gash under the right eyebrow in the 6th, fell to 17-5-1, 12 KOs.
It was a very impressive triumph for Veerapol, who displayed sharp and accurate jabs and strong rights to the champ's face. He also landed effective body shots to weaken the champ from the 3rd round on. The Thailander remained cool despite Tatsuyoshi's opening rallies, most of which he nullified with his good blocking.
The badly beaten Japanese said, "Veerapol was by far stronger than I tonight. I want a rematch to win back my belt." The newly crowned Thailander said, "I knew that Tatsuyoshi would slow down in later rounds, so started going forward in the 6th. It (his KO victory in the 6th) was a bit earlier than my fight plan."
MARTY SAMMON (US)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | TOTAL |
| TATSUYOSHI | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 46 |
| VEERAPOL | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 49 |
RAY SOLIS (MEXICO)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | TOTAL |
| TATSUYOSHI | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 47 |
| VEERAPOL | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 48 |
GALE VAN HOY (US)
| - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | TOTAL |
| TATSUYOSHI | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 48 |
| VEERAPOL | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 47 |
REFEREE: CHUCK HASSETT (US)
Lefty prospect TOSHIAKI NISHIOKA, 117 3/4, came off the canvas in the
1st round and fought back to finish another southpaw JUNICHI WATANABE,
117 1/2, at 1:55 of the 2nd to acquire the vacant Japanese national
bantam title. Nishioka, 16-2-1, 9 KOs, was careless in receiving an
overhand left when the ref ordered them to break away from a clinch.
The ref counted a mandatory 8 with Nishioka not protesting. Nishioka
turned aggressive in the 2nd, when he connected with a very solid
overhand left. He dropped Watanabe on the knees, and had him
rubbery-legged with a vicious follow-up. As Watanabe hit the deck for
the second time, he could not beat the count. Watanabe, also a
hard-hitter, fell to 16-2, 13 KOs. This national title had been
renounced by Shin Yamato, who will have a mandatory OPBF title shot at
Filipino veteran Jess Maca in Tokyo on Jan. 23.
Promoter: Teiken Promotions.
WBC supervisor: Mauricio Sulaiman (Mexico).
(12-29-98)