For Your Reference:
ANSAN, KOREA-The OPBF super-middle champ YUNGSUK CHOI, 174 1/4, engaged in a non-title bout, and scored a fine KO victory over his grudge rival SUNGCHUN LEE, also 174 1/4, at 2:30 of the 3rd round in a scheduled 10.
It was a unique matchup, as Choi stood 6'4" and Lee just 5'4". They had met in Nov., 1996, with Choi's OPBF title at stake. Then, the champ Choi got floored by the shorter swinger, but fought back to retain his regional title on a hard-fought decision.
The grudge fight, however, was brief and disappointing, as Lee wasn't what he used to be. Lee had established his reputation in a couple of gruelling wars with future WBA middle champ Shinji Takehara in Tokyo. In their second encounter they hit the deck simultaneously to show a very rare "double knockdown."
Choi outjabbed and outpunched the shorter foe in the first round. But Lee, in round two, jumped up to occasionally hit roundhouse blows, while Choi fought back toe-to-toe. The 3rd saw Choi pin Lee to the ropes with a series of right shots with Lee falling down, when the referee declared a halt (registered as a KO by the KBC).
Choi improved his mark to 6-0, 4 KOs. He captured the OPBF title on a unanimous decision over Darren Obah, the current WBA #1 middle contender of Australia, in Mar., 1996. Since then, he kept it twice, beating Robert Azumah and Sungchun Lee to his credit. But the Korean economic crisis unfortunately prevented this lanky boxer from fighting despite his willingness-for 2 years and 2 months. Choi, however, looked sharp and didn't show any sign of his ring rust.
Fast-moving jabber JUNGBUM KIM, 134 3/4, kept his Korean national super-light title by a clearcut KO win over SUNGWOON CHA, 140, with a single body shot to the side of the belly at 3:08 of the 9th round.
JINHO KIM, formerly WBA #1 ranked mini-fly contender, 107 1/2, made his second comeback, and struggled to win a hard-fought decision over HANJIN PARK, also 107 1/2, to acquire the vacant Korean national light flyweight title over 10.
It was a very interesting battle. The much more experienced Kim dropped Park badly in the first and second rounds so that the crowd expected his easy triumph. Kim lopsidedly dominated the first 5 rounds, but he ran out of gas from the 6th on and allowed Park to attack him onesidedly. Kim was penalized a point for his repeated holding in the 9th. Scored: 95-93 (identical with one of this reporter), 96-93 and 98-91.
Korean mini-fly champ JAEWON KIM, 108 1/4, earned a unanimous decision
over durable Filipino ROY CLAVE, also 108 1/4, over 8.
Promoter: Sam Jung Promotions.
(1-30-99)
For Your Reference:
YONGSUK CHOI
OPBF Super-middleweight champion
WBC #12 ranked super-middleweight
Born in Korea on May 21, 1973
Height: 6 feet 4 inches
Style: Orthodox Boxer Type
Manager: Heesuk Kim
Business Manager: Joe Koizumi
1995
1996
1999
If you are interested in booking this 6'4" Korean, WBC #12 contender,
please contact the following:
JOE KOIZUMI
C/O RING JAPAN
FAX: 81-422-54-2036 (81: Japan, 422: Musashino, Tokyo)
E-mail: japjoe@t3.rim.or.jp
Feb. 6
WOOLSAN, KOREA-The OPBF super-lightweight champ JONGKIL KIM, 139 3/4,
kept his OPBF title as he scored a TKO win over ex-titlist and
compatriot JONGHOON YUH, 140, at 0:45 of the 4th round in a scheduled
12.
Kim, the WBC's #10 ranked contender, raised his mark to 21-9-4, 13 KOs.
Yuh fell to 26-4, 11 KOs.
(2-6-99)