ORIENTAL LINE As of April 21, 1999

Apr. 21, 1999
MASAKI KANEHIRA, one of the most influential promoters in Japan, passed away of cancer at the age of 65 in Tokyo on Mar. 26. He was such a prominent manager/promoter as to have produced 8 world champs to his credit, as follows: unified fly Hiroyuki Ebibara, WBA feather Shozo Saijo, WBA junior fly Yoko Gushiken, WBA junior light Yasutsune Uehara, WBA junior fly Katsuo Tokashiki, WBA junior bantam Katsuya Onizuka, WBC fly Yuri Arbachakov, and WBA light Orzubek Nazarov. On Apr. 17, a funeral ceremony was held with some 1,500 boxing people in attendance. We sincerely mourn this great promoter's death. Sleep in peace.

OPEN SCORING SYSTEM

Despite international trends of the open scoring system to be introduced experimentally by the WBC and the WBA, the JBC (Japan Boxing Commission) and the JBA (Japan Boxing Association, which is the union of managers here) decided not to adopt the new system chiefly due to the technical problem to announce the official tallies after every round. But this reporter thinks that our boxing fraternity will have to take it into practice in the nearest future, since Japan has been and will be promoting many world title bouts.

PACQUIAO

WBC FLYWEIGHT TITLE BOUT

MANNY PACQUIAO(right photo), WBC flyweight champ, 25-1, 16 KOs, will defend his title against #1 contender Gabriel Mira, Mexico, 19-7-1, 15 KOs, at Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, on Apr. 24. Pacquiao, a hard-hitting lefty warrior, will make his first defense since he dethroned Chatchai Dutchboygym on an upset 8th-round KO in Thailand last Dec. The much taller Filipino is expected to overpower the fleet-footed but less powerful Mexican. The referee will be Richard Steele.

WBC INTERIM MINIMUM TITLE BOUT

WANDEE SINGWANGCHA, WBC interim minimum champ, Thailand, will put his title on the line against Japan's YASUO "WOLF" TOKIMITSU, ex-OPBF ruler, in Okayama, Japan, on May 4. Wandee, previously fighting as Wandee Chor Chareon, lately changed his ring name due to the Thai traditional onomancy (No Mas!). The Thailander, 23-3, 6 KOs, acquired the interim title by beating Rocky Lin on points last Aug. and this will be his first defense since. Tokimitsu, a shorter boxer-puncher, 13-2, 7 KOs, wrested the OPBF crown by whipping Indonesian Nico Thomas by a unanimous nod in Feb. of the previous year. Wandee is a busy but methodical boxer, while Wolf is a fast combination puncher, though untested. Wandee is favored to beat the less experienced local favorite in the latter's home turf.

VEERAPOL

WBC BANTAM TITLE BOUT

VEERAPOL NAKORNLUANG-PROMOTION(right photo), WBC bantam kingpin, will defend his newly acquired throne against MAURO BLANC, Uruguay, in Bangkok on May 15. It was postponed from the original date of Apr. 13. Veerapol captured the crown by a stunning 6th-round KO of Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, a Japanese Gatti, in Osaka last Dec. Veerapol, an excellent boxer-puncher, 21-1, 15 KOs, will dispatch the less experienced Blanc, 8-2-1, 2 KOs, with ease.

CHO

WBC SUPER-FLY TITLE BOUT

INJOO CHO(right photo), WBC super-fly champ, will make his 2nd defense against Thailander PONE SAENGMORAKOT, 17-0, 6 KOs, in Seoul on June 13. Argentine Jose Rafael Sosa was supposed to fight Cho in a quest for the title, but the negotiation met a deadlock due to Sosa's excessive demand and Poong San Promotions of Korea finally decided to replace Sosa with another contender. The unbeaten Cho, 14-0, 6 KOs, wrested the WBC 115-pound title by upsetting Filipino lefty Gerry Penalosa in Korea last Aug. Cho, a fast-moving speedster, kept his title by a hairline decision over Joel Luna Zarate, Mexico, in Seoul this Jan.

WBA SUPER-FEATHER TITLE BOUT

TAKANORI HATAKEYAMA, WBA super-feather champ, will risk his title against #1 contender LAKVA SIM, Mongolia, at Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, on June 27. Hatakeyama, 22-0-2, 17 KOs, struggled to keep his title on a split draw with Mexican Saul Duran at the same venue on Feb. 13. Hatakeyama previously sparred with Sim when the latter was still an amateur boy, and took a beating in his workout in Korea. The champ shows his respect to Sim, but boasts of his improvement and believes in his successful defense. Sim, 9-1-1, 8 KOs, is a good boxer-puncher who, however, lost to Yongsoo Choi in a bid for the WBA 130-pound title in 1998. It will be a very competitive battle.

TODAKA

WBA SUPER-FLY TITLE BOUT

JESUS "KIKI" ROJAS, Venezuela, will face Japan's HIDEKI TODAKA(right photo) again with his title at stake this time in Nagoya, Japan, on Jul. 31. They battled to a technical draw midway in the 4th due to Kiki's bad lateral gash on the left eyebrow on Mar. 28. Rojas, 32-7-3-1No Contest, 16 KOs, is a more crafty veteran, but Todaka, 14-2-1, 7 KOs, showed his heart and aggressiveness in displaying an opening attack in their first encounter. It will be a tough battle, if Kiki fails to keep his distance as Todaka is a willing mixer who keeps boring in.

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