 VEERAPHOL
NAKORNLUANG-PROMOTION, WBC bantam champ, Thailand,
will risk his title against former champ JOICHIRO
TATSUYOSHI, a tremendously popular Japanese, in Osaka,
Japan, on Aug. 29. Veeraphol, 22-1, 16 KOs, flattened
Tatsuyoshi in the 6th round to dethrone him last Dec. For
Tatsuyoshi, 17-5-1, 12 KOs, it must be a crucial bout on
his career. The Japanese was said to be careless and
overconfident in their first encounter, and now predicts
to win back the belt from the hard-hitting Thailander. It
will be a sensational and competitive battle. |
 TAKANORI
HATAKEYAMA, WBA super-feather champ, will face a
formidable opponent named LAKVA SIM, Mongolia, in Tokyo
on Jun. 27. It will be the WBA's mandatory title bout
with #1 contender Sim anticipating this title shot for
more than a year. The unbeaten Japanese, 22-0-1, 17 KOs,
will have a local advantage, but Sim, 9-1-1, 8 KOs, is
reported to have changed his style to a much more
aggressive one to dethrone Hatakeyama in the champ's home
turf. Sim, 27, will try to mix up from the start, but
Hatakeyama, 23, must utilize his faster foot to outbox
the Mongolian slugger. |
 JESUS
"KIKI" ROJAS, WBA super-fly champ, will put his
title on the line against Japan's HIDEKI TODAKA in
their rematch in Nagoya, Japan, on Jul. 31. They fought
to a controversial 4th round technical draw last Mar., so
the WBA sanctioned their direct rematch. Rojas, 9 years
his senior at 35, is more ringwise and cleverer, but
Todaka, 14-2-1, 7 KOs, is a game and busy challenger.
Rojas, 32-7-3-1NC, 16 KOs, will have to outjab and outbox
the willing mixer to keep his crown that he captured from
Todaka's stablemate, Satoshi Iida, last Dec. |
 Upcoming WBC #8
ranked 122-pounder KOZO ISHII, Japan, will dispute
the vacant super-bantam title of the OPBF (Oriental &
Pacific Boxing Federation) against Filipino champ DINO
OLIVETTI in Nagoya, Japan, on Aug. 8. Ishii, a short but
powerful hard-hitter with a 20-1, 13 KOs mark, wished to
have a shot at the WBA crown against Nestor Garza, but
the negotiaiton finally came to naught. So, his
manager/promoter Takao Maruki, ex-world challenger
against Samuel Serrano in 1978, shifted his target to the
OPBF throne. The current champ Reynante Jamili, WBC #1
contender, is in the waiting list for a mandatory shot
against Eric Morales, so his manager Gabriel Elorde Jr.
accepted to make Jamili renounce his regional title and
make another boxer under his wing, Olivetti, fight Ishii
for the vacant title. Olivetti, 19-6, 8 KOs, is a stylish
boxer-puncher, so it will be a good bout. |
 YONGSUK CHOI,
a 6'4" Korean ranked #10 by the WBC, lost his OPBF
super-middle crown to Japan's YOSHINORI NISHIZAWA on an
upset decision in Tokyo on May 25. Choi, 7-1, 4 KOs,
tasted his first defeat to the game and durable
Nishizawa, 16-11-4, 9 KOs, to disappoint our aficionados
with his poor performance. Choi had to reduce some 11
pounds in two days, and his weight rebounded by 18 pounds
after the weigh-in. Choi looked too sluggish and slow to
show his usual zip. Choi will meet Nishizawa again in the
latter's second defense here this winter. |