WBC #7 SUPER-BANTAM ISHII WINS OPBF TITLE

ISHII August 8, 1999
NAGOYA, JAPAN-Upcoming WBC #7 ranked local prospect KOZO ISHII(right photo), 121 1/2, impressively acquired the vacant OPBF super-bantam title, as he exploded a well-timed left hook to drop Filipino champ and OPBF top contender DINO OLIVETTI(left photo), 122, and decked him again with an overhand right to stop him at 2:23 of the opening round in a scheduled 12.

DINO The shorter Ishii looked sharp and swift in flooring the Filipino with a left hook following a left-right combo midway in the first canto. The Japanese, who had entered the world top ten by beating world-rated Korean Yonghoon Lee in June of last year, swarmed over the fading foe and sent him to the deck again with a smashing right. Referee David Chung made a well-received halt to save the loser from further punishment.

Ishii, 21, raised his fine ledger to 21-1, 14 KOs. Olivetti, 26, the younger brother of the WBC rated 130-pounder Tiger Ari, fell to 19-7, 8 KOs.

ISHII This title had been vacated by ex-champ Reynante Jamili, a hard-hitting Filipino, who had a crack at the WBC throne against Eric Morales only to be stopped in 6 rounds in Tijuana on July 31.

UNDERCARDS

TOMI The OPBF #5 ranked super-middle HIROKI TOMI(right photo), 152 1/4, decked his tune-up go prior to his OPBF title shot against Korean Kookyul Song by chalking up a TKO win over Indonesian THOMSON TASLI, 154 1/4, at 1:10 of the third round in a semi-final 10.

Tomi, a tall and aggressive fighter, cornered him with a barrage of punches and beat him to the punch, though Tasli refused to go down. The ref halted the lopsided affair. Tomi is 15-4-2, 8 KOs. Tasli reportedly dropped to 20-8-2, 5 KOs.

KOBAYASHI Ex-IBF mini-fly champ NICO THOMAS, 110 1/4, dropped previously unbeaten Japanese prospect YOSUKE KOBAYASHI(left photo), 114 1/4, twice and stretched him prone at 2:07 of the third round in a scheduled 10.

Thomas, originally a 105-pounder, was by far shorter and smaller with Kobayashi outhustling him in the first two rounds. But Thomas, 33, stunned him with a vicious left, and sent him sprawling to the canvas again with a same southpaw left. Kobayashi, 19, tasted his first defeat, dropping to 8-1, 5 KOs.

WATANABE Indonesian #2 ranked super-fly KID HAMZAH, 116 1/4, gave a lesson to rugged Japanese infighter RYO WATANABE(right photo), 116 1/2, but was held to a controversial draw over 8.

The slick-punching Indonesian outjabbed and counterpunched him nearly at will, though Watanabe kept boring in to aim at the breadbasket. Scored: ref Matsunaga 77-77, judge Sakaitani 78-77 for Watanabe, and female judge Uchiyama 75-77 for Hamzah.

Hamzah is reportedly 15-4-3, 6 KOs, while the JBC #7 ranked bantam Watanabe 11-7-7, one KO.

Tenyu Maruki Promotions.
Matchmaker of the main event: Joe Koizumi.
(8-8-99)

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