August 16, 1999
TOKYO, JAPAN-Busy puncher OSAMU SATO(right photo), Japan's #3 ranked super-bantam
contender, 122, battered shorter and smaller Filipino ARIEL AUSTRIA, 119
1/4, GAB #10 super-fly, 119 1/4, to the punch from the outset, and his
onslaught prompted the referee to intervene at 2:59 of the 5th session
in a scheduled 10.
Since very influential promoter Masaki Kenehira of Kyoei Promotions passed away last March, Kyoei Promotions resumed its activity with his son Keiichiro Kanehira as new president and promoter. Papa Masaki had produced no less than 8 world champs to his credit. He had been presenting monthly boxing shows to TBS TV for many years and to TV Tokyo for some years. However, TBS decided to cease showing the monthly program since this September, which is a shocking news to our boxing fraternity.
Kyoei Promotions is supported by Masaki's nephew Mack Kanehira who speaks good Spanish. Mack, who fought under his real name of Masayuki Goto before serving as trainer and matchmaker for Don Kanehira, was once expelled out of Kyoei by the late Masaki, but was allowed to return to Kyoei and collaborate with Keiichiro. The late Masaki attempted to develop his Kyoei Promotions, opening a subsidiary gym in Iwaki City some years before. It's called Iwaki Kyoei Gym, and Masaki invited ex-world junior welter champ Paul Takeshi Fujii of Hawaii as the new president of the subsidiary gym. But Paul resigned by some reason, and is reportedly still residing somewhere in Japan without returning to Honolulu. With his reconciliation with Mack, Don Kanehira made Mack honorary president of Iwaki Kyoei Gym. We hope that Kyoei Promotions will unite in the Kanehira family and produce as many world champs in the future as the late Don Kanehira did.
Now Kyoei has a few bright prospects but Osamu Sato, a muscular and aggressive 122-pounder. Sato zoomed up high in the Japanese ratings with an impressive TKO win over highly regarded Tatsuya Tojo last November. He has included in a star-studded 122-pound division in Japan, along with world-rated Kozo Ishii, hard-punching Manabu Fukushima, Japanese champ Yutaka Manabe, tough and strong Choluho Senrima (who lately got ranked #30 in the WBC ratings), and only once-beaten prospect in Fukuoka City, Momotaro Kitajima.
This night, Sato proved too much for the physically inferior Filipino, who obviously couldn't match with his power punching. Sato was in command in every round, though Austria weathered his furious storm. The fatal 5th saw Sato awarded a TKO win though Austria was still standing while he was absorbing much punishment. Some of the crowd claimed ref Ukrid Sarasas' premature stoppage, but it was a well-timed halt because Austria would have no chance to win or fight back with such an apparent difference of physical power.
Sato raised his ledger to 16-1-1, 9 KOs. Austria reportedly dipped to 13-12-7, 4 KOs.
JBC #9 ranked welterweight brutal banger YOSHIO NAKANO, 146, bled from a gash over the right eyebrow, mixed up with switch-hitting lefty SHINICHI KOMATSU, JBC #8 welter, 147, and fought to a majority draw over 10.
Scored: 96-96, 95-95 and 97-96 for Nakano. It was a terrible give-and-take affair, both absorbing much punishment due to their inferior defensive skill. Nakano blocked his opponent's punches with his face, so his face was swollen badly. Nakano, 30, is 13-4-3, 2 KOs. Komatsu, 30, is 11-10-4, 5 KOs.
Ex-Japanese super-light champ JACKIE KUWATA, previously fighting under the name of Hiromu Kuwata, 143 1/2, gained a lopsided decision over game but limited MASATO IWASHITA, 143 1/2, over 8.
Kuwata, who previously fought under the new nom-de-guerre Yoshihiro Kuwata to invite a good luck, announced his retirement from the ring competition after his failure to regain the Japanese national title from Junichi Ono on an 8th TKO in August of last year. But he made a comeback with another new ring name of Jackie Kuwata. He looked more skillful than the awkward and straightforward Iwashita, but it wasn't such an easy fight as the official tallies-79-76 twice and 80-76-indicated.
Kuwata, now managed by Mack Kanehira, is 24-4-2, 16 KOs. He registered 10 defenses of the Japanese 140-pound title in his prime between 1992 and 1996. He isn't what he used to be. Iwashita fell to 7-4-2, 3 KOs.
Kyoei Promotions.
(8-16-99)