December 19, 1999
TAKASAGO, JAPAN-Upcoming hard-punching lefty TOSHIAKI NISHIOKA(right photo), 117 1/2,
displayed his superior speed and power in pounding out a lopsided
decision over also hard-hitting TAIJI OKAMOTO, 117, to retain his
Japanese bantam title over 10.
Nishioka, Japan's best prospect, took the first two rounds thanks to his fast southpaw jabs and right-left combos. But Okamoto, previously ranked in the top 30 due to his hard-fought draw with WBC rated Jose Rafael Sosa last Feb., surprisingly landed solid rights to the champ, dominated the third and 4th.
Since then the young but smart champ changed his tactics to outjabbing and outlegging the flat-footed puncher. He swept th 5th through 9th sessions.
Okamoto desperately attempted to score a KO win in the final session, when Nishioka avoided mixing up by making his feet busy. The shorter and sturdy Okamoto might take a point, but couldn't turn the tables.
Scored: Miyazaki 98-93, Matsumoto 99-93 and Yasuda 99-92, all for the flamboyant champ. Referee was Ichiro Uenaka.
Nishioka, a lanky but game lefty, raised his ledger to 19-2-1, 11 KOs. Okamoto, formerly a kick-boxer, dropped to 13-2-2, 11 KOs.
The Japanese champ is gunning for a world title shot either at the WBA title against Paulie Ayala or at the WBC throne against Veerapol Nakornluang-Promotion.
In a companion title bout, Japanese lefty MASAKAZU SATAKE, 139 3/4, finely captured the OPBF super-lightweight title, as he made good use of his shifty footwork, confused the WBC #5 ranked defending champ JONGKIL KIM, 139 3/4, and pounded out a split but well-received decision over 12.
Scored: referee Bruce McTavish (New Zealand) 115-113 and Hiroyoshi Yasuda (Japan) 118-112, both for Satake, and Jaebong Kim (Korea) 115-113 for Kim.
It might be an upset result, but Satake fought so cleverly that he averted almost all solid shots of Kim and occasionally scored with light but well-timed combinations all night.
In a Tom-and-Jerry fight, Satake, 8-2-4, 4 KOs, showed his determination in taking the last two sessions to confirm his triumph. Kim, a good loser, fell to 22-11-4, 15 KOs.
Sensational Filipino lefty, though quite unknown here, RANDY SUICO, 129 1/4, stunned the crowd with his devastating power in demolishing taller Japanese JUN TANIGAWA, 130, at 1:58 of the third round in a scheduled 8.
The GAB's No.1 contender Suico proved too fast, sharp and powerful for Tanigawa, overwhelming him with his two-fisted attack. In the fatal session Suico pinned him to the ropes and sank him with a flurry of punches in the corner. The referee promptly declared a halt to save the loser as he saw the Japanese' incapability of going on and stopped counting up to ten.
Suico, formerly Philippine national amateur champ, is 8-0, 7 KOs. Tanigawa fell to 11-5-1, as many KOs. Despite his high KO percentage Tanigawa was slower and less skillful for the Filipino Hand of Stone, as nicknamed in his native Cebu. Suico looked very promising.
HIDEYUKI FURUKAWA, 139, survived a visit to the canvas in the 4th, and fought back hard to earn a close but unanimous decision over Filipino EFRAIN LEGASPINO, 139 3/4, over 8.
AKIRA EBISUOKA, formerly ranked by the JBC, 126, withstood opening attacks of Filipino ULYSSIS PUZON, 124 3/4, and went all out to retaliate in later rounds, winning a unanimous verdict over 8.
Newly crowned WBA interim champ JOMA GAMBOA showed a couple of sparring sessions against 4-round green boys, and impressed the crowed with his speed, power and skill. Gamboa, Randy Suico's stablemate, had acquired the WBA interim title by flattening Japan's Satoru Abe in the 6th round in Nagoya on Dec. 4.
Promoter: JM Kakogawa Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(12-19-99)