November 3, 1999
SENSATIONAL ENCOUNTER OF COMPATRIOTS
HIDEKI TODAKA, WBA super-flyweight champ, will risk his belt against
unbeaten lefty AKIHIKO NAGO at Ryogoku Sumo Arena in Tokyo on November
7. Todaka, making his first defense, captured the WBA throne by
upsetting Venezuelan veteran Jesus "Kiki" Rojas by dropping him with a
wicked right counter in the second round en route to a unanimous
decision in his home-turf Nagoya on July 31. Nago, 15-0, 11 KOs, is
managed by ex-WBA junior fly kingpin Yoko Gushiken who kept his crown 13
times to his credit. Nago is also a southpaw hard-hitter a la
Gushiken. Todaka, 15-2-1, 7 KOs, is a swtich-hitter who once held the
national light fly title and moved up to the 115-pound division. Nago
possesses a one-punch KO power with good footwork, while Todaka, 3 years
his senior at 26, seems more aggressive and durable, plus more
experienced against name opponents. It will be a very sensational and
interesting encounter.
DUEL IN NAGOYA
NESTOR GARZA, WBA super-bantam ruler, Mexico, is nicknamed "Tigre
(tiger)" for his fierce aggressiveness. Garza, 36-1, 28 KOs, will put
his title on the line against upcoming Japanese prospect KOZO ISHII,
21-1, 14 KOs, in his native Nagoya, Japan, on November 21. Garza, 22,
wrested the WBA belt from compatriot Mexican Enrique Sanchez on a
hard-fought decision with each hitting the deck in December of the
previous year. Garza, a short fighting machine, kept his crown by
stopping Venezuelan Carlos Barreto, who lately passed away on a ring
tragedy, in the 8th last May. Ishii, a game boxer-puncher, entered the
world top ten by scoring an upset nod over then rated Yonghoon Lee in
June, 1998. Ishii, 22, piloted by ex-world junior light challenger
Takao Maruki, acquired the vacant OPBF title by polishing off Filipino
champ Dino Olivetti in the opening canto this August. Ishii may show a
good fight against the Mexican Tiger, but Garza's higher work-rate and
tremendous durability may be too much for the Japanese to conquer.
VENEZUELAN ARAMBULET'S EASY PAYDAY EXPECTED
NOEL ARMABULET, Venezuela's newly crowned WBA minimum champ, will defend
his title against Japanese lefty SATORU ABE, 23-2-1, 10 KOs, in Nagoya
on December 4. Arambulet, a year his junior at 25, acquired the vacant
WBA 105-pound title by outscoring Filipino Joma Gamboa in Caracas,
Venezuela, on October 9. Arambulet, 11-1-1-1NC, 8 KOs, is a fast-moving
and hard-hitting boxer, whose speed and power will be superior to those
of Abe despite the Japanese lefty's usual fighting heart. Arambulet,
who cleverly outmanuevered the hard-punching Gamboa by dancing all
night, will fight Abe more aggressively to expect a decisive victory.
GRUDGE FIGHT IN SEOUL, KOREA
INJOO CHO, an unbeaten WBC super-fly champ, will face ex-titlist GERRY
PENALOSA, a hard-punching Filipino lefty, in a grudge fight at Sheraton
Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul on January 2. This WBC mandatory fight was
once scheduled on December 26, as both parties reached an agreement
during the WBC Convention in Moscow last October. But Kusung Lee,
ex-world 122-lbs. contender and now promoter/manager of Cho, was lately
obliged to put it off to January, 2000. Cho captured the WBC 115-pound
title on an really upset decision over Penalosa in Seoul in August,
1998. Cho, an upright fast-footed speedster, kept his diadem
thrice-beating Joel Luna Zarate (W12), Pone Saenmorakot (KO8) and Keiji
Yamaguchi (W12). Cho, 16-0, 7 KOs, has a physical advantage on the
height and reach, but Penalosa, 40-2-2, 24 KOs, has a vast experience,
fighting abroad in Japan and Korea. Cho, 3 years his senior at 30, is a
clever outboxer, while Penalosa is also a skillful boxer-puncher with
superior punching power. It will be a very difficult rematch to predict
the winner.
COME-FROM-BEHIND KO WINS
Sensational bouts took place in Tokyo and Iizuka, Japan, with both
resulting in spectacular come-from-behind knockouts. Japanese middle
champ NAOTAKA HOZUMI, 164 1/4, hit the deck with a vicious right
uppercut in the third, but scored a wicked body shot to sink Korean
titlist JINYUL SONG, 162 1/4, in agony at 1:18 of the 8th canto in Tokyo
on November 2. Hozumi, 14-1-1, 12 KOs, seemed to be behind on points
because of Song's punches with better precision. Song, the elder twin
brother of the current OPBF super-welter boss Kookyul Song, is the top
ranked OPBF 160-pound contender, but fell to 7-3-1, 3 KOs.
On the next November 3, Australian heavyweight champ KALI MEEHAN, 238,
survived his first-round visit to the canvas and exploded a smashing
right to the chin of Japanese-based Ugandan PETER ISHIMARU OKHELLO, 231
1/2, to finish him at 1:38 of the third round in Iizuka, Japan. Another
Aussie Justine Fortune was originally slated to meet Peter, but Fortune
met an unfortunate incident in his brother's sudden death just prior to
his departure to Japan-only three days before the fight. The unbeaten
Meehan, the OPBF No.1 contender, accepted fighting the OPBF No.2 ranked
Peter on his behalf on such a short notice, and decked an important
triumph. Meehan, 15-0, 12 KOs, will be a big threat against the current
OPBF ruler Toakipa Tasefa of New Zealand. Peter, 5-2, 5 KOs, might know
the difference of Fortune and Meehan.
(Remarks: Yours truly was the matchmaker of this bout. He heard the
news of a sudden cancellation of Fortune coming to Japan in Pusan,
Korea, on his way back to Japan after covering the WBA super-feather
title bout on October 31. This reporter very much appreciates the
effort of Ron Nash, the agent in Australian, to persuade Meehan to fight
on a very short notice.)
--
Joe Koizumi
If you wish to refer to my previous reports, please access to:
http://www.ring-japan.com/oriental.htm
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