January 12, 2000
WBA FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE BOUT ON JANUARY 30
FREDDIE NORWOOD, WBA featherweight champ, will put his title on the line
against unbeaten Japanese lefty TAKASHI KOSHIMOTO in Fukuoka, Japan, on
Jan. 30. Koshimoto, the promoter's son like Sean O'Grady, has kept
strenuous training by sparring with Filipino national champ Baby Lorona
Jr. and is reported to be in good shape. Norwood, 36-0-1, 21 KOs, is a
prefight favorite, but he reportedly started his workout late. If
Koshimoto, 23-0-2, 13 KOs, utilizes his footwork and makes it a long
fight, there may be a possibility-even if slight-that the Japanese
southpaw will outscore and outleg the much more powerful "Li'l Hagler."
WBA SUPER-FEATHER TITLE BOUT ON JANUARY 30
Newly crowned WBA super-feather champ JONGKWON BAEK, 21-0, 18 KOs, will
make his first defense against compatriot KYUCHUL CHOI in Pohang, Korea,
on Jan. 30. Baek eked out a close decision to dethrone Lakva Sim in
Pusan on Oct. 31 and remains unbeaten. Baek is an aggressive stylist
with hard-punching ability despite his fair defensive skill. When
Korean compatriots fight for a world title, it always becomes a
hard-fought, crowd-pleasing affair. This battle of fellow countrymen
will also follow that tradition.
WBA LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE GO ON MARCH 12
WBA lightweight champ GILBERTO SERRANO, Venezuela, 18-4-2, 15 KOs, will
face Japanese bull-fighter HIROYUKI SAKAMOTO, 35-3, 25 KOs, in Ryogoku
Sumo Arena, Tokyo, on Mar. 12. It was announced by promoter Akihiko
Honda of Teiken Promotions just after Sakamoto pounded out a lopsided
decision over durable Korean Heukjin Kwon at the Korakuen Hall on Jan.
8. Sakamoto failed to score an expected KO win, but displayed his
superior power. Serrano wrested the WBA belt by halting Italian Stefano
Zoff in the 10th in Las Vegas on Nov. 13 last. The Venezuelan jabber
previously failed to win the WBA 130-pound title on a 9th round KO by
Yongsoo Choi in Korea, though leading on points in Apr. 1998. Serrano,
always strong in earlier rounds, tends to be fading in later rounds.
Sakamoto failed to win the WBC light crown twice, losing to Steve
Johnston in 1997 and to Cesar Bazan in 1998. He had previously reigned
as Japanese and OPBF 135-pound champ and boasts of being the strongest
lightie in Asia. It is a very interesting match between the stylish
boxer and the wild swinger, both of whom have a good KO ratio to their
credit.
WBA SUPER-FLY TITLE GO IN APRIL
HIDEKI TODAKA, WBA super-fly champ, will be making his second defense
against the WBA's top contender and ex-three time WBA champ LEO GAMEZ,
Venezuela, in Nagoya in Apr. It will be Todaka's mandatory defense
since he captured the WBA belt by dropping Venezuelan veteran Jesus
"Kiki" Rojas en route to a unanimous decision there last Jul. Todaka
defeated Japan's highly expected prospect Akihiko Nago to prove to be
the best 115-pounder here. Todaka, elected Boxer of the Year by our
sports writers association, will be favored to beat the cagey Venezuelan
Gamez.
WBC BANTAM TITEL BOUT ON MARCH 10
VEERAPOL SAHAPROM (AKA Veerapol Nakornluang-Promotion), WBC bantam
champ, will risk his title against the top contender ADAN VARGAS,
32-1-1, 22 KOs, in Bangkok, Thailand, on Mar. 10. Sahaprom, 24-1, 18
KOs, wrested the WBC belt by demolishing Joichiro Tatsuyoshi in 6
furious rounds in Osaka, Japan, in Dec. 1998. This is a good match
between outstanding 118-pounders with excellent records, though we admit
Sahaprom's local advantage under the hot and humid climate in Thailand.
--
Joe Koizumi
If you wish to refer to my previous reports, please access to:
http://www.ring-japan.com/oriental.htm
|
