JAPANESE HEAVYWEIGHT HIDAKA DESTROYS KOSWARA OF INDONESIA IN 61 SECONDS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 16 Feb 2015
Japanese heavyweight Rio Hidaka needed only 61 seconds to destroy David Koswara of Indonesia in a battle of big men for the WBC Asia Continental heavyweight championship before a big crowd at the Angono Sports Complex on Saturday night.
In an Aljoe Jaro promotion that had a solid international flavor with Japanese, Korean and Indonesian fighters, fight fans were looking forward to the first heavyweight bout in the Philippines since the famed ?Thrilla in Manila? between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier at the Araneta Coliseum on October 1, 1975.
But it didn?t last very long as the 34 year old Hidaka who looks like WWE star ?The Rock? Dwayne Johnson, and tipped the scales at 219 pounds, ten pounds lighter than Koswara, demonstrated his skill and punching power to overwhelm the bigger Indonesian.
A flurry of hooks to the body was capped by a thundering right to the chest, just above the heart and Koswara went down flat on his face, motionless, as doctors rushed into the ring to help the fallen Indonesian whose eyes were rolling causing concern among fight fans.
Given oxygen and with a handler whispering to him, Koswara regained his composure and sat up to the relief of all concerned especially Hidaka who went to the Indonesian and paid his respects which is typical of the Japanese.
With the knockout called by international referee Ferdie Estrella at 1:01 of the opening round, Hidaka improved to 11-2 with 9 knockouts while Koswara dropped to 11-13-2 with 4 knockouts.
Hidaka whose last recorded fight was an 8th round unanimous decision loss to Kotatsu Takehara on July 25, 2013 in a Japanese heavyweight title eliminator was at that time ranked No. 4 by the Japan Boxing Commission.
In a clash for the WBC Asia Continental super lightweight championship lanky Takamori Akita needed just 40 seconds to rip Filipino Dizon Cag-ong with one vicious shot to the solar plexus dropping Cag-ong who signaled to referee Estrella that he was not ready to continue although he didn?t look too badly hurt.
With the win Akita, who appeared disappointed that he didn?t get a decent workout against the obviously over-matched Filipino who was coming off a 1st round TKO to Jonel Alibio on June 28, 2014 improved to 10-4-1 with 8 knockouts.
Cag-ong was forced to wear ten ounce gloves as he came in at 145 pounds, five pounds over the super lightweight limit.
The international promotion staged by Aljoe Jaro was sponsored by Barista Choi Vending Solution Inc., ?Kapeng Vendo maasahan ng Pilipino? and supported by Mayor Geraldo Calderon.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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