PONGSAKLEK LIKELY TO AVOID DONAIRE?
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 13 Jul 2007
Pongsaklek Wongjongkam.
WBC flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wongjongkam (65-2, 34 KO’s) who has thrived on fighting mostly mediocre opponents with the majority of his fights in Thailand is likely to avoid newly crowned IBF champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire despite claims by his manager Piyarat that he would go for a unification bout if he is offered “a very lucrative deal.”
Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today has learned that Pongsaklek’s manager who has allowed his fighter to fight abroad only in Japan, is eyeing a unification bout with WBA champion Takefumi Sakata (31-4-1, 15 KO’s) because chances are the purse will be bigger than if he fights Donaire in the Philippines and he has a better chance of winning.
Besides, Pongsaklek’s only two defeats were at the hands of the Philippines Jerry Pahayahay who won an eight round unanimous decision on December 22, 1995 and then knocked out Pongsaklek in the fifth round on July 11, 1996. However, Pongsaklek won the title with a first round TKO over Malcolm Tunacao on March 2, 2001.
Pongsaklek’s manager Piyarat is expected to discuss the possibility of a unification bout with Sakata’s handlers when Pongsaklek defends his title against Daisuke Naito on July 18 in Tokyo for which his purse is reportedly $100,000. But journalist Hisao Adachi reported last July 11 that Japanese sources had said former WBA light flyweight champion Koki Kameda had accepted an offer to face Sakata although “both are stablemates” from the Kyoei Boxing Gym.
It is believed that Pongsaklek’s manager won’t risk fighting Donaire whose spectacular one punch fifth round knockout of previously undefeated Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan may wind up as the “Knockout of the Year,” unless he is offered a purse of around $250,000 which is unlikely.
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