Pantilgan Battles Kawaura Monday Evening in Tokyo
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 16 Apr 2018
Filipino flyweight Marjun Pantilgan (L) of Cebu's Big Yellow Boxing Gym is set to battle unbeaten Japanese southpaw Ryusei Kawaura (3-0, 3 KO's) on Monday (April 16) at the famed Korakuen Hall in Tokyo Japan, a rough war that the hard-swinging Pinoy wants so bad to win.
Trained by experienced Cebuano coach Christopher "Pingping" Tepora, the 23 year-old Marjun Pantilgan (18-5, 14 KO's), is in his first fight outside of the Philippines.
Kawaura appears to have height and reach advantage over Pantilgan. Also, the hard-hitting Nippon warrior has a definite edge by fighting in his hometown of Tokyo, in the same venue where he usually battles, the Korakuen Hall.
But, with a total of 23 pro fights, the Pinoy born in Bukidnon possesses far more fighting experience than the 24 year-old Ryusei Kawaura, whose prior three opponents have all been unheralded Thai boxers.
Is this a good chance for Marjun to showcase his skills and strength? Yes, it is, and its all up to him and his team.
In fact, due to his disadvantage in height and reach, Marjun needs to press forward to look for the in-fight. He has to shorten the distance, put pressure in close combat scoring damaging blows to the body, and to look for the knock out.
Marjun has scored 14 stoppages; he should aim at this to be his knockout #15 because he has no choice: if Marjun wants to win a fight where all three judges and the referee are from same country of his opponent, he should look for the knock out.
Will the hard-swinging Japanese Kawaura with only 3 pro fights be able to confuse and dominate the brave Filipino Marjun....?? Or will the shorter, but more experienced Marjun Pantilgan be able to put enough pressure over the taller Japanese southpaw to score a decisive, rewarding victory in the Land of the Rising Sun..??
The Ryusei Kawaura vs Marjun Pantilgan clash is one of the undercard fights in the card Monday evening at the Korakuen Hall, whose main event is the battle of Japanese champ Toshio Arikawa (15-4, 13 KO's defending his belt against challenger Ryota Yada (15-4, 12 KO's) for the Japanese Welterweight Title.
Marjun is the only foreign fighter in the 7-fight card Monday-night in Japan.
The card is a production of promoter Mr. Hiroshi Kawashima, head of Tokyo's Kawashima Promotions.
Photo courtesy of Big Yellow Boxing Gym.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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