Weights from Japan: Raquinel 112, Kosaka 111.5 for OPBF Flyweight Belt
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 27 May 2018
Undefeated OPBF Flyweight Champion Jayr Raquinel (9-0-1, 6 KO's) of the Philippines weighed-in at the limit of the division 112 lbs., while challenger Shun Kosaka (15-3, 4 KO's) of Kobe, Japan, came-in at 111.5 lbs., ahead of their rumble for the OPBF Flyweight Title Sunday (May 27) in the City of Wakayama in the Kansai region of Japan, 80 Km southwest of Osaka.
The 12-round battle is Raquinel's first defense of the OPBF-112 belt that he claimed by knocking out in nine rounds Keisuke Nakayama last March in Tokyo.
The 21 year-old Filipino southpaw is accompanied in his very important assignment by experienced coach former fighter Alan Alegria and by his handlers former GAB chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon of Bacolod and promoter Brico Santig of Highland Boxing.
On the other corner, the challenger Shun Kosaka, 23, slightly shorter than the Filipino, comes from an 8-round technical decision win over fellow Japanese Yota Hori last November in Kariya.
A convincing victory over the the young Filipino OPBF titlist could very well open the doors for Kosaka's inclusion in the WBC world ranking in the 112 lbs division where the world champion is 23 year-old Cristofer Rosales (27-3, 18 KO's) of Nicaragua.
The designated ringside judges for the Raquinel-Kosaka OPBF title-match are two Japanese judges and one Filipino.
The special guest of honor for the fights tomorrow in Wakayama will be retired former 3-division world champion Hozumi Hasegawa (35-5, 16 KO's). Hasegawa, who retired in 2016, is the fourth Japanese boxer to win world titles in three weight-classes.
The fight card May 27 in Wakayama, Japan, is a production of veteran boxing outfit Wakayama Kuratoki Promotions.
The author Carlos Costa of Panama is a boxing judge and fight reporter based in Asia. Carlos can be reached by email: Carlos512@hotmail.com and Whatsapp +639184538152.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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