BANAL-CONCEPCION WINNER FACES NASHIRO-KONO WINNER
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 23 Jul 2008
The winner of the WBA interim world super flyweight championship between AJ ?Bazooka? Banal and Rafael ?El Torito? Concepcion at the Cebu Coliseum on Saturday has to face the winner of the title bout between Japanese boxers Nobuo Nashiro and Kohei Kono ?to determine the absolute champion.?
This was the key point in a WBA Resolution SF 115-042008001 in which the WBA Championship Committee unanimously decided to grant Nashiro and Kono the right to fight for the vacant title in September 15 thus ?respecting their leading available contender status.?
The resolution was signed by WBA Executive Vice President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza.
The WBA also decided to apply its ?special permit rule? to allow Banal and Concepcion to fight for the WBA Interim Championship title. The resolution also stated that ?if the Nashiro vs Kono vacant title bout ends in a draw but the Banal vs Concepcion championship bout has a winner, he would be considered the regular champion but must fight in 120 days versus the leading available contender.?
On the other hand if the Banal-Concepcion championship match ends in a draw but the Nashiro-Kono vacant title bout has a winner, he would be appointed as regular champion and ?will have nine months to defend against the official certified contender.?
The WBA?s 2008 ?Matchmaker of the Year? Sampson Lewkowicz told a news conference that the Banal-Concepcion interim championship bout came about because influential Japanese businessman-sportsman Akihiko Honda of the Teiken Gym had no date for a title bout between the two Japanese boxers who were rated No. 1 and 2, ?automatically making it not available.?
Lewkowicz revealed that the WBA is ?very excited? about getting a chance to make headway in the Philippines because for ?many, many years they have no chance to come to the Philippines? where rival world organizations such as the WBC, WBO and even the IBF hold sway. He said the WBA ?saw the opportunity (presented by the Banal championship fight) and jumped the gun.?
The well-known international matchmaker took pains to explain that an interim title fight was ?a world title fight? and the WBA had to use the word ?interim? to avoid getting embroiled in a lawsuit with the Japanese. Lewkowicz emphasized that the Banal-Concepcion winner will ?get the same belt, the same prize as the regular title and pay the same sanction fees? which reportedly amounted to $20,000.
Lewkowicz disclosed that should Banal win ?he will have a chance to fight one more time before unifying the interim title with the title.? He said ?the Philippines deserves to have the opportunity and should thank the WBA for the opportunity? given Banal.
He added, ?we should acknowledge that Mr. Honda fought for his fighter to fight for the title on September15 with the condition that the winner ?must fight the winner of the Banal vs Concepcion fight. It?s a must. Before it was not a must. Now it?s a must.?
Lewkowicz said that should Banal win he will have ?another chance to defend his title and he can become stronger when he fights the Japanese because he will get more experience, more security and more confidence.?
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