TU?ACAO, MAYOL DEPART TODAY FOR JAPAN STINT
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 02 Jul 2005
Former WBC flyweight champ Malcolm Tu?acao and reigning OPBF minimumweight kingpin Rodel Mayol depart for Japan today for what will be two sets of 3-month training stint in their quest for possible title cracks in the near future.
Both Tu?acao and Mayol, who are managed by Japan's Yasuo Matsuoka, are scheduled to fly out of Cebu on an 11 AM Cebu Pacific flight and will then rendezvouz with Gina Matsuoka, wife of their manager Yasuo, as the trio then fly out of Manila on a 2PM Japan Airlines flight bound for Narita International Airport in Tokyo.
Tu?acao (17-1-2, 12 KO's), the southpaw from Cambaro, is one of the best all-around fighters in the country. He is slated to face Japanese Ryoichi Hidaka on July 18 at the Central Gym in Osaka as an undercard to the highly-awaited return battle between WBC superfly champ Katsushige Kawashima and ex-champ Masamori Tokuyama.
"I am ready for my next fight. This time, I'm better prepared and I wont be wanting in stamina," said Tu?acao, in obvious reference to his fight late last year where he huffed and puffed on his way to a lackluster unanimous decision victory over unheralded Bernard Oclus.
The undefeated Mayol (21-0, 16 KO's), arguably the hardest-punching minifly in the country who is nicknamed "Batang Mandaue," will also prime up for a possible defense of his OPBF tiara against the Japanese mandatory challenger before a possible crack at the WBC title being held by Japan's Katsunari Takayama.
Mayol has recently signed up with Tokyo-based businessman Yasuo Matsuoka following a contract buyout involving his old handlers at the Stonewall Boxing Gym.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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