CONDES LOSES CHANCE FOR IBF ELIMINATOR
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 06 May 2010
Former IBF minimum weight champion Florante Condes has lost his chance for an eliminator against South Africa?s Tshepo Lefele because of uncertainty over who manages him and efforts by his trainer Joven Jimenez to allegedly tie-up with promoter Sammy Gello-ani who was junked by Condes and WBO Asia Pacific head Leon Panoncillo.
IBF championship committee chairman Lindsey Tucker had initially wanted Condes to fight Lefele but following his marriage last April 28 and his guardians Apolinar and Marilou Valencia informing the IBF that he would be ready to fight only after June 15 which would give him time to train, Tucker said he looked elsewhere and eventually settled on No. 11 Katsunari Takayama who trains at the famed ALA Gym in Cebu.
Tucker indicated that Condes? failure to immediately accept the eliminator offer lost him the chance. Besides, because of his inactivity following managerial and promotional disputes Condes has now been dropped to No. 10 in the latest ratings.
He had a planned fight earlier this year by the Valencia?s claimed the Games and Amusements Board under former chairman Eric Buhain had failed to promulgate a decision on his petition to annul his contract with promoter Aljoe Jaro and the GAB wanted Condes to get clearance from Aljoe Jaro the fight fell through as Condes refused.
Tucker said that Lefele?s promoter Branco Milenkovic was negotiating with the ALA Gym regarding the eliminator but that no date or venue and other details had been finalized as yet.
The 26 year old Takayama is ranked No. 11 by the IBF and has a record of 23-4 with 9 knockouts. He is scheduled to fight Jayson Rotoni (10-5-1, 6 KO?s) in Mandaue City on May 22.
Takayama is a talented boxer who won the vacant WBC International title with a majority decision over Elmer ?Yukka? Gejon on June 24, 2005.
He fought four times for the world title, won one and lost three on points. On April 4, 2005 Takayama won the WBC title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Isaac Bustos and on August 6 that same year dropped a unanimious decision to Eagle Den Junlaphan or Eagle Kyowa.
Takayama then lost a split decision to countryman Yutaka Niida in a WBA title fight on April 7, 2009 before losing to undefeated Roman Gonzales (23-0, 20 KO?s) on July 14, 2009 in a WBA title showdown.
Takayama?s fight against Rotoni is considered a tune-up fight for the eliminator against 29 year old Lefele who has a record of 17-3- with 11knockouts.
The Philippines Gabriel Pumar scored a 7th round knockout over Lefele to win the WBC International straw weight championship in March 2006 but for some inexplicable reason that result does not appear on the records of boxrec.com.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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