OPBF OFFICIAL PLEASED THAT FILIPINO BOXERS ARE BREAKING JAPAN?S DOMINATION
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 20 Jun 2010
The International Coordinator of the Oriental Boxing Federation and the Japan Boxing Commission says he is pleased at the recent successes of Filipino fighters in OPBF title fights in Japan.
Koji Ishizuka told us ?I am grateful seeing Filipino boxers? recent victories in OPBF title fights as they are breaking the domination of the OPBF titles by the Japanese.?
Ishizuka said he believes that ?this is a good change for the improvement of boxing in the OPBF zone as well as in Japan.?
There are three current OPBF champions from the Philippines led by flyweight Rocky Fuentes, bantamweight Malcolm Tunacao and lightweight Randy Suico.
At the same time Ishizuka clarified that the secretary general of both the OPBF and the JBC is Tsuyoshi Yasukochi.
In response to our query as to why all three judges in the recent OPBF female flyweight title fight between champion Asakmi Shikasho and the Philippines Marnelle Verano were Japanese.
Ishizuka clarified that while in the men?s OPBF title fights the rules call for one judge each from the champion?s and challenger?s countries and a third scoring referee from a neutral country, the rules were different for female fights since it was at an early stage and it is ?difficult to promote if we require the promoters to meet the same conditions as OPBF male title fights.
The Japanese girl won a fairly close bout over the No. 5 ranked Verano showing good footwork although lacking her normal aggressive style.
Shikasho won on the scorecards of Kodai Kumasaki and Kazuo Abe 96-94 and by a closer 96-95 margin on the scorecard of Yuji Fukuchi.
Top photo: Rocky Fuentes (R) won the OPBF title against Okubo.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Canelo Gets Outboxed, Loses Undisputed Title to Crawford
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025A Masterpiece of Boxing: Terence Crawford Dethrones Canelo Alvarez in Historic Showdown
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025LEWIS CROCKER IS CROWNED THE NEW IBF WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Battle of Undefeated: Callum Walsh Vanquishes Fernando Vargas Jr.
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Undercard Inferno: Mbilli and Martinez Deliver a Super Middleweight War Ending in a Thrilling Draw
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Crawford to defy odds?
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Clash of Titans: The Final Predictions for Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Weigh-In Results: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Inoue and Akhmadaliev Make Weight for Sunday's Battle, Watch it LIVE on Facebook!
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025IIEE North Cotabato and Metro Central are the Golden Champion on 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Chess
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Sydney Sy Tancontian is Female Awardee of Sports Hero of the Year
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 13 Sep 2025Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford: Size Matters
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 13 Sep 2025