TWO JAPAN-BASED FILIPINOS FIGHT FOR OPBF TITLE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 19 Jun 2011
Two Japan-based Filipino boxers will fight for the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation bantamweight title just recently vacated by another Filipino, former world flyweight champion Malcolm Tunacao.
The OPBF reported that No.1 ranked Jerope Mercado of Cagayan de Oro who fights under the name of Zerofit Jerioe Zuiyama and lives in Kobe, Japan will face No. 3 ranked Rolly Lunas who fights under the name Rolly Matsushita for the vacant title in Kobe on July 31.
Lunas fights out of Ishikawa, Japan and is the former OPBF super bantamweight title having won the belt with a split decision over Thailand?s Wethya Sakmuangklang on January 11, 2009 before losing by a 7th round knockout to Hiromasa Ohashi on June 21, 2009.
The 27 year old Lunas has a record of 28-8-1 with 16 knockouts while the 31 year old Mercado sports a record of 23-1-3 with 8 knockouts.
Mercado is coming off a eight round split decision over Takahiro Yamamoto last March 27.
Lunas on the other hand won his last fight against Rasmanudin of Indonesia by a 5th round knockout.
There was no word on why Tunacao relinquished the OPBF 118 pound title.
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