Exclusive: Sylvester Lopez To Fight WBC World Champion Yota Sato in Japan (VIDEO)
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 28 Mar 2012
TOKYO, Japan - Good news. Another young talented Pinoy will have the opportunity to become a world champion! Filipino super flyweight Sylvester Lopez will fight newly crowned WBC super flyweight champion Yota Sato in late July or early August in Japan. The positive development was confirmed to PhilBoxing by top Filipino promoter Gabriel "Bebot" Elorde last night at the Korakuen Hall boxing Arena in Tokyo.
Bebot Elorde and his fighter Sylvester Lopez were in Tokyo to witness the thrilling hard-fought twelve rounds non-stop action battle in which Yota Sato defeated Thailander Suriyan Sor Rungvisai by unanimous to capture the WBC super flyweight title Tuesday night, a fight in which one of the judges, top Filipino official Rey Danseco, scored 116-110, while the other cards were 114-112 (twice) all three judges in favor of the new world champ Yota Sato of Japan.
"It was a good-good fight, tagala. I liked it. The Japanese Sato is a good fighter... moves and punch. I must train hard to beat him," said Silvester Lopez to PhilBoxing. "This is my first visit to Japan. I will come back to win a world title here."
Meanwhile, Lopez's manager Gabriel "Bebot" Elorde, in good mood in his Japan trip commented:
"We came to Japan to attend the Sato fight and make sure that Lopez is next. Some details still need to be finalized, but the Sato-Lopez fight will take place four months from now. Our trip to Japan is a success."
Elorde had predicted that Sato would dethrone Suriyan by points. That was exactly what happened. In a highly intense war, Sato prevailed by unanimous decision over tough Thailander former champion Suriyan Sor Rungvisai.
In addition, the popular "Bebot" Elorde informed that Sylvester Lopez, 24, will train very hard for the Sato fight at the Elorde Gym in St. Rita Village, Para?aque:
"We want to give another boxing world title to the Philippines. So Sylvester will prepare very well for this world title fight at the Elorde Gym. I'll supervise it all. No tune-up fights. Straight to the World Title. I have assigned coach Fernando Lumacad Sr as head trainer in charge. The assistant trainer will be Archer Villamor."
About Yota Sato, Lopez's next opponent, Bebot Elorde, son of the greatest Filipino boxer who ever lived, Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, shared to PhilBoxing:
"Yota Sato is the new WBC super flyweight world champion, in fact is a very good boxer. Tonight I saw that Sato deserved the win by points. Sato knocked down his opponent two times. Sato and Lopez are about the same height. Sato just a bit taller. I know that Sylvester Lopez can beat him to become World champion.
Also, according to Elorde, Sylvester "Stallone" Lopez, who knocked out tough Mexican "Ceviche" Ibarra to become WBC silver champion, is the mandatory challenger of the title, a status that was confirmed during the Las Vegas WBC Convention.
"Lopez (19-3-1, 15KOs) has been top in this division for about two years. In fact, Lopez should have been the challenger of Mexican Tomas "Gusano" Rojas when Rojas was champion. But last year the Mexican Rojas did not fight Lopez. Instead, the Mexican opted to fight Suriyan in Thailand where he lost," shared Bebot.
"Now it's our turn. Lopez is next. No more delays. We will come back to Japan to fight Yota Sato. It could be here at the Korakuen Hall (the historic boxing arena of Japan) or some other place, we don't mind. If necessary, we'd fight in the backyard of Sato's home," said the popular Bebot with a smile on his face.
Watch round 10 of last Night's Yota Sato twelve rounds battle with spicy Thailander Suriyan Sor Rungvisai. Sato is the one with white trunks. Suriyan wears yellow. Video filmed by PhilBoxing in last night in Tokyo:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7ZlVbin5kc
Photo: Sylvester Lopez (C) poses with his manager Bebot Elorde (L) and the author (R).
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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