SINGAPORE DOUBLE-CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL PRESSCON REPORT AND PHOTOS
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 03 May 2012
Hanagata Punch vs Dragon Punch; Villanueva vs Yordan and Singapore as the next boxing mecca of Asia.
MARINA BAY SANDS, SINGAPORE ? In a ground-breaking press conference for the first ever double-championship boxing event in this city-state, undefeated Indonesian featherweight WBA superchampion Chris John and his Japanese challenger Shoji Kimura have each promised to defeat one another with a special punch while Lorenzo Villanueva of the Philippines and Indonesia's Daud Yordan have expressed different outlook of their co-feature match on Saturday night, May 5 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Center as promoters of the event are set to make Singapore as the next boxing hub of Asia.
Hanagata Punch vs Dragon Punch
Japan's Shoji Kimura (24-4-2, 9KO) who is trained by former world champion Susumo Hanagata and is being represented here by veteran Japanese matchmaker, journalist and boxing historian Joe Koizumi, told the gathered media that he and his trainer had prepared a special punch that will defeat John. He called the punch 'Hanagata punch' which was specially developed by this trainer. Hanagata later told Philboxing that the punch is a left cross that if it hits John squarely, will surely floor the Indonesian champion.
Chris John (46-0-2, 22KO) who owns a victory over Hall of Fame bound Juan Manuel Marquez and who has been named as the WBA fighter of the decade and the greatest boxer who comes out of Indonesia, responded that he and his trainer had also prepared a special punch that will defeat the Japanese challenger which he called the 'Dragon punch'. When asked what constitutes the dragon punch, John's trainer and manager Craig Christian explained that ?it is a very fast punch full of fire.?
Kimura thanked John for giving him the opportunity to fight for the title and promised that he will win the belt for his country's honor. The highly confident John however is looking for this fight to impress the Singaporean fans with a spectacular win as he fully intend to become the franchise fighter for his promoters' next big events.
Villanueva vs Yordan
The opportunity to cross to the next level and capture the fringe IBO featherweight title along the way were not lost on the undefeated Lorenzo Villanueva (24-0-1, 23KO), his manager former Cotabato governor Manny Pinol and his promoter ALA Promotions who see this fight as the most important fight for Villanueva's career thus far. When asked how he would intend to defeat the stylish Yordan, Vilanueva, who stopped all his last 9 opponents within 6 rounds, said that he was not looking for a knockout and all he wants to do is win the fight in whatever manner it takes.
Yordan (28-2-0, 22KO) who had lost both his matches for a world title fight, said that ?he had fought some of the best fighters of the division? and ?he was treating this fight as just another fight.?
The Villanueva-Yordan fight may steal some thunder from the main event largely because of Villanueva's heavy power on both hands which finished his last two opponents before the end of the first round. Yordan however is a sleek boxer and would be able to control and school the awkward moving Villanueva with his lateral movement and quick counterpunching. Villanueva's trainer Bruce Lerio opined that Yordan does not posses a one-punch knockout power and if Villanueva can withstand Yordan's volume of punches, the fighter from Cotabato will take the Indonesian out from the inside.
Also featured in the card is Singapore's very own Mohamad Nor Rizan (4-1-0, 4KO) who according to John has the making of a future great fighter. Rizan will go up against Wang Xin Hua (4-3-1) of China.
SINGAPORE TO BECOME THE NEXT BOXING HUB OF ASIA
Meanwhile Dragon Promotions Angelo Hyder and Raja Saptak Oktohari, the promoters of this event, and Marina Bay Sands' Mark Juliano are intent on making Singapore as the next boxing capital of the region. ?This part of the world is evolving...? Hyder said. ?It is completely my plan and my investment to be making Marina Bay Sands and Singapore to be [the mecca] of boxing in Asia,? according to Hyder. That's why, Hyder said, he has gathered into one roof the power players of boxing in Asia including Joe Koizumi of Japan, Liu Gang of China, ALA Promotions of the Philippines, and promoters from Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia, to become the sparkplug to make his vision a reality.
The press conference was hosted by veteran ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, Jr. GAB commissioner Fritz Gaston is also in town to represent the Philippines' official sports regulating body.
The official weighin is scheduled Friday 1 pm at the Observation Deck of the magnificent Marina Bay Sands Hotel & Casino. Fight night will be at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Center on Saturday.
Top photo (L-R): Shoji Kimura, Chris John, Daud Yordan, Lorenzo Villanueva and Wang Xin Hua pose during the official press conference held at the Marina Bay Sands Thursday.
John and Kimura pose in front of the photographers with the hotels three towers in the background.
John and Kimura.
Villanueva and Yordan.
Villanueva acknowledges as he was introduced.
L-R: Oktohari, John and Craig Christian.
L-R: Koizumi, Hanagata and Kimura.
L-R: GAB Commissioner Fritz Gaston, Manny Pinol, ALA's Chad Canares and Marina Bay Sands Vice-President for Communications Lisa Williamson.
Photos by Dong Secuya.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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