THE OTHER RIVALRY
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 11 Oct 2012
The Philippines has not scored a win over Japan in world title fights held this year. Last July, Sonny Boy Jaro lost his WBC flyweight title by split decision to Toshiyuki Igarashi and Sylvester Lopez failed to beat WBC superflyweight champion Yota Sato and lost by unanimous decision. Michael Fare?as had to settle for a technical draw against Takashi Uchiyama in their WBC superfeatherweight title bout.
Long before the boxing rivalry between the Philippines and Mexico captured our imagination, boxers from the Philippines and Japan shared a very interesting history.
Japan's first ever boxing champion,Yoshio Shirai won the world flyweight title at the expense of Dado Marino way back in 1952. Shirai also owns wins over Filipino boxers Tanny Campo and Leo Espinosa.
The legendary world junior lightweight champion Gabriel "Flash' Elorde has had his share of Japanese opponents, both as an OPBF and world champion. He had a famous five fight series with Teruo Kosaka. Three of their bouts were fought at historic venues in our country - the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Cebu Coliseum and the Araneta Coliseum. It was a Japanese, Yoshiaki Numata, who ended Elorde's seven year reign as world champion in 1967. Numata also dethroned Rene Barrientos for the WBC 130 lb. division world title in 1970.
One of Japan's greatest champions during the 1960?s, Masahiko "Fighting" Harada owns wins over Dio Espinosa and Tiny Palacio in non-title contests. In 1969, Bernabe Villacampa dethroned WBA flyweight champion Hiroyuki Ebihara by unanimous decision in Osaka.
In a seven month span in 1973, Ben Villaflor lost and regained his WBA junior lightweight title against Kuniaki Shibata. Erbito Salavarria beat Susumu Hanagata on points after fifteen rounds to win the WBA flyweight title in 1975 in Yokohama.
Dodie Boy Pe?alosa won the newly created IBF light flyweight title in 1983 by stopping Satoshi Shingaki in the 12th round. In 1984, Koji Kobayashi beat and dethroned Frank Cede?o in two rounds for the WBC flyweight title.
In 1992, Morris East stopped Akinobu Hiranaka in 11 rounds for the WBA jr. welterweight title in Tokyo and was the co-winner of Ring magazine?s KO of the Year. Luisito Espinosa successfully defended his WBC featherweight title on the road by stopping Nobutoshi Hiranaka in eight rounds in a 1996 fight held in Fukuoka.
Gerry Pe?alosa dethroned an excellent Japanese champion, Hiroshi Kawashima, by split decision in Tokyo in 1997, for the WBC super flyweight title. But Gerry would also lose twice to a Korean based in Japan, Masamori Tokuyama. In 2006, Eagle Kyowa, a Thai based in Japan, turned back the challenge of Rodel Mayol by unanimous decision in their WBC strawweight title fight.
At the regional level for the past couple of years, Rocky Fuentes built his reputation as a road warrior by winning and defending his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight title in Japan. There are also Filipino boxers who are based in Japan and are doing well like former WBC flyweight champ Malcolm Tu?acao and Rolly Lunas, who fights using the name Rolly Matsushita and is the current OPBF bantamweight champion.
The fight records and accomplishments of WBO/IBF superbantamweight champ Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire and WBC Emeritus Champion Toshiaki ?Speed King? Nishioka give this match-up the needed ingredients for a classic superfight. They are set to sign their names on the pages of this historic rivalry and fans will be glued watching their television sets this Sunday morning here in the Philippines.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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