REY LORITO AGAIN IN HARM'S WAY, BATTLES ATSUSHI KAKUTANI THIS SATURDAY IN OSAKA, JAPAN
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 29 Oct 2012
The WBA #11 Jr. Flyweight Rey Lorito (R) of the Philippines risks his world ranking when the 21 year-old fighter battles talented Japanese super flyweight Atsushi Kakutani this coming Saturday (Nov 3) in Osaka, Japan, international matchmaker Brico Santig of Highland Boxing has informed.
"Lorito will fight Japanese Kakutani in his own city of Osaka. The Japanese wants Rey Lorito's world ranking. We are not going to let them have it," assured Santig, a native of Baguio City in the Philippines.
Atsushi Kakutani (11-3-1, 5KO's), a boxer of the Kanazawa Boxing Gym in Osaka Prefecture, comes from a razor thin split decision loss to Japan's Super Flyweight (115 lbs) Champion undefeated southpaw Teiru Kinoshita (15-0-1, 3KO's). It was a national title battle in the historic City of Kobe (the town of Kinoshita) that one of the judges saw in favor of Kakutani, a fact that suggests the intense fight could have gone either way.
The Kakutani-Lorito non title combat, scheduled in the super flyweight division (115 lbs, 52.16 kgs), might be a tough nut to crack for Rey Lorito whose proven best fighting weight is inside the jr. lightweight category (108 lbs, 48.98 kgs).
Furthermore, the speed and height advantage of Kakutani, his good boxing skills, plus being the naturally heavier warrior fighting in his hometown of Osaka might be too tough factors for the Filipino Rey Lorito to overcome.
Nevertheless, the brave Lorito, fighting outside of his weight class, is eager to venture again behind enemy lines with all odds stacked one more time against him. But the young Filipino is confident he can pull the important win, the same he brilliantly did last year in his last international outing in the Kingdom of Thailand.
In that Thailand fight, the huge underdog Rey Lorito (15-11, 8KO's), shocked the Jr. flyweight division by pummeling and knocking out world rated warrior Wisanu Kokietgym (42-8-2, 13KO's), a dangerous and experienced enemy who was making the 9th defense of his WBA PABA Jr. FLyweight title.
Fearless of the danger posed by his rival, the 21 year-old Lorito born in coastal southern city of Davao, punished and overpowered the more experienced Thailander Wisanu, leaving him bleeding flat on his back unconscious, a stunning victory in round six photographed and written about by this author, the only international reporter at ringside that afternoon in Bangkok, Thailand.
Fast forward one year later, Lorito's triumph in Bangkok has been followed up by six more wins, all of them in different venues in his native Philippines.
However, the level of opposition faced by Lorito during the last year has been against third and forth class fighters, none of the rivals near the class of Wisanu Kokietgym or Atsushi Kakutani.
In addition, the lanky speedster Atsushi Kakutani has already lost to a Filipino fighter. Last year, the Japanese Kakutani was defeated by Warlito Parrenas (aka 'Wars Katsumata') at the Mecca of Japanese boxing, the legendary Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
The combat ended in the very first round, but not before both warriors exchanged viscous blows sending each other to the canvas. A fast war of survival.
With a quick sharp attack, Walito 'Wars' Katsumata knock down Kakutani. Moments later, it was Kakutani the one scoring tough fists that sent the Filipino Wars Katsumata down.
Once Wars Katsumata got up, Kakutani was all over him raining more power hands with the clear intention of finishing him off right there and then, but for a split second the Japanese left his guard open for one good counter punch from Wars to get through, throwing the Japanese back to the floor near the ropes.
Despite being a second downing for Kakutani, the gutsy Japanese immediately got up and did not seem to be in terrible shape. But the referee opted to play safe waving the fight off, a stoppage which in the opinion of this author could have been a bit premature as Kakutani looked fine, composed and so eager to engage.
Now its Rey Lorito's turn at bat.
Will Rey Lorito defeat 27 year-old Atsushi Kakutani in his own city of Osaka, same as Wars Katsumata did; or will it be the other way around?
- TAKE A LOOK at some of the photos of Rey Lorito breaking and blowing out world rated Thai Wisanu Kokietgym (currently WBA world's # 4 jr. flyweight fighter), photos taken by this author.
- WATCH the 2:52 seconds video of Atsushi Kakutani and Filipino Wars Parrenas "Wars Katsumata" last year @ the legendary boxing venue the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XQfH0Vd4G8
PHOTOS BY CARLOS COSTA
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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