WEIGHTS FROM OSAKA: ATSUSHI KAKUTANI 109.9 LBS, REY LORITO 110 LBS
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 02 Nov 2012
Kakutani and Lorito make weight. WBA #11 Jr. Flyweight Rey Lorito (on the right) of the Philippines weighed in 110 lbs (49.86 kgs) while his opponent Japanese Atsushi Kakutani Saturday scaled 109.9 lbs (49.85 kgs) ahead of their non-title clash tomorrow (Nov 3) at Sumiyoshi Ward Center in Osaka Prefecture, Japan
"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 him have it," assured Brico Santig, Lorito's promoter and cornerman.
The Japanese 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 that that the intense fight could have gone either way.
A CLOSER LOOK
The speed and height of Kakutani, his good boxing skills, plus fighting in his hometown of Osaka might be the tough factors for the Filipino Rey Lorito to overcome.
But the brave Lorito has no fear in venturing again behind enemy lines with odds one more time against him. Indeed, the young Pinoy is confident that he can pull the important win, same as 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. Lightweight division by pummeling and knocking out highly 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 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 and 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.
Nevertheless, the lanky speedster Atsushi Kakutani has already lost to a Filipino fighter. Last year, the Japanese Kakutani was defeated by pinoy 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 knocked down Kakutani. Instants later, it was Kakutani the one scoring the tough fists that sent the Filipino Wars Katsumata down.
Once Wars Katsumata had got up, Kakutani was all over him raining more power hands on the Pinoy 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 hand 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 for waving the action off, a stoppage that could have been a bit premature as the strong Kakutani looked fine, composed and so eager to engage.
Now its Rey Lorito's turn at bat.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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