By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Boxing Beat

Don’t call this reporter lazy for having written too little last week. It’s only because Japan has become an India with such an unprecedented heat as almost forty degrees Centigrade (some 104 degrees Fahrenheit) to see more than 22,000 people carried out to the hospital by ambulances or cars and 65 pitifully passing away. This reporter has withstood the tremendous heat in my ventilated library, reading a well-researched biography of Charley Burley written by Allen S. Rosenfeld. It’s time to resume writing even a summary of our fistic activities.

KONISHI WINS VACANT WBO AP 108LB BELT

On the undercard of the WBO 105-pound title bout with Filipino Vic Saludar dethroning Ryuya Yamanaka, his stablemate Reiya Konishi (16-1, 6 KOs), 108, acquired the vacant WBO Asia Pacific 108-pound belt by scoring a hard-fought stoppage of Filipino Orlie Silvestre (11-4-1, 7 KOs), 107, at 1:06 of the twelfth and final session in Kobe, Japan, on July 13. Konishi had failed to win the vacant WBA belt, losing a close but unanimous verdict (114-113, 115-112, 116-111) to Venezuelan Carlos Canizales this March. The pressure fighter Konishi will be a headliner of Shinsei Promotions since the crestfallen Yamanaka reportedly will take a long rest.

WBA FEMALE 112LB CHAMP FUJIOKA TO FACE IRMA SANCHEZ

40-year-young WBA female flyweight champ Naoko Fujioka (17-2, 7 KOs), having conquered five-division belts, will put her belt on the line against interim titlist Irma Sanchez (30-7-1, 8 KOs), Mexico, here in Tokyo on September 14. It was publicly announced at the Korakuen Hall on July 13.

WBA #1 HISADA KEEPS JAPANESE 108LB BELT

WBA#1 Tetsuya Hisada (32-9-2, 19 KOs) came off the canvas from the challenger’s unexpected left hook in round four, but displayed his furious retaliation and scored his fourth defense of his national 108-pound belt by a unanimous nod (96-93 twice, 96-94) over Koki Ono (12-5, 5 KOs) in Osaka on July 16. Hisada, a veteran campaigner at 33, has been unbeaten in the last three years, winning eleven bouts straight.

WBO 112LB CHAMP KIMURA TO DEFEND IN CHINA

WBO flyweight titlist Sho Kimura announced to defend his belt against Filipino Froilan Saludar in Quindao, China, on July 27. It was just eight days before his abruptly decided title defense since Kimura is still under the option agreement of a Chinese promoter. The victor is supposed to defend his belt against top contender and two-division champ Kosei Tanaka in September.

KIYOSE UPSETS EX-WBC CHAMP OLEYDONG

JBC#11 bantam prospect Tenta Kiyose (15-2-1, 7 KOs) upset former WBC 105-pound ruler and WBA #9 bantam Oleydong Sithsamerchai (68-2-1, 28 KOs) as the latter ran out of gas and retired on the stool after the seventh round in Himeji, Japan, on Saturday (July 21). The 33-year-old Thailander struggled to shed a pound and a half to make the weight, taking a couple of hours. The elongated prospect Kiyose, 21, battered him to the punch in round seven, which eventually caused Oleydong’s disappointed surrender in the corner.