Report, Photos by Joe Koizumi

On the Independence Day there happened a memorial boxing promotion featuring Korean warriors versus Chinese and Japanese boxers on Wednesday at Fashon Center Event Hall in Seoul, Korea. The event resulted in 4-1 in favor of Korea, which might show Korea’s restoration on the fistic activities.

Korean super-welter champ Joong-Kyung Lee (5-2-1, 1 KO), 154.25, put on a give-and-take affair with IBF Asia titlist Tong-Hui Li (10-2, 5 KOs), 154.25, by a hard-fought split decision (98-94, 96-95, 94-98) over ten furious rounds in the main event. The Chinese puncher turned aggressive from the outset, battering the Korean southpaw from all angles. But Joong-Kyung withstood the Chinese storm and retaliated with sharp left-right combinations. From the fourth on they took almost each other round to send some 500 spectators into a frenzy. The Korean Lee was in command in the last two sessions to carry him to a split but well-received victory.

Korean welter champ Gyung-Mo Yuh (3-5-3, no KO), 146.5, exchanged hot rallies with muscular and shaven skulled Chinese southpaw Zi-Liang Zhang (3-2-1, 2 KOs), 146.75, withstood his retaliation and earned a unanimous nod (58-57, 59-58, 59-55) over six.

Korean super-light titlist Gyu-Beom Jeon (7-3-1, 2 KOs), 141, positively whipped Chinese ex-amateur campaigner Lie-Hong Xu (0-1), 146.75, and had him retire on the stool after the fourth session in a scheduled six. Xu, in his pro debut, started well, but the more experienced Korean took back the initiative and battered him so effectively that the Chinese gave up going on due to the cornerman’s advice.

Korean girl Bo-Mire Shin (6-0-3, 3 KOs), 134.5, was much more accurate and effective than taller Japanese veteran Chika Mizutani (14-7, 7 KOs), 134, battering her into submission at 1:17 of the fifth round in a scheduled six.

Fast-moving southpaw Hyuma Fujioka (10-7-1, 1 KO), 122.25, was the only Japanese winner as he lopsidedly kept peppering Chinese Kyung-Min Kwon (6-5, 3 KO), 123, winning a unanimous decision over eight.

Just after the main event a Chinese fan living in Korea fell unconscious just below the blue corner probably because of epilepsy, and was hurriedly carried out of the arena by an ambulance. There was an unexpected intermission for some twenty minutes, after which three more undercard bouts were fought as scheduled although almost all spectators already left the Hall.

Promoter: Hanseo Promotion.