Yuichi Kasai ranked 5th in the junior feather weight division challenged the same title for the third time only to be knocked out. This is the second time he have been knocked out in the world title bout. First time by Wilfred Vasques in the first round some years ago and the second time in the final round by Antonio Cermeno of Venezuela tonight.
The knockout came so suddenly and cruelly in the 12th round that the spectators sat silent watching the Japanese boxer lying still on the canvus.
Fortunately Kasai regain his consciousness in the hospital he had been taken right after the bout. He is now quite all right. But many people felt worried about his condition when he was carried away on a stretcher to the hospital.
It was last December that Kasai challenged the same champion and lost by points. He is sure to hang up his gloves because this was considered to be the very last chance to challenge the world title.
Unlike many Japanese boxers who are somewhat overprotected in a way that they only fight in this country with some Philipinos who are taken as just a stepping stone, he dared to fight against some first-rated boxers abroad.
I believe Kasai should be admired because of his effort.
Many people thought he had only a slim chance of beating the champion
because he has no devastating punching power and has a somehow weak chin.
As I had expected early in the bout he was completely outboxed by the champion who used his lightening jabs very effectively.
It's quite difficult for Japanese boxers who has short reach in general to beat this type of boxer. Sure enough Selmeno kept Kasai away with his fast jabs and one-two combinations.
As the round goes, it was Kasai who lost his energy and stamina a little by little. Though at a glance the knockout came just out of blue but perhaps it was because of the accumulation of the damages caused by the champions jabs.
The other who failed in his first challenging the world title is Hiroyuki Sakamoto. He was outpointed by Steve Johnston from U.S.A. The champion improved his record, 22wins (thirteen of them are by way of knockout) against no loss. He is still undefeated but it wont't be long before he can't keep his slates clean. That was my impression. Definitely Sakamoto managed to fight this battle in the way he wanted to. He threatened the champion with his left hook and right uppercut. The American stood cool dealing with this Japanese boxer and landed some accurate punches to his face. But to the eyes of the Japanese spectators, Sakamoto looked by far agressive and there was a booing when they knew the split decision favored the champion.
I watched on TV and I thought the champion outpointed the challenger, maybe four or five points.
This was Sakamoto's second loss in his professional career. The other was against Multin codge who once was the world champion in the junior welter devision. Sakamoto has a potential to become a world champion especially in his punching power. I hope he will improve his defence and his tactics as well.
One more bout televised on the same night was the non-title one, Joe Tatsuyoshi v.s. Ricard Medina from Mexico.
Tatsuyoshi currently ranked 3rd in the WBC jr. feather weight devision beat the Mexican by points, which seemed to be a bit hometown decision to the eyes of the knowlegeable boxing fans. Tatsuyoshi who once was the WBC bantam weight champion looked no better than the rank and file boxers.
I felt very sad to watch the way he fought. I couldn't see any inch of Tatsuyoshi he used to be in his prime days. He got over many problems including his loss against his compatriots, Yasuei Yakushiji in their world title and suffering from detached retina.
He is the only boxer who is allowed to fight after being found suffering detached retina. Japanese boxing commision even changed the regulations for this most popular Japanese boxer, though some people believe it very selfish and unfair.
Tatsuyoshi might be given the opportunity to challenge the world title again.
But I don't his chance is slimmer than the Kasai had tonight.
I don't want to see him knocked out in a miserable way.
He may have noticed that he is not what he used to be tonight.
Then I do want him to give up the idea of continuing his reckless effort.
But we love this Japanese boxing genius (at least some years ago) and we can't stop him from fighting his way.
I know all I can do is just to pray for his health.
In those days money was a great factor for the youngstars who otherwise remained very poor or drew little attention. They were lured into the boxing ring for a sole purpose. You can be a millionaire with your two fists. Your fists will beat your miserable destiney to be born in a poor family.
But those were the days more than twenty years ago and now Japan is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. And for this reason we see a decline in the number of promising boxers here in this country.
We lost its last world title in February when World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight champion Hiroshi Kawashima lost on a split decision to Filipino Gerry Penalosa.
Yuri Albachakov keeps his title but he shouldn't be considered the Japanese world champion because of his Russian natinalities. He is just a Japan-based world champion. The same was true of his compatriot Nazarov, the light weight world title holder who moved to another country some time ago. And I should mention another champion from abroad but based in this country. He is the WBC featherweight champion Luisito Espinosa of the Philippines. They are here because they can make far more money than they can back in their native land.
Anyway I think this country's chances of having a world champion in the near future is very slim. As you have seen above,the pair of hopefuls failed. In October the WBA junior lightweight title fight in Tokyo between champion Choi Young-soo and challenger Takano Hatakeyama will await us. If Hatakeyama should lose in this battle, it will take a long time (may be more than a year) to have a world champion again in this country.