Mayol yearning to fulfill dream in Japan today

He had been bypassed of a world title fight several times. Now that opportunity comes his way, Rodel "Batang Mandaue" Mayol is extra determined not to let it slip out of his hands.

Mayol yearns to fulfill his childhood dream today as he challenges defending champion Eagle Kyowa, a Japan-based Thai, in a 12-round war for the Word Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight title at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Before the Kyowa-Mayol duel, which will be shown in the Philippines simultaneously on Solar Sports and IBC-13 on a slightly delayed basis starting at 9 pm, Mayol's stablemate and fellow Mandauehanon Malcolm Tuñacao (19-1-3, 13KOs) will risk his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight belt for the second time against Japanese Yasuo Kijima (19-8-2, 5KOs).

Mayol earned a mandatory shot at Kyowa's crown by pulling off a spectacular fourth round knockout of Mexican Lorenzo Trejo last January 28 at the Plaza del Toros in Cancun, Mexico.

"I wish to win the world belt and follow a footstep of our country's idol Manny Pacquiao," stated Mayol in a Fightnews.com report posted by noted Japanese matchmaker Joe Koizumi.

Mayol, unscathed in 22 fights, heads into the battlefield as the underdog, but it can't be denied that the Mandaue City punching dynamo is the toughest opponent Kyowa has ever had.

Mayol, managed by Japanese businessman Yasuo "Machang" Matsuoka, is a power-hitting southpaw who boasts of a high knockout percentage, flooring 17 out his 22 victims, so far.

Mayol must utilize his vaunted punching firepower to the max knowing that it's tough to emerge victorious on foreign shores if you can't knock out your opponent.

Mayol should learn a lesson or two from his close friend and former ALA stablemate Yukka Gejon, the last Filipino warrior to figure in a world title fight in Japan.

Gejon was in full command of the bout only to lose by 10th round technical decision to Yutaka Niida in their WBA minimumweight championship on September 25, 2005 in Japan.

Kyowa, on the other hand, is a vaunted sharp-shooter who had a penchant in throwing good precision shots.

Kyowa, who sports a 15-1 win-loss record dotted with only 6KOs, is making his second defense since regaining his belt by dethroning Katsunari Takayama in August last year.

"I'd like to show my best against the strong challenger and hope to defend my belt," said Kyowa, who stopped compatriot Ken Nakajima in the seventh round in his previous bout last January 9 in Yokohama.

Interestingly, Nakajima is one of the only four boxers who lasted the distance against Mayol.

The judges in the Kyowa-Mayol rumble are Gale Van Hoy (US), Chuck Hassett (US) and Alejandro Rochin (Mexico), while Vic Drakulich (US) is the third man on the ring.