In 1997, Peñalosa outpointed Japanese legend Hiroshi Kawashima to wrest the WBC 115-pound crown in Tokyo. It was a humbling setback for Kawashima who lost before an adoring homecrowd and never fought again.
Japanese fans will never forget Peñalosa for retiring Kawashima. And they’ll never forgive him. That’s why there’s more to Saturday’s fight than Yamaguchi trying to strip Peñalosa of the WBC International title and his No. 1 ranking. Yamaguchi intends to pay back Peñalosa for dethroning the venerable Kawashima and sending him into retirement.
The extra motivation for Yamaguchi makes for an interesting drama. Peñalosa is favored to win but oddsmakers aren’t discounting the possibility of an upset because revenge is an unpredictable X-factor.
Besides, Yamaguchi is fighting for his life. Since losing the World Boxing Association (WBA) junior flyweight title to Pichitnoi Sithbangprachan on a second round knockout in 1996, the Prince has hardly looked princely. He was stopped by Jose Bonilla in a bid for the WBA flyweight diadem in 1997, bowed to Akihiko Nago on points in a Japanese junior bantamweight championship fight a year later, was floored twice in losing a decision to In Joo Cho in a WBC superflyweight title bout in 1999, and lost to Masayuki Arinaga on a shock fourth round knockout in Tokyo last year.
A defeat to Peñalosa will likely end Yamaguchi’s career.
Despite Yamaguchi’s recent skid, he remains a dangerous challenger for Peñalosa. The Japanese has absolutely nothing to lose on Saturday — and everything to gain. The pressure is on Peñalosa, not Yamaguchi, because the Filipino has so much to lose. For Yamaguchi, a win will automatically catapult him back into the title picture.
Peñalosa isn’t taking Yamaguchi lightly. He’s predicted a knockout win, stopping short of calling the fatal round. Yamaguchi laughed it off. For some reason, he’s confident it won’t be him lying on the canvas when the fight ends. The Japanese has vowed to win but wouldn’t say how.
Curiously, revenge is also the underlying theme of the chief aperitifs in the Big Dome card.
Joma Gamboa lost a bitter decision to Pichitnoi in a WBA junior flyweight title fight in Thailand two years ago. He was so distraught after the loss that he decided to step down to the 105-pound division. Gamboa has a chance to pay back Pichitnoi when he battles another Thai, Pigmy Muangchaiya, in the undercard.
Gamboa can’t afford to lose as he’s next in line for a shot at newly-crowned WBA minimumweight titlist Chana Porpaoin’s belt. He finds himself in the same must-win situation as Peñalosa.
In the other aperitif, Philippine junior lightweight champion Randy Suico takes on former Thai featherweight ruler Khumphoon Eausamphan. Suico, the WBC No. 10 superfeatherweight contender, used a single left hook to demolish Thai featherweight king Sangsi Poh Chaiwatana at 1:07 of the third round in Tokyo last March. The win raised his record to an unblemished 13-0, with 11 knockouts – proof of his awesome punching power.
Khumphoon, who has scored 14 stoppages in 23 wins, is determined to exact revenge on Suico for Sangsi. Since both Khumphoon and Suico are bombers, expect a waterfront brawl when they slug it out.
Suico has never fought in Manila and is looking forward to impressing the Big City fans. A former amateur standout, the lanky boxer-puncher began his career fighting out of Cebu-based businessman Tony Aldeguer’s stable. Suico is now managed by Japanese matchmaker Joe Koizumi who will be in his corner on Saturday.