Kyowa decisions Mayol; Tuñacao wins

TOKYO — For Rodel Mayol, the long wait for a world title shot has ended in frustration at the Korakuen Hall here last night.

Eagle Kyowa retained the World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight title via a unanimous 12-round decision over the baby-faced Mandaue Kid who stood in line over two years for a crack at the crown only to be repulsed in a courageous attempt to dethrone the Thai champion.

It was a come-from-behind victory for Kyowa, who scored a 12th round knockdown to seal the verdict.

Gale Van Hoy of Texas scored it 117-110, Chuck Hassett of California saw it 115-112 and Alejandro Rochin of Mexico had it 114-111, all for Kyowa.

Mayol struggled from Kyowa’s roundhouse hit to the jaw in the final round. He leaned to the ropes and fell, prompting the referee to give him a mandatory eight count.

In the undercard, Malcolm Tuñacao scored a devastating technical knockout win over Japanese challenger Yasuo Kijima at 2:04 of the 11th round to retain his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation bantamweight championship.

It was a classic performance by the stylish Tuñacao, who adjusted his strategy midway in the fight from fighting up-close to sticking from a distance and taking away Kijima’s strength.

As the fight progressed, Kijima felt the sting of the body blows and was set up for the kill in the late rounds.

Japanese referee Yuji Fukuchi stepped in the 11th round to stop the fight and prevent the Japanese fighter from absorbing more punishment.

Mayol tipped the scales at 104 1/2 pounds and Kyowa, 105, at the weigh-in the day before. Kyowa entered the bout a 2-1 favorite to turn back the Filipino challenger.

Mayol was in high spirits the morning of the fight. He woke up at 8:30 a.m. and ate spaghetti, fish and vegetables for breakfast. For lunch, he had ramen and more pasta to load up on carbohydrates. His wife Lira Mendoza planed in from Cebu last Thursday but they hardly saw each other before the fight. They will stay in Tokyo until Wednesday for a brief vacation.

Mayol’s Japanese manager Yasuo Matsuoka said Kyowa, whose real name is Den Janlaphan, had difficulty making the weight. At the weigh-in, Mayol’s pulse registered a healthy 46 while Kyowa’s was 77.

Janlaphan adopted his ring name to honor his sponsor the Kyowa Corp., a large Japanese land development company. He met his wife, a Japanese kickboxer, in Thailand and they settled in Tokyo four years ago with their two boys.

Kyowa won the WBC crown on a unanimous decision over Jose Antonio Aguirre–who was recently beaten by Brian Viloria–in 2004, lost it in his second defense to Isaac Bustos via a technical knockout after injuring his right shoulder and regained the crown last year on points from Katsunari Takayama.

Matsuoka, married to a Filipina Gina Olais for 17 years with two daughters, was convinced Mayol would win after watching the protagonists in an open sparring session for the public a week ago. He said he was 80 percent sure Mayol would knock out Kyowa.

Matsuoka hosted 22 Filipinos who arrived from Manila to watch the bout at the 1,600-seat Korakuen Hall. Among those at ringside were Games and Amusements Board chairman Eric Buhain and wife Rep. Eileen Ermita Buhain, Rex (Wakee) Salud, Chito Salud and wife Gretchen, Terry Carter, Joy Ouano, Team Asia’s Joey Fornier and Hazel Madrigal Cruz and Sonny Lagon. Manny Pacquiao was booked to fly in Friday but decided to stay in General Santos City at the last minute.

Canadian boxing agent Michael Koncz, who is Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista’s US business manager, planed in from Los Angeles to watch the fight.