tns-2

February 5, 2002

TOKYO, JAPAN-Unbeaten Willie Jorrin (28-0-1, 13 KOs), 122, US, very barely kept his WBC 122-pound belt on a split draw as he dropped Japanese Osamu Sato (25-1-2, 14 KOs), 122, twice in the third to be on the verge of a KO victory, but became fading and defensive to consume his early lead on points over 12 heats at Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo.
Scored: Maximo Barroveccio (Italy) 114-114, Vincent Rodriguez (Philippines) 113-113, and Noparat Sricharoen (Thailand) 114-112 for Sato. Referee was Terry O'Connor (England).
The slick-punching Jorrin easily swept the first three rounds with sharper punches to the still nervous Japanese. Jorrin, in round three, sent him sprawling to the deck with a left hook following a chopping right and floored him again with a flurry of punches. Sato had a narrow escape.
The Japanese desperately began to mix it up from the 4th and overwhelmed the abruptly fading champ probably due to his one-year activity. Sato seemed to dominate almost all rounds from the 4th with his busier combinations though Jorrin occasionally threw countering shots. The champ's face was bruised and bleeding from a gash over the left optic with his absorption of Sato's persistent attack.

The official verdict dejected the once cheering crowd as the draw meant Jorrin's defense. Sato, who expected to be called himself the new champ, deserves a rematch with Jorrin or a shot at the winner of his mandatory defense with Israel Vazquez.

Formerly brightest Japanese prospect Akihiko Nago (18-3, 12 KOs), 122, returned to action after his 14-month layoff since his failure to win the WBC 115-pound belt via unanimous nod to the defending champ Masamori Tokuyama, but surprisingly hit the deck twice in the first, once more in the second, and lost a close but unanimous decision to Thai #8 ranked feather Thongchareon Au Suwannaslip (8-6, 1 KO), 122, over 8.
It might be a mistake to book such a physically superior Thai opponent in his comeback go though Nago moved up to the 122-pound division. Thongchareon landed a vicious overhand right to drop him with such heavy damage as to make him fall again in the opening canto. The second witnessed Nago collapse again with a same right as he suffered in the previous round. The Japanese southpaw, once highly rated in the world, tried to win back points with his trade-mark jolting right hooks, but all the officials tallied 76-75 for the unheralded Thailander. Nago had lost just twice-both with the world title at stake-to the WBA champ Hideki Todaka and the WBC ruler Tokuyama, so his comeback was very highly expected. It was a shocker.
Japanese top ranked super-bantam Shigeru Nakazato (21-5, 16 KOs), 122, decked lefty speedster Jun Toriumi (13-3-1, 2 KOs), 122, four times en route to a fine KO win at 2:43 of the 6th session. Though bleeding badly, Nakazato had him on the canvas with his roundhouse but powerful shots in the first, second and 6th (twice).

Japanese #3 welter Motoki Sasaki (15-4, 8 KOs) was awarded a TKO triumph over Yoshihiko Kogo (8-9, no KO) after the 6th.
Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.
WBC supervisor: Frank Quill (Australia).
(2-5-02)