It’s not often that 5-9 Randy Suico faces a taller opponent in the ring but tonight, the Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) lightweight champion will be outsized by towering Japanese challenger Koji Samejima in a 12-round title bout at the Mall of Asia.
But Suico isn’t fazed. He’s studied the 5-10 1/2 Samejima’s moves and tendencies on tape. From what he saw, Suico wasn’t impressed.
“I expect him to jab and fight from a distance,” said Suico, speaking in Filipino, yesterday. “He has a strong right hook. I can’t take him lightly. He’s tall like (Seung Won) Baek whom I knocked out in two rounds in Cebu three years ago. If I didn’t have a problem with Baek, I don’t think I’ll have a problem with Samejima.”
Suico, 27, said he’s prepared to stop Samejima in his tracks. If he runs, Suico will cut the ring off and pin him down. If he mixes it up, Suico will put him to sleep. There doesn’t seem to be much that Samejima can do to dethrone Suico who’s out not only to retain his crown but also to preserve his No. 7 rating by the WBC.
Looming in the horizon for Suico is another crack at the world title. Last year, Suico was stopped by WBA lightweight titlist Juan Diaz in his first attempt to capture a world diadem. Since the loss, Suico has won two in a row and if he continues his streak, a fight against WBC champion David Diaz next year wouldn’t be a remote possibility.
Suico’s trainer Juanito Ablaca said there are at least two firm offers on the table for December. One is an OPBF title defense in Japan and another is a bout against WBC No. 6 contender Ali Funeka of South Africa. The offers are contingent on Suico beating Samejima tonight so he knows what’s at stake.
Funeka is booked to meet newly crowned Philippine lightweight champion J. R. Sollano in East London, South Africa, on Sept. 23. Nicknamed “Rush Hour,” Funeka has a 28-1 record, with 23 KOs, and his only defeat was to Mzonke Fana on points. He once stopped Filipino Dexter Delada in two rounds.
“I’m still a hungry fighter,” said Suico. “It’s my job to fight, to be hungry. It’s every fighter’s dream to become a world champion and that’s my dream, too. I won’t stop until I win a world title. I leave it up to my manager (Joe Koizumi) to plan my future. He knows what’s best.”
Koizumi, a Japanese, will be in Suico’s corner tonight and isn’t bothered by the patriotic lines being drawn to hype the four fights between Filipino and Japanese fighters. His priority is to keep Suico active and winning.
Aside from the Suico-Samejima bout, the MP (Manny Pacquiao) Boxing Promotions card put up by Rex (Wakee) Salud features WBO Asia-Pacific superfeatherweight champion Jimrex Jaca against Ryu Miyagi in a 12-rounder, Wyndel Janiola against Hirotaka Hisataka in a flyweight tenner and Jun Plasidad against Noriyuki Komatsu in a bantamweight sixer.
“It’s a battle of supremacy between Filipino and Japanese fighters,” said Salud. “We plan to hold this event every year. This is historic because it’s the first boxing show to be held at the Mall of Asia and it’s free to the public.”
Salud said there will be six fights before the four Philippines versus Japan bouts and guaranteed fireworks from the first bell. “We want to give the fans what they want – non-stop action,” said Salud. “The fighters are evenly matched. Even Randy can’t be sure of winning because Samejima has an impressive record (15-1-1) and won his last four.”
Samejima’s only setback was a fifth round technical decision to Yusuke Doi in Osaka four years ago.
What could steal the thunder from the main event is Jaca’s WBO Asia-Pacific title defense against Miyagi.
Two of Jaca’s three career losses were to Japanese so he’s out for payback. He’s fresh from a win by stoppage over Indonesia’s Simson Butar Butar, who has beaten Czar Amonsot twice. Miyagi has won his last four outings. His record is 16-1, with 12 KOs, including 10 inside three rounds compared to Jaca’s slate of 28-3-1, with 13 KOs.
From all indications, it doesn’t look like the fight will go the distance. Either Jaca or Miyagi will fall because they’re both hard hitters who couldn’t care less about defense and that’s why Salud said the bout might just be the most exciting of the night.
