In yet another fight that stands out as an early candidate for fight of the year, Japan-based Den Junlaphan, popularly known as Eagle Kyowa of Thailand, won a hard fought unanimous decision over previously undefeated Rodel Mayol of the Philippines. All three judges scored the fight in favor of Kyowa: Gale Van Hoy of the USA scoring the contest 117-110, Chuck Hassett also of the US had it 115-112, and Alejandro Rochin of Mexico had a tighter score of 114-113. FightFan.com was on par with Rochin, with Kyowa ahead by one point ,114-113.
The powerful Mayol started the fight out very strong landing heavy shots inside the champion’s blows in the first round. Mayol’s left hook continued to find the mark as he landed it often while mixing in powerful uppercuts. In the second round Mayol had Kyowa reeling as he began to mix in a blistering body attack. The power punching Mayol had Kyowa’s face swollen after only a few rounds and had the champion on the retreat. Mayol maintained an aggressive and torrid pace sweeping the first half of the fight until Kyowa started to show signs of life in the 6th. Opening up a cut on the challenger’s face, Kyowa was beginning to solve Mayol’s aggression by adjusting to his rhythm.
After the midway point in the fight the Champion effectively bent at the waist and countered in an awkward rhythm and began to effectively thwart Mayol’s attack. As the rounds wore on, Kyowa’s counter punching became more and more effective as his change in rhythm seemed to have the younger challenger discouraged. Mayol’s earlier torrid pace he had established began to take it’s toll on him as his conditioning started to fade late in the fight. By the ninth round a tired Mayol began to wilt as his fatigue began to match his frustration.
Kyowa’s counter punching and rhythm saw him take over the latter stages in the fight as he rocked the tired Mayol in the tenth. In the 12th round a viciously placed counter shot took Mayol’s legs away, and smelling blood the Champion pounced on him scoring the fight’s only knock down. Mayol, showing a warrior’s heart, rose to his feet and gallantly fought back until the final bell.
As it would turn out, on my scorecard, as well as on one of the official cards, the knock down in the twelfth round was enough to swing the fight into the Champion’s favor.
Despite losing for the first time in his young career, 24 year old Pinoy sensation Rodel Mayol showed he is a terror in the Minimumweight division, giving one of the division’s best fighters all he could handle. Kyowa, a young 27 years of age himself, showed why he is one of the top fighters in the world in his weight class, showing a tremendous chin and an iron will weathering a brutal storm over the first half of the fight.
Despite Kyowa walking away with the WBC Minimumweight title and Mayol receiving the first blemish on his otherwise perfect record, there were no losers on this night as the boxing world was treated to a fantastic fight in it’s smallest division. Often overlooked in light of the more marquee divisions, two Minimumweights emerged as budding stars on the world stage, and the boxing world got that much better for it.
Ace’s Scorecard:
Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total Kyowa 9 9 9 9 9 10 9 10 10 10 10 10 114 Mayol 10 10 10 10 10 9 10 9 9 9 9 8 113
