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SUICO RETAINS OPBF TITLE WITH MAJORITY DRAW By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Sun, 21 Sep 2008  Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation lightweight champion Randy Suico (28-3-24 KO?s) retained his title with a majority draw against challenger Nihito Arakawa at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on Saturday. Two judges scored the fight a draw ? 114-114 while the third judge had Suico the winner by a mere one point, 115-114. Suico who was coming off a third round KO victory over 30 year old Thai patsy Songkom Jockygym who had a woeful record of 3 wins against 14 defeats and 3 draws with only 1 knockout last April 21 looked sluggish from the start according to his manager Joe Koizumi. The Japanese journalist and TV commentator claimed that Suico was a substitute for Philippine champion JR Sollano from the Rex ?Wakee? Salud stable in Cebu City. Koizumi said that Suico had only one month to prepare for the fight and was ?unable to show his usual speed and power.? www.insidesports.ph visited the ALA Gym and watched Suico in a torrid sparring session with Philippine light welterweight champion Mark Jason Melligen prior to his departure for Tokyo and while he stood toe-to-toe with the heavier southpaw Suico did look slow. The 26 year old southpaw Arakawa who was described as a fast-rising prospect utilized his footwork to frustrate Suico who fought desperately in the final stages of the fight and just managed to retain his title. Suico is scheduled to face Japan ?s No. 1 OPBF contender Ichitaro Ishii in a mandatory title defense on December 20. A tall and talented fighter with power in both hands Suico?s career regrettably was stymied by the tendency to often pick comparatively easy opponents so that when he met a fighter like Juan ?Baby Bull? Diaz for the WBA lightweight title he got plastered and lost by a 9th round TKO at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Suico won the vacant OPBF lightweight title with a 4th round TKO over Thailand?s Pongpetch Chuwatana who had a rather dismal record of 9 wins against 14 defeats and 7 wins by knockout. The Filipino had earlier won the OPBF super featherweight title with a 4th round TKO over tough Ryuhei Sugita on February 5, 2006. Suico also scored an 8th round TKO win over Koji Samejima on August 25, 2007. Arakawa, on the other hand was coming off a 5th round TKO victory over Jamed Jalarante of Indonesia on June 1 this year. With the draw Arikawa dropped to 13-1-1 with 9 knockouts. Top photo show Randy Suico (L) battles with Songkom Jockygym of Thailand last April 21 in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.  |
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