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TUNACAO FLIES TO JAPAN FOR OPBF TITLE DEFENSE
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 10 Jan 2007
Reigning Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight champion Malcolm Tunacao is set to depart for Japan tomorrow as he embarks on a titular defense against Rolly Matsushita on Saturday at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Also flying out to Tokyo is Philippine bantamweight champion Michael Domingo, who will be seeing action in the undercard against Japanese Kazuyuki Ichikawa in a ten-round non-title duel.
This will be Tunacao's third defense of the OPBF title he won in late 2005, which he successfully defended twice last year.
Matsushita, formerly known as Rolly Lunas, is a Japan-based Filipino fighter who used to rule as the Pan-Asia Boxing Association (PABA) flyweight champion. Since getting based in Japan, he has been unbeaten in two fights, although he remains a heavy underdog against the very talented Tunacao, who once reigned as the WBC flyweight world champion.
"I've sparred more than 100 rounds for this fight at the ALA Gym and RWS gym in Cebu. I'm very thankful to Sir ALA (sportsman Tony Aldeguer) for allowing me to train in his gym and for expressing his whole-hearted support," Tunacao said in an interview yesterday.
If successful, Tunacao said he wants to talk to his manager, Tokyo businessman Yasuo Matsuoka, to negotiate for him a crack at WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa, who is set to defend his title on April 29 in Kobe, Japan.
"That would be an exciting fight," Tunacao said on a possible duel with Hasegawa, although he maintains he is not looking past the durable Rolly Matsushita.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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