THE seventh Filipino world title challenger, the Cebuano Eriberto “Yukka” Gejon, is predicting a seventh-round knockout when he challenges Japanese WBA minimum-weight champion Yutaka Niida for the second time today at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Gejon, the seventh Filipino boxer who is seeking for the world title, is all psyched up and ready to rumble this 8 p.m.
“Being the seventh Filipino world title challenger, I am confident that I could stop Niida at the seventh round,” Gejon told Sun.Star-Cebu in a long distance call from Japan yesterday.
“I felt it and I am very confident. I had no problem with my weight, I even ate dinner last night and I am in tip-top condition, way better than when I first challenged him in 2005,” Gejon added.
Weigh-in
Gejon weighed 104.72 pounds while Niida tipped the scales at 104.5 lbs during the official weigh-in yesterday.
“This is our dream. Gejon’s conditioning is much better, his power has improved a lot and he is very motivated. He could go no wrong this time,” trainer Brix Flores added.
Gejon’s manager Rex “Wakee” Salud flew to Japan yesterday, taking respite from taking care of the needs of Manny Pacquiao, who was training at his gym, to join his fighter and his trainer.
Salud himself is confident that Gejon will win the contest this time.
Gejon is more confident of pulling a short win as the gloves they are wearing will be the world famous Cleto Reyes gloves, better known as the puncher’s gloves.
“We are using the Cleto Reyes glove, which is smaller than the Winning (brand). This one favors me because Niida is not a known heavy puncher,” Gejon stressed.
Gejon is carrying a 23-1-1, 14 KOs ring record while Niida will parade a 21-1-3, 8 KOs slate.
Chance
The first time they met, Niida pulled a controversial split technical decision win when the two ring judges Wan-Soo Yuh of South Korea and Pinji Prayadsab of Thailand scored identical 96-95 for the Japanese champion while the third judge Midrado Villalobos of Venezuela tallied 97-93 for Gejon.
Gejon is hoping scoring will improve as WBA had appointed two non-Asian judges Giuseppe Quartarone of Italy and Jean-Louis Legland of France.
Thailand’s Chalerm Prayadsab of Thailand is the third judge while the referee is Derek Milham of Australia.
This will be Niida’s sixth title defense since reclaiming the title from Noel Arambulet of Venezuela back in July 2004.
