While today?s generation of boxing fans are more familiar with the Philippines-Mexico rivalry in professional boxing, the upcoming showdown between World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. and Toshiaki Nishioka is likely to rekindle a rivalry that was once the highlight of boxing in the Orient.
You better believe it, there was a time when Philippines-versus-Japan was the toast of boxing in the Far East. For the record, the Philippines is the forerunner of pro boxing in the region, producing Asia?s first world champion on June 18, 1923 when Pancho Villa knocked out Englishman Jimmy Wilde in seven rounds for the world flyweight championship.
It was not until May 19, 1952 when Japan produced its first world boxing champion. Yoshio Shirai, who developed an interest in boxing after a mock sparring session with a kangaroo at a local carnival, was crowned world flyweight champion when he defeated Dado Marino, a Hawaiian with a Filipino bloodline, by unanimous decision. It was the second meeting between the two. In their first meeting, a non-title affair in December 1951, Shirai floored Marino six times en route to a seventh round knockout. Despite the resounding defeat, Marino agreed to defend his world title against Shirai in a return bout. When Shirai bested Marino in their second meeting to take the flyweight crown, he returned the favor by agreeing to defend the crown in a third match opposite Marino. Shirai settled the score by winning a 15-round decision in the rubber match in November 1952. Marino, who was already a grandfather when he became a champion in 1950, retired after the fight with a record of 57-14 with 21 knockouts.
The flyweight (112 pounds) division became the repository of the some of the most heated fights involving the champions from the two countries. In October 1969, Bernabe Villacampo ended the second-reign of World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight champion Hiroyuki Ebihara with a unanimous decision. Ebihara, who had previously defeated highly-rated Filipinos Dio Espinosa and Ric Magramo, proved no match for Villacampo and retired after the fight. In April 1975, Erbito Salavarria ended another reign of a Japanese world champion when he outpointed Susumu Hanagata for the WBA flyweight strap. It was payback for Japan in January 1984, when the lanky Koji Kobayashi knocked out Frank Cedeno in two rounds for the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight diadem.
Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde, one of the greatest Filipino fighters to lace on the gloves, was embroiled in a heated rivalry with one Japanese challenger during his remarkable seven-year reign (1960-67) reign as world super featherweight (130 pounds) champion.
In June 1965, Elorde ended his grueling rivalry with Teruo Kosaka by scoring an emphatic 15th round knockout. It was the fifth meeting between the two fighters. They first crossed paths in September 1961 with Elorde retaining the Orient Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) lightweight title (135 pounds) on a decision. In their rematch in April 1962, Kosaka extracted revenge by dethroning Elorde as Oriental champion with a split-decision win. Elorde regained the OPBF title in the third match in August 1962 with a 12-round unanimous decision. The fourth showdown in July 1964 was for Elorde?s world super featherweight crown and the Filipino triumphed by way of a 12th round knockout. Elorde demolished Kosaka for good in their fifth encounter. Unfortunately for Elorde, his reign as world super featherweight king ended in June 1965 when he bowed to another Japanese challenger, Yoshiaki Numata.
The Philippines-Japan rivalry is guaranteed to heat up again on October 13, when Donaire and Nishioka collide in Carson, California. Donaire, unbeaten in his last 28 fights, has never faced a Japanese boxer. On the other hand, Nishioka has defeated Filipinos Reynante Rojo, Donaldo Estella, Joel Junio, Fernando Montilla, Joel Avila, Rodel Llanita, Pederito Laurente and Balweg Bangoyan.
Donaire and Nishioka are the two best super bantamweights in the world today and for this reason the entire world, not just the Far East, will be tuning in when they finally swap blows.
