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Fahlan Junior Ko Miyazaki in 3 rounds  http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=73228#ixzz2pA38L1zH
In a shocker that
throws the year-end awards season for a loop while possibly putting the
Japanese Boxing Commission in hot water, previously unbeaten Ryo Miyazaki was
stopped in three rounds by Fahlan Sakkreerin Jr. in their 108 lb. bout Tuesday
evening in Osaka, Japan. The bout served as the
chief support to the 108 lb. title fight between Kazuto Ioka - Miyazaki's
mentor and promotional stablemate - and Nicaragua's Felix Alvarado, but there
are major questions as to whether the fight should have ever been allowed. Under normal
circumstances, Miyazaki would have been a medical scratch the moment he passed
out at the pre-fight weigh-in. The 25-year old was forced to vacate
his 105 lb. title in the weeks leading into the New Year's Eve show due to
his months long inability to properly make weight. Such was shown
in what turned out to be his final title defense, a controversial majority
decision over Mexico's Jesus Silvestre in September. His strawweight
title reign - which began with a points win over former champ Pornsawan
Porpramook last New Year's Eve - lasted just three total fights as he geared
towards a title run in a second weight class. However, making 108 lb.
proved to be as much of a struggle. Miyazaki barely made weight for Tuesday's
co-feature bout, before passing out during his pre-fight physical. There was
not only major concern for his health, but whether or not he would still be
permitted to fight. Similar circumstances
forced American featherweight prospect Gary Russell to be pulled from Olympic
competition just prior to his scheduled opening round bout of the 2009 Beijing
Games. The same level of concern was not expressed here by the JBC, which
permitted the bout to go on as planned. The move came to the
benefit of Sakkreerin Jr., who puts himself in prime position to follow in his
father's footsteps. More than 20 years after
his father, Fahlan Sr., reigned as a strawweight titlist who failed in four
separate bids from 2001 to 2005 to capture a 108 lb. title. Sakkreerin Jr.
is now in prime position to challenge for a belt in 2014, even though Tuesday's
bout was a non-title affair not sanctioned by any major alphabet organization. Still, the ramifications
of the feat will be felt in the coming months and certainly throughout this
week for those who pay attention to worldwide results. The 20-year old was
fighting outside of Thailand for the first time in his career and stepping way
up on the boxing food chain. His record was largely comprised of soft
competition typically found on the ledger of most Thai fighters on the way up,
as ring activity is far more embraced than competitive matchmaking save for
major title fights. Still, Sakkreerin Jr.
found himself in the right place at the right time on Tuesday. The first couple
of rounds were competitive, but indicative of Miyazaki's weakened state. The unbeaten former
titlist was rocked late in round one, a sequence which drew immediate concern
and attention from his corner in between rounds. A relatively tame second round
transitioned to a continued pawing contest in the early portions of the third
round. That dramatically changed when a sweeping overhand right by Sakkreerin
Jr. appeared to have floored Miyazaki. The referee incorrectly ruled it a slip,
but the baby-faced Thai soon took care of that problem. A textbook one-two
combination right down the middle landed flush on Miyazaki's chin, putting
the rising Japanese star flat on his back. A count was briefly issued before
the bout was wisely waved off as concern was immediately expressed over the
fighter's health. The official time was
2:22 of round three. Sakkreerin Jr. picks up
what is by leaps and bounds the biggest win of his professional career as he
improves to 23-2 (15KO). Miyazaki suffers his
first pro loss, falling to 20-1-3 (11KO). The bout puts a damper on plans to
challenge for a 108 lb. title in 2014, while putting his conqueror in prime
position to pick up the fallen pieces. From a mathematical (and
scientific) standpoint, Sakkreerin Jr. was conceived shortly
after his father's two year strawweight title reign came to an end in
September 1992. By the time he was old enough to pay attention to boxing, the
son merely had the chance to see his father come up short twice in 2001, and
again in the final two bouts of his career to capture hardware in the 108 lb.
division. The onus is now on the
son to carry his father's legacy. That moment could come in the first half of
2014, pending the outcome and aftermath of Tuesday's main event. The bout aired via
one-hour tape delay on TBS Japan, as part of the network's 'Kyokugen 2013'
New Year's Eve telecast. Jake Donovan is the
Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of the Transnational
Boxing Ratings Board, Yahoo Boxing Ratings Panel and the Boxing Writers
Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox |
