July 28, 2009
TOKYO, JAPAN
19-year-old Filipino, OPBF#7 ranked Philippine top welter contender Dan Nazareno (11-2, 7 KOs), 145.5, impressively scored a fine TKO victory over ex-Japanese national 147-pound champ Koji Numata (15-4-1, 10 KOs), 146.5, as Nazareno opened such a deep gash over the left eyebrow with a legal shot to have the referee call a halt at 1:58 of the fourth round on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.  Nazareno had the upper hand with his faster and stronger combinations, some of which, however, made the ref give him repeated warnings of open blows.  As it was very rare that heavier Filipino boys won here, Nazareno’s good performance won the praise of the audience.
 
Though there was a successful exception of world middleweight champ Ceferino Garcia in late 1930’s, we have rarely seen good Filipino boxers in the welter or heavier categories except ex-OPBF welter ruler Rev Santillan. But the Pacquiao wave might invade into the heavier divisions in the future, which might be a threat to the Japanese boxing fraternity.
(7-28-09)