THE two Japanese boxers who will face their local opponents at Orient Theatre tonight have promised to produce fight of the year candidates to replicate the fighting spirit of their compatriots.
While showing overwhelming respect for Simpiwe Vetyeka whom he will face in a featherweight non-title clash, Tsuyoshi Tameda promised to give the best performance of his life.
“I have watched Vetyeka especially when he fought in my country against Hozumi Hasegawa and I know that he is an excellent fighter,” Tameda said through an interpreter.
“He has incredible technique and it will be an honour to fight him.”
Tameda was only 16 years old when Vetyeka travelled to Japan to drop a points decision to Hasegawa in a WBC bantamweight title challenge in 2007.
Tameda looks to keep his county’s flag flying high by emulating the recent sterling performances of countrymen Takashi Miura and Yoshihiro Kamegai against Francesco Vargas and Mexican Jesus Soto Karass respectively.
So will be Yohei Tobe who will face Luzuko Siyo of Duncan Village in a WBA International junior-bantamweight title clash also tonight.
With their agent Loren Goodman serving as the interpreter, the Japanese duo promised to lay it all out to enhance the country’s boxing reputation.
“We are aware that because of the good fights involving our countrymen such as Miura and Kamegai the spotlight is on us to perform and we are ready to live up to expectations,” the pair said.
Asked why they decided to come to the country when Japanese boxers usually fight at home where there are plenty of fights and opportunities, Tameda said he could not ignore the chance to beat Vetyeka and take his third spot rating in the WBA.
“Beating Vetyeka would catapult me right into the title shot so for me I felt I could not turn down the fight,” he said.
Tobe, who owns a win over current WBA junior-bantamweight champion Kohei Kono, said at his age of 28 he was prepared to take every opportunity to land a world title challenge.
“The WBA international title will help me in that goal before it is too late,” he said.
Goodman, who is American by birth but has lived in Asia for a while, was modest when asked about the chances of his clients.
“They will deliver good fights but I would rather not make predictions at this stage because it is not a Japanese nature to talk before the fights,” he said.
However, he said he was familiar with SA boxing scene having worked with Zolani Tete when he travelled to Japan to beat Teiru Kinoshita to win the vacant IBF world junior-bantamweight crown two years ago.
“I served as an agent for that fight and I was happy to deal with Tete who is humble and a good boxer,” he said.
Siyo, whose clash against Tobe is a toss up, promised to send the Japanese packing.
“I have two nicknames; Yello Cobra and Little Hammer and I am bringing both into the ring so you can imagine what will happen to my opponent,” he said.
While he had never seen Tobe in action, Siyo still gave the Japanese four rounds before knocking him out.
Asian Tigers to show the mean streak at Orient
While showing overwhelming respect for Simpiwe Vetyeka whom he will face in a featherweight non-title clash, Tsuyoshi Tameda promised to give the best performance of his life.
“I have watched Vetyeka especially when he fought in my country against Hozumi Hasegawa and I know that he is an excellent fighter,” Tameda said through an interpreter.
“He has incredible technique and it will be an honour to fight him.”
Tameda was only 16 years old when Vetyeka travelled to Japan to drop a points decision to Hasegawa in a WBC bantamweight title challenge in 2007.
Tameda looks to keep his county’s flag flying high by emulating the recent sterling performances of countrymen Takashi Miura and Yoshihiro Kamegai against Francesco Vargas and Mexican Jesus Soto Karass respectively.
So will be Yohei Tobe who will face Luzuko Siyo of Duncan Village in a WBA International junior-bantamweight title clash also tonight.
With their agent Loren Goodman serving as the interpreter, the Japanese duo promised to lay it all out to enhance the country’s boxing reputation.
“We are aware that because of the good fights involving our countrymen such as Miura and Kamegai the spotlight is on us to perform and we are ready to live up to expectations,” the pair said.
Asked why they decided to come to the country when Japanese boxers usually fight at home where there are plenty of fights and opportunities, Tameda said he could not ignore the chance to beat Vetyeka and take his third spot rating in the WBA.
“Beating Vetyeka would catapult me right into the title shot so for me I felt I could not turn down the fight,” he said.
Tobe, who owns a win over current WBA junior-bantamweight champion Kohei Kono, said at his age of 28 he was prepared to take every opportunity to land a world title challenge.
“The WBA international title will help me in that goal before it is too late,” he said.
Goodman, who is American by birth but has lived in Asia for a while, was modest when asked about the chances of his clients.
“They will deliver good fights but I would rather not make predictions at this stage because it is not a Japanese nature to talk before the fights,” he said.
However, he said he was familiar with SA boxing scene having worked with Zolani Tete when he travelled to Japan to beat Teiru Kinoshita to win the vacant IBF world junior-bantamweight crown two years ago.
“I served as an agent for that fight and I was happy to deal with Tete who is humble and a good boxer,” he said.
Siyo, whose clash against Tobe is a toss up, promised to send the Japanese packing.
“I have two nicknames; Yello Cobra and Little Hammer and I am bringing both into the ring so you can imagine what will happen to my opponent,” he said.
While he had never seen Tobe in action, Siyo still gave the Japanese four rounds before knocking him out.
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