By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Z “The Dream” Gorres at long last will get a crack at the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation super flyweight title against former champion Waenpetch Chuwatana sometime early next year.
The fight will be for the vacant title under an agreement worked out months ago between the handlers of champion Masayuki Arinaga, Chuwatana and OPBF president Frank Quill and Gorres’ manager, respected Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer.
Matchmaker, manager and journalist Joe Koizumi requested Gorres who was lined up as a mandatory challenger to Arinaga to step aside so the Japanese could fulfill an option they had signed with the camp of Chuwatana before the Thai lost the title to Arinaga.
The commitment was that if Arinaga won the rematch with the former champion he would step aside to go after the world title with the OPBF agreeing to sanction a bout for the vacant title between Chuwatana and Gorres. Arinaga won the rematch by a unanimous decision at the Bunka Gym in Yokohama on Tuesday.
Two judges scored it for Arinaga 115-113 while the third had the defending champion ahead 117-113.
Gorres is scheduled to leave for Los Angeles for a scheduled bout in Las Vegas against a still unnamed opponent in early February after which he will clash with Chuwatana for the OPBF title in late March or April either in Manila or Cebu City.
On the same fight card the Philippines light flyweight Elmer Gejon lost a ten round decision to undefeated Japanese Akira Yaegashi. Gejon had earlier dropped a majority decision against South Africa’s Tshepo Lefele in a battle for the vacant WBC International title last June 24.
