By Ronnie Nathanielsz
 
The Japanese want OPBF No.1 super flyweight  contender Z “The Dream” Gorres to step aside from his mandatory title shot against Japanese champion Masayuki Arinaga for a mere $2,000 or P110,000 and allow Arinaga to defend his title against former champion Waengpetch Chuwatana of Thailand.
 
Joe Koizumi,  manager of OPBF junior lightweight champion Randy Suico who is also a matchmaker and a journalist made the request in an email to the handlers of Gorres. Koizumi disclosed that Arinaga’s promoter/manager Hideyuki Ohashi had conceded one
option to Waengpetch’s party and he wishes to “faithfully observe this option obligation and wishes to clear this option  by having Arinaga fight the ex-champion in his next title defense.”
 
Koizumi said that if the Thai’s don’t get a title rematch they “might file a case against Ohashi by appealing to the OPBF and the Japan Boxing Commission as well.” Aside from the measly $2,000 step aside fee, Koizumi said Arinaga will fight Gorres after his next defense with Waengpetch “without fail.”  Koizumi ended his email by saying “your warmest consideration will be highly appreciated.”
 
Gorres is in line for a mandatory  title shot against Arinaga who had earlier failed to give Gorres a title shot and was instead allowed his choice of an opponent for his first defense and picked No. 7 ranked Daisuke Maruyama. Arinaga put on an impressive display, battered the challenger and eventually put him away for good with a vicious left at 2:20 of the ninth round.
 
The victory paved the way for Gorres to get a long-awaited chance to go after the OPBF crown as a first major step towards a possible world title fight since he is rated No. 6 by the WBO. The Gorres camp headed by respected Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer
is expected to study the proposal.
 
Aldeguer told Viva Sports/Manila Standard he would “consult my good friend Rudy Salud” the eminent lawyer and founding secretary general of the WBC before making any decision.