By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Four Filipino boxers are in line for Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation mandatory title shots based on the latest ratings provided by the secretary general of the organization which is now being managed by the Japan Boxing Commission.
The Philippines minimumweight champion Michael Landero who is ranked No.1 is set to face Kosuke Takeichi who is rated No.2 for the vacant title which champion Yasutaka Koroki relinquished when he battled Oleydong Sithsamerchai for the WBC straw weight title and lost.
Super flyweight Danilo Pena has earned a mandatory title shot against Kohei Kono by July 3 while Michael Domingo of the ALA Gym is supposed to face fellow Filipino champion Malcolm Tunacao.
Tunacao won the vacant title with a split decision over Seung Suk-Chae of South Korea last February 6 .
Former OPBF champion Randy Suico who is rated No. 1 will face Australia’s Solomon Egberime for the vacant super lightweight crown relinquished last February 10 by Korea’s Jung Bum Kim.
The other reigning Filipino OPBF champion is flyweight Rocky Fuentes who scored a majority decision over Japanese champion Masafumi Okuda to grab the title last March 9 in Tokyo.
Three days earlier featherweight Vinvin Rufino battled all the way against Naoki Matsuida but lost a close split decision in an exciting bout after which well-known Japanese matchmaker, manager and journalist Joe Koizumi said Rufino deserves a rematch.
