By Rey Danseco
 
UNBEATEN Rodel “Kid Rapido” Mayol will expect encouragements in Tagalog and Cebuano from ringside during his quest for a world title on May 6 in Tokyo, Japan.

Chairman Eric Buhain of the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) and his politician wife will lead a small number of Filipino supporters of Mayol (22-0, 17 KOs) when the Mandaue-native gets the shot against reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight champ Eagle Kyowa (15-1, 6 KOs) at fabled Korakuen Hall.

Buhain and his wife, Rep. Eileen Ermita-Buhain (1st District, Batangas), plan to take a flight to Japan’s capital on May 4 along with National Resources Development Corp. president and his better-half Chito Salud, son of former PBA commissioner and WBC secretary general Rudy Salud.

Buhain is a member of the WBC Board of Governors and also vice president of the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF).

Solar Sports will send at least three people, including two commentators for its live feed to local television station via Satellite through Nippon Telecoms from 8 pm (Philippine time).

Team Asia’s Joey Fornier and Hazel Cruz, who awarded the TV rights to Solar Sports, will also scheduled to leave as well as Nasipit, Agusan del Norte’s Gina Olais-Matsuoka, a Paranaque-based wife of Mayol’s Japanese manager Yasuo Matsuoka, 57.

The second title defense of Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight champ Malcolm Tuñacao (19-1-3, 13 KOs) against 10th ranked Japanese challenger Yasuo Kijima (19-8-2, 5 KOs) in the undercard of Mayol-Kyowa mandatory fight confrontation will also slated to show live for Filipino audience.

After spending a torrid training in Cebu, Mayol left Manila on April 22 along with trainer Brix Flores. Eight days later, Tuñacao joined them.

Mayol and Tuñacao, who are both oozing with confidence to come home with title belts, are training at the Dream Gym and Misako Gym near their hotel in Tokyo’s Ueno district.

The Filipino fighters regularly jog in the morning at the Ueno Park which Olais-Matsuoka described “wide jogging place”.

“Maganda para sa jogging nila ang Ueno Park, may tinatakbuhan sila roon na pataas at pababa,” said Olais-Matsuoka. “Handang-handa na ‘yong dalawa sa laban.”

She said, Mayol and Tunacao both promised to knock their foes out. But they will be contended if they win in a distance.

“Si Mayol medyo 50-50 ang chance. Pero dahil may history ng injury sa right shoulder yong champion, doon ang isa mga target niya kaya may tsansa talaga,” said Olais-Matsuoka, who has two daughters ages 11 and five years olds.