By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Two more over-matched Filipino boxers have been knocked out in Japan, continuing the sad state of affairs which even Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation president Frank Quill of Australia has condemned in the recent past.
Super flyweight Sherwin Manatad was knocked out at 2:09 seconds of the third round by undefeated Japanese bantamweight Kuniyuki Aizawa in a fight card at the famed Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Also suffering a knockout in the third round of another scheduled ten round bout was super bantamweight Jojo Arnado who was out for the count at 1:48 against Japanese featherweight Toshimitsu Sakai.
Manatad who was coming off back-to-back defeats by Nestor Rocha last January 15 and Maxsaisai Pinsinchai last February 18 was no match for Aizawa who scored a seventh round TKO over Yoppie Benu last April 11. Aizawa has a record of seven KO’s in nine wins with no defeats and one draw and out-weighed Manatad 115 1/2 lbs to 114.
Arnado who has many more losses than wins couldn’t match the punching power of the heavier Sakai who came in at 123 1/2 lbs to the 121 1/4 of Arnado. Sakai has a record of 17-3-1 with 8 knockouts. Arnado, in the past, has suffered knockouts at the hands of Z “The Dream” Gorres, the OPBF No.1 super flyweight, world-rated Bert Batawang and former world flyweight contender Randy Mangubat.
