By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The manager of Randy Suico, well-known Japanese matchmaker and journalist Joe Koizumi claims referee Joe Cortez's decision to stop Suico's lightweight title fight against champion Juan Diaz at 2:06 of the ninth round was :"premature."
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today from Las Vegas, Koizumi Suico "had the energy and the fighting spirit to go on." Koizumi said Diaz was "a light puncher but very busy and Randy suffered no damage. He is okay." He also emphasized that "it was a difference of speed" because Diaz was too quick for the lanky Suico who was unable to exploit his height advantage and punching power.
He said that under the rules and regulations of the Nevada State Athletic Commission boxers who lose by TKO or KO have to go to the hospital and get a CT Scan and as a result Suico, Fernando Vergas who was knocked out by Shane Mosley in the sixth round and Thailand's Sod Looknongyangtpy who suffered a first round knockout at the hands of Daniel Ponce de Leon went to the hospital together.
Koizumi was confident that Suico "will come back" and said he did his best. The manager noted that Suico "sometimes scored with good punches but Diaz came back." He said in the seventh round Suico's body punches were effective and Diaz slowed down because he told Suico to keep punching to the body but the referee stopped the fight. I think it was to early."
Koizumi said Suico will "take a rest for two or three months and after that he will go after the OPBF vacant lightweight title." Suico is scheduled to return home on July 18.
