By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Newly crowned Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation bantamweight champion Malcom Tunacao defends his title for the first time against undefeated 21 year old Japanese Kohei Ohba at the International Conference Hall in Nagoya, Japan on February 2.
Ohba has a record of 13-0 with 8 knockouts and is coming off a unanimous ten round decision over Jose Angel Beranza last November 3. Ohba earlier scored a seventh round TKO over South Korea’s Ho Sup Noh in February and followed this up with an impressive second round KO victory over Thailand’s Petchklongpay Sor Thantip in July.
The southpaw Tunacao, the former WBC flyweight champion, won the OPBF crown with a lopsided decision over Kumamthong Por Plumkamol last November 19 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Tunacao had earlier scored a seventh round TKO over a badly outclassed Ryoichi Hidaka at the Central Gym in Osaka following a ninth round TKO over another Japanese, Takafumi Himeno in February.
Tunacao’s career has been on a remarkable upward turn after he signed up with his new manager, respected Japanese businessman-sportsman Yasuo Matsuoka who also manages WBC No. 1 minimum weight contender and undefeated OPBF champion Rodel Mayol.
