Boxing In Asia: Saturday Night Results

Local light middle Daniel “The Rock” Dawson was in action last night at the Courtside Multisports Complex in his hometown of Perth, Australia and the 30 year old slugger banged out a hard-fought 12 round unanimous decision win against South Africa’s Welcome Ntshingila.

A former IBO Champion, Dawson, 32-1 (22), defended his PABA crown and also captured the vacant WBA Pan-African title with the win over the durable Ntshingila, 15-7-3 (5), who was coming off a loss to former Commonwealth Champion Ali Nuumbembe for the WBA Pan-African Welter belt in June.

Japan’s famed Korakuen Hall in Tokyo was the scene of Filipino “Golden Boy” Randy Suico’s, 28-3-1 (24), latest ring appearance as the Mandaue City slugger was held to a majority decision draw against steel-chinned Japanese prospect Nihito Arakawa, 13-1-1 (9), in defense of Suico’s OPBF Lightweight title.

Suico has only lost to current, future or former world champions and Arakawa’s performance could mean big things for the future of the Tokyo based southpaw.

Another OPBF crown was at risk at Korakuen Hall as Konosuke Tomiyama, 18-1 (6), kept his super flyweight strap with a dramatic twelfth round stoppage of hard-nosed crosstown rival Kuniyuki Aizawa, 13-4-1 (10).

Aizawa, who held the OPBF belt for one defense in 2007, had unsuccessfully challenged WBA Champion Alexander Munoz in the very same building a year ago and walked through a wall of fire to finish the bout on his feet after 12 one-sided rounds.

Speaking of Mandaue City in the Phillipines, highly seasoned bantamweight Malcolm Tunacao, 23-2-3 (15), was in action there at The Plaza on Saturday night, posting a close split decision victory over tough opponent Monico Laurente, 7-4 (1), to win the vacant Philippine title. Laurente nearly pulled off the victory but lost a point due to an accidental headbutt in the tenth round.

Tunacao has had a long and winding career, winning the WBC Flyweight Champion at just 21 years of age in 2000.