Japan zooms to the top as PH loses grip as Asia’s finest

With Jerwin Ancajas losing his chance of snatching Takuma Inoue’s WBA bantamweight title, the country continues to suffer from a prolonged misery of having no world champion in a sport that the Filipinos have reigned mightily before.

Once a hotbed for top boxers highlighted by the success of one of the sport’s greatest in Manny Pacquiao along with the likes of Nonito Donaire, Gerry Peñalosa and the great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, the Philippines has lost its charm of producing elite pugs that are capable of dominating the scene in many divisions.

Hopes were pinned on Ancajas who seemed to have the golden opportunity of ending the drought. But the dream was blown away as he absorbed a ninth-round knockout after two wicked body shots from Inoue.

The moment of defeat that night at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo typified the current state of PH boxing – the country losing its grip as one of Asia’s finest in boxing as the fighters from the Land of the Rising Sun sustained their meteoric rise to take over that coveted spot.

Joining Ancajas on the canvas on that night was fellow Filipino Jonas Sultan who suffered an even more shocking first round knockout against Riku Masuda. Like Ancajas, a booming body shot ended his fight.

That night, the Japanese were 4-0 on their home turf with Junto Nakatani winning over Alexandro Santiago to win WBC bantamweight title via a sixth-round TKO, and Kosei Tanaka defeating Christian Bacasegua Rangel via unanimous decision for the vacant WBO super flyweight title.

Ancajas’ and Sultan’s defeats also came after another Filipino loss against a Japanese champion back in December.

Marlon Tapales also surrendered his WBA and IBF super bantamweight title to Japanese superstar and now undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.

As it stands, Japan now has nine world champions holding on to 13 title belts across the four major sanctioning bodies.

The country is certainly not short of boxing talents with guys like Melvin Jerusalem and Mark Magsayo having short stops as champions last year although they both fell immediately in their respective first title defenses.

Of course, there is still hope in rising boxers in Reymart Gaballo, Dave Apolinario, Vincent Astrolabio, Rene Mark Cuarto, who also lost to Japanese foe Ginjiro Shigeoka last year, and the ever controversial John Riel Casimero.

But until one has shown readiness to step up, the country will remain looking for its next world champion. — Reynald I. Magallon

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