Cocky ‘Prince’ sees Gerry’s fall

"I win."

That’s all Japanese challenger Keiji Yamaguchi, known as the Prince, said when asked to predict the outcome of his scheduled 12-round title bout against World Boxing Council (WBC) International superflyweight champion Gerry Peñalosa at the Araneta Coliseum this Saturday.

Short and sweet. Nothing more, nothing less. He didn’t elaborate — he’s not the talkative type. The Prince would rather let his fists do the talking in the ring.

Yamaguchi, 27, blew into town with trainer Junichi Misawa early yesterday afternoon on a Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo. He looked big for a 115-pounder, stockier than In Joo Cho — the former WBC titlist who beat Peñalosa twice on controversial split decisions and whose style the Prince emulates.

Yamaguchi and Misawa are billeted at the Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City.

Peñalosa has everything to lose in fighting Yamaguchi. He’s the WBC No. 1 contender and next in line to challenge the winner of the May 20 duel between champion Masamori Tokuyama and Cho. A loss to Yamaguchi will obliterate Peñalosa’s hopes of ending the country’s world title drought.

In contrast, Yamaguchi has everything to gain. A win over Peñalosa will automatically catapult Yamaguchi into the championship picture.

Peñalosa isn’t taking any chances against the scrappy Japanese southpaw who in 1996, outpointed Carlos Murillo of Panama to bag the World Boxing Association (WBA) junior flyweight crown. A nutrition program prepared by prominent dietician Dr. Sanirose Orbeta has kept Peñalosa within the junior bantamweight limit and he should make the weight easily.

While Peñalosa has vowed to stop Yamaguchi, he declined to predict the fatal round. Yamaguchi scoffed at Peñalosa’s promise and said in broken English, "I no go down."

Peñalosa has studied Yamaguchi’s style carefully on tape and said the Japanese fights like Cho. The difference is the Japanese likes to mix it up. "Lumalaban siya ng sabayan," noted Peñalosa. So fans can expect a slam-bang brawl.

Yamaguchi, who trained in Korea last year to toughen up, has victimized 12 Filipinos — including Nolito Cabato, Lee Escobido, and Rudy Idano — in compiling a 29-6-1 record, with 11 knockouts. He has never lost to a Filipino.