Waterfront brawls

Two Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) titles are at stake in promoter Rex (Wakee) Salud’s blockbuster card in the Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel tomorrow night.

Two unbeaten Filipino fighters face Korean opponents in scheduled 12-round bouts guaranteed not to last the distance. OPBF welterweight champion Rivero (Bong) Santillan of Jaro, Iloilo, takes on No. 1 contender Yong Hwa Choi while Randy (Komong Bato) Suico of Mandaue battles dangerous Sung Ho Yuh in a pair of humdingers headlining Salud’s show called "Brawl at the Waterfront 2."

The card is a sequel to Salud’s first "Brawl at the Waterfront," also featuring Santillan and Suico, in Cebu last year. That was when some 3,000 fans packed the posh Ballroom to watch Santillan floor Suk Hyun Yun twice en route to posting a split decision for the OPBF 147-pound crown. In the undercard, Suico stopped Dante Paulino in the eighth round to retain his Philippine superfeatherweight championship.

Santillan, 24, is making the third defense of his OPBF belt. He’s coming off a sixth round disposal of Kenji Go in Yokohama. Santillan boasts an unblemished 14-0-1 record, including 11 KOs. Choi is also unbeaten with an 8-0-1 slate. The winner has been ordered to defend against Hiroshi Watanabe in Nagoya on June 9. Last August, Santillan and Watanabe fought to a split draw. They were set to figure in a rematch last November but a freak accident led to Watanabe’s withdrawal a few days before the fight.

Suico, 22, is determined to succeed Tiger Ari as OPBF titleholder in the 130-pound class. Ari relinquished the throne to meet Cassius Baloyi for the International Boxing Organization (IBO) junior lightweight diadem in South Africa last week. Ari lost on a sixth round knockout and now hopes to challenge the winner of the Suico-Yuh bout which is for the vacant throne.

Suico is ranked No. 5 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and a win over Yuh will bring him closer to a mandatory title shot. Yuh, 29, is no patsy. He knocked out Yuji Watanabe for the OPBF lightweight crown two years ago and fought Jose Luis Castillo for the WBC 135-pound title last June. Yuh’s record is 13-2-1, with seven KOs. Among his victims were Filipinos Ulysses Puzon, Jun Gorres, and Erwin Gonzales. In 1996, Yuh invaded Manila and scored a shock sixth round knockout over Gorres. So fighting on local shores isn’t a new experience for the battle-tested natural lightweight who’s stepping down to the superfeatherweight class to fight Suico.

Suico’s Japanese manager Joe Koizumi arrived in Cebu the other day. Koizumi is slowly but surely priming Suico for a shot at the world crown.

Suico’s record is an impressive 15-0, with 13 knockouts. Only Israel Melendez and Joe Escriber survived the distance with the hard-hitting Cebuano who started his boxing career as an amateur under Pacing Flores. One of 10 children and six boys, Suico fought for businessman Tony Aldeguer before joining Koizumi’s stable. He has undergone surgery to repair knuckle damage in both fists but he’s now as good as new, thanks to Dr. Felix Vicuna.

Suico has knocked out his last five opponents and is itching for stiffer competition. His last two victims — Karim Nashar and Jun Longakit — surrendered in a round each. Yuh should be an acid test for Suico. He went the full route with rugged Mongolian Lakva Sim, a former world champion, and is unbeaten in three fights in Japan. Yuh has an outstanding record in overseas action. Five of his victims went out in three rounds or less.

Santillan, a long-armed and big-hearted 5-10 1/2 slugger, is the sixth of seven children born to poor farmers. He’ll be paid P300,000 for tomorrow’s workout.

Salud said he plans more title defenses for Santillan until the road opens up for a crack at the world crown. Because of Santillan’s height, he won’t be outsized by the reigning welterweight champions — the WBC’s Vernon Forrest, Ricardo Mayorga of the World Boxing Association and Michele Piccirillo of the International Boxing Federation (IBF). The division lists a lot of tough contenders like Sugar Shane Mosley, Andrew (Six Heads) Lewis and Golden Johnson but the three titlists — especially the light-hitting Piccirillo — aren’t unbeatable.

In a 10-round appetizer that’s a grudge rematch, Salud’s latest jewel Jimrex Jaca meets Michael Domingo. Jaca is the country’s bantamweight champion but his title won’t be on the line. Domingo is the Philippines’ No. 1 superbantamweight and brings a 13-5-2 record, with six KOs, to the table. Jaca, 18, has a perfect 14-0 mark, with seven KOs.

Two years ago, Jaca and Domingo slugged it out in Cainta. Jaca stopped Domingo in three. Domingo swears Jaca’s win was a fluke. He’s got the chance to prove it tomorrow.

Jaca is an exciting bell-to-bell brawler. He took only a round to put Manny Pacquiao’s brother Bobby to sleep last August. And in his most recent outing, Jaca disposed of veteran Andy Alagenio in two.

Salud’s 64-round bill is sponsored by San Miguel Beer, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, San A-Cebu, Land Bank, Casino Filipino, Senorita Farms of Davao, Platinum Fitness and Welness Club, Mrs. Fedelina Kobayashi, Robert Yu, Jimmy Sy, John Uytengsu, David Cua, Jumilan Marketing, Park and Go Bakeshop, Makris Tire, Roedil’s Printing Press, N&L Exports, Roadside Bar-B-Q, and Nilo Javier.

A ringside ticket with a sumptuous dinner goes for P1,000. A balcony seat is P300. First bell rings at 6 p.m.

Salud, who was recently honored as the country’s Best Manager at the second Flash Elorde Boxing Awards Night, promised a night of fireworks. Santillan, who sparred over 60 rounds with the likes of Suico, Dindo Castanares and Tirso Albia, is ready for war. So is Suico.

Salud said the Korean opponents are no tomato cans. Their records speak for themselves. They’ve come to win, not to roll over and die. They flew in from Inchon on a straight Philippine Airlines flight to Cebu at dawn yesterday like commandoes on a mission. It won’t be a picnic for Santillan and Suico, that’s for sure.