By Troy Parslow

As the Korakuen Hall welcomed fans for a WBO flyweight arrival on Friday, Junto Nakatani pulled Giemel Magramo into his centre and dispatched him in eight rounds.

Opening in a strong, low stance, not struggling for his timing punching down at a shorter opponent as a result, and occupying Magramo's guard at mid-range, Nakatani set the tone: hurting Magramo with an off-beat counter left hand as the visitor was baited into hooking around the jab—swinging a feel-out round and all momentum with it. Being hurt effortlessly, and just the two minutes into the contest, is quite a brutal awakening for someone whose wearing counters is an occupational hazard he so often disregards for their (lack of) consequences.

Whether Magramo was hurt too often to risk shuffling forward through long-mid-short range or disturbed by Nakatani's lead hand, as soon as the head began hanging so precariously over his front foot and the upper body movement—highlighted before the fight in being crucial in keeping Nakatani honest—made way for low, shapeless entries, it felt to this fan that the writing was on the wall. Nakatani punished the Filipino's bent shape, loading both hips—even upon falling short—to finish his combinations with leveraged, arching punches.

Stepping back, around Magramo's front foot, pushing him off before stepping out from the clinch, pivoting into space; Nakatani was able to create separation whenever it occurred to him and, by extension, manage the rounds on his terms. By the fifth, Magramo's exaggerated role as puncher was forgotten and the dynamic flipped. In stealing his rhythm and forcing Magramo to pick up his feet, Nakatani was the puncher—troubling his man with whatever he couldn't anticipate or roll.

If nothing else proving his mettle and industry, it would, however, be wrong to overlook Magramo's successes coming back. On more equal terms rounds two through four and even in the sixth, moving in behind right hand leads with a level change, he managed to find the body and a home for short uppercuts and counters. Head-on-shoulder, trying for space with a forearm and disrupting Nakatani's stance enough to land his own cuffing shots before being turned, or slipping an arm out to unsettle him from underneath in the clinch. Not particularly pretty, sometimes desperate, but getting through all the same.

Still, Magramo met the end of round six and the vanity of his inroads with a grimace. The bodywork seen snaking around the guard, and more so under it, taking its toll and the giant delivering it looking as strong as I've ever seen, Magramo unravelled with his resistance. He couldn't move Nakatani in six rounds and, now struggling to cover the distance behind a right hand, the next two were less kind.

Between last ditch raids and a couple of glances at his corner, Magramo was guided into space or retreating to the ropes as Nakatani played with step-back counters and poked at the body. Ninety seconds left in the eight, a sweeping left hand, disguised with a level change and hidden by a jab, ushered in the finish sending Magramo bouncing each side of the ring as Nakatani timed the rebounds. Falling on his front, Magramo succumbed to his imbalance—climbing to his feet before referee Nobuto Ikehara translated defeat in his gape and waved the fight.

By Rene Bonsubre,Jr

The fight for the vacant WBO world flyweight title between Giemel Magramo (24-1,20KO’s) of the Philippines and Junto Nakatani (20-0,15KO’s) of Japan is one of numerous fight cards that have been postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The fight, which was set for April 4 in Tokyo, was for the title vacated by Japan’s Kosei Tanaka last February.

Magramo is no stranger to disappointing situations. Last year, he was scheduled to face Thailand’s Eaktawan Krungthepthonburi on September 7 in an IBF eliminator set in Metro Manila. The winner was supposed to be the next challenger of IBF flyweight champion Moruti Mthalane of South Africa.

But, the Thai boxer was reported to have succumbed to food poisoning and Magramo had to face substitute Richard Claveras and stopped him in three rounds. That fight however, was not the final step to a world title showdown that Magramo had hoped.

But last February, Magramo, who is now the number one flyweight contender of the WBO, was reported to be facing the number three Nakatani for the title.

This will be the first world title shot for both boxers. Magramo remains in high spirits in the midst of all the uncertainty. He is based in Paranaque City in Metro Manila, which is now in a state of lockdown due to the coronavirus.

“I am safe, I am feeling good.” Magramo told this writer in a short chat. “I was told we could be fighting on June 6. So, I am still training at the Elorde Gym.”

Nakatani was reported by asianboxing last March 18 to have left his training camp in the United States and returned to Japan. The report stated that due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., Nakatani has had cancel sparring with Luis Nery and that he will resume training back in Japan rather than taking time out of the gym to relax.

Nakatani’s last two opponents were Filipinos – Philip Luis Cuerdo who was knocked out in round one and former IBF world junior flyweight champ Milan Melindo, who was stopped in six.

It was reported that all shows set until April 30 were cancelled or postponed by the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) and the JPBA (Japan Professional Boxing Association). The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has posted on their website that due to the current situation worldwide caused by Covid-19, the WBO has postponed all boxing events through June 2020.

It is still in doubt as to whether the situation will improve in Asia a couple of months from now but everyone in the boxing industry are hoping.

World title fights in the United States involving Asian boxers are also affected by postponements notably the unification fight between WBA/IBF bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue of Japan and WBO champ John Riel Casimero of the Philippines as well the IBF junior bantamweight title defense of Filipino Jerwin Ancajas vs Mexican Jonathan Rodriguez.


File photo – Giemel Magramo in Suzhou, China January 2019