August 23rd

August 23rd pops up a lot in Asian boxing and whilst many of the dates are somewhat insignificant, such as as early career fights for Shinsuke Yamanaka, there are also numerous important August 23rd's.

Born on August 23rd 1944 Hiroshi Kobayashi is one of the most famous birthday boys for the day. Notably he hwas had two reasons to celebrate the date in 1970 when he not only turned 26 years old but also successfully retained his Super Featherweight world title with a decision over Antonio Amaya. Sadly however Kobayashi's career was coming to it's end and he would retire less than 2 years later after back-to-back losses to Alfredo Marcano and Roberto Duran.

Satoshi Shingaki may be an oft forgotten member of Japanese boxing history but on this day in 1985 he fought in his last world title fight, his second bout with Australia destroyer Jeff Fenech. Shingaki, the first ever IBF champion from Japan, was tyring to recapture the IBF Bantamweight title that he had lost to Fenech 4 months earlier, unfortunately for the Japanese fighter he suffered back-to-back defeats to Fenech being stopped in 4 rounds. He would fight on until 1990 though never get another world title fight, though he did win the IBF Inter-Continental Super Flyweight title in his final bout.

In 1998 Japanese boxing icon Joichiro Tatsuyoshi recorded his last ever world title defence, a 6th round technical decision victory over the then unbeaten American Paulie Ayala. Sadly for Tatsuyoshi he would lose his title just over 4 months later, being stopped by Thai great Veeraphol Sahaprom, a second loss to Sahaprom in 1999 effectively ended Tatsuyoshi's dreams of ever recapturing a world title again and probably should have forced his permanent retirement. Sadly "Joe" fought on until 1999 making 2 ill fated comebacks and now suffers from the clear ill effects of a career that went on too long.

In 2008 hardcore Filipino fans in Cebu would have seen the then unbeaten John Riel Casimero claim his first ever professional title, the PBF Flyweight title. Casimero would decision Rodel Quilaton to claim the belt and extend his record to 10-0 (6) little would we have guess that he would later claim the IBF Light Flyweight title and have a thoroughly great though hugely over-looked career.

Staying on the subject of notable wins by Filipino's Rey Loreto scored one of his most notable wins on August 23rd 2013 when he defeated Pornsawan Porpramook via a 10th round technical decision. In his very next fight Loreto would enhance his reputation by icing South African Nkosinathi Joyi and boost him into the world rankings. Sadly we've not seen him back in the ring following his win over Joyi.

(Image, of Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, courtesy of the Orient Boxing Monthly and boxrec.com)

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