FIST OF FURY 8: Japanese pug vows KO in clash with Mindanaoan foe

Sports

HAROKI Miyamoto is off to an unbeaten start of his young career, tallying two quick wins all via knockout.

The Japanese fighter intends to go home unscathed as he vowed to go all-out when he battles Mindanao’s Junibert Bantay in the main event of the Fist of Fury 8 fight card on Saturday night, August 16, at the SM Seaside City Cebu’s Sky Hall Convention Center.

Miyamoto and Bantay of the Cebu City-based Chao Sy Boxing Stable will fight for the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) Silver super featherweight title.

“I trained for two and half months, trained very hard. I am motivated to bring home the title,” said Miyamoto.

Miyamoto stressed his duel with Bantay is not just about winning. He promised to come up with a convincing victory.

“You can expect me to score a knockout. Knockout or decision, I will do my best,” said the 23-year-old Miyamoto during the card’s weigh-in ceremony on Friday, August 15.

Miyamoto sounded very confident while Bantay, a native of Bukidnon, was just within earshot.

Bantay appeared unfazed as he too guaranteed a stellar showing.

“It will boil down to who’s going to make the telling blows first. I will do my best to win because I was given this opportunity to fight for a title. I have been dreaming for this opportunity to come,” said Bantay, who is unbeaten in eight fights with one knockout win.

In the co-main event, Cebu-based Japanese fighter Kiyoto Narukami will take on Bantay’s stablemate Cebuano Jemuel Arañas (7-2, 4 KOs) for the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) flyweight title.

“I’ve trained here for three years, sparred with world champions and top Filipino boxers, so I know how to fight them. Tomorrow, I will show it in the ring,” said Narukami (5-1, 2 KOs), who has been honing his skills under Michael Domingo at the ZIP Sanman Boxing Gym in Barangay Banawa, Cebu City.

Domingo is the trainer of Melvin Jerusalem, one of the only two reigning Filipino world boxing champions.

The card spearheaded by Cebuano sportsman Lorenzo “Chao” Sy features six professional and five amateur fights.

“I want to thank the Japanese team for allowing me to promote them in Cebu. I brought them here because I want to put up a card that will offer quality fights. I want to bring in quality boxers to go against my fighters for them to get a real test and improve their rankings,” said Sy.(CCM)