Fights Inside and Outside of the Ring... Sunday, March 24

Today was FIGHT DAY but it was anticipated that it’d be a fight day unlike any other because of the fights that’d be going on both in and outside of the ring.

FIGHT 1:  Jujeath Nagaowa vs. Park Ji Hyun

INSIDE THE RING:

Jujeath stood in the away corner with her 24 fight experience, against Korea’s Mini Flyweight Female Champion who has defended her title 13 times, Park Ji Hyun.  It was a 10 rounder fight and that’s exactly how long it went for.  It was an impressive fight of pure fierce force and round-for-round action and it was clear both fighters gave it their all.  At the end of the fight many of the spectators rose to their feet and clapped as we all awaited the judges results.  

Jujeath 0, Ji Hyun 1

OUTSIDE THE RING:

Fighting originally out of the Philippines, Jujeath had moved to Korea solely for her boxing but with a weak handle on the Korean language and a Korean coach with no English experience, she trained alone.  I tried to help her with her training via a stream of email conversations about how to go about training against Park Ji Hyun.  She has asked me to be her corner coach but I declined, noting that because I know both her and Ji Hyun it was a conflict of interest, so instead of me my foreign fight promoter stepped up to the position.  I stuck to yelling her moves and pointers from ringside.  Coaching via emailing, a new corner coach on fight day, fighting against the home country’s cherished boxer, and going against home advantage…. now that’s a fight.

And as for Ji Hyun, having defending her title for 13 times, of course there’s much pressure on her to continue her legancy as the best pound-for-pound female boxer and to proudly represent Korea.  No fight is ever easy for her despite her championship title belt she still sports, she still trains like a machine and goes through the fight nerves and pressure like other boxers but I think some of her pressures are more extreme than other boxers.  You’ll still only see her mother sitting in the crowd watching her fight and she almost always cries at the end.  This is Korea, having a Korean daughter that’s going against the social norms of what it means to be a “Korean girl” can’t be easy nor is it obviously easy for Ji Hyun. 

Jujeath 4, Ji Hyun 1

RESULT: JUJEATH’S VICTORY

FIGHT 2:  Cheonan Bulldog vs. The Osaka Kid

INSIDE THE RING:

With the Osaka Kid sporting an impressive 10 out of 11 win record and six of his wins being by knockout, the Cheonan Bulldog clearly had his work cut out for him.  It was a relatively good matching up of opponents but I don't think the Cheonan Bulldog was quite ready for a championship title match.  He continually went in  and then was given some mean counter punches.  He doesn't have a hard head (literally speaking that is -- physically) so he really should have waited for his opponent to come to him.  It was quite the challenging fight for the Cheonan Bulldog but he fought with heart and he gave it his all.  You couldn't have asked for more than his best.  He certainly had a crowd full of supporters and though I’m familiar with the Osaka Kid, I cheered for him.  Not only was he a former teammate of mine and a friend but I knew him winning this fight would be deserving for him.  Moreover, I knew it’d make Junior Mint happy and free him of a lot of stress.  Unfortunately it didn’t go so smoothly as hoped for and he lost.

The Cheonan Bulldog 0, The Osaka Kid 1

OUTSIDE THE RING:

With only but two main professional fighters fighting out of UP Boxing Club, the pressure is definitely on these two to become the next round of champions – to uphold the UP name – and I know Junior Mint is laying the pressure on extra thick.  Add to this stress the fact that our boxing club is opening up soon and in the same city, there’s definitely pressure to up their game and uphold their name before our name is established and gains publicity and strength. 

I talked to the Cheonan Bulldog in the change room while he warmed up and he initially greeted me with a light hug and huge smile.  Of course he was feeling the pressure and stress of the whole situation but he was able to temporarily put it on hold while he asked how I was and if I missed him.  As for Junior Mint, he looked beyond stressed and distracted – his usual fight day manner.  He greeted Snickers with a slap to the shoulder and said his name but as for how I was greeted, there was no greeting.  I got the cold shoulder literally as he pushed by me to head to the bathroom.  There was no exchanging of eye contact or anything beyond just one bump to my shoulder.  

And as for the Osaka Kid, Snickers actually met him when he went to Japan to fight at a tournament in Osaka that he was in too, hence the nickname.  He won his fight in Osaka and though the promoter noted to me that his opponent wasn’t the most talented or skilled, winning against Japan’s intense home advantage gives his status as a boxer much strength and respect among Korean boxers. 

The Cheonan Bulldog 2, The Osaka Kid 1

RESULTS:  TIED FIGHT