WBO Asia Pacific Champion Noynay tech draws with Ogawa

WBO#6 Filipino southpaw Joe Noynay (18-2-2, 7 KOs), 130, barely kept his WBO Asia Pacific Jr. Lightweight Belt as he was held to a technical draw with WBO#11 Japanese hard-puncher Kenichi Ogawa (24-1-1, 18 KOs), 129.25, at 2:07 of the sixth round on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

They often made head-collisions from the start with Noynay bleeding from a cut at the left eyebrow and Ogawa also from a gash at the almost same place. The puzzling lefty Noynay was in command in the first round, but the more muscular Ogawa seemingly took the initiative with solid left hooks following straight rights to the Filipino thereafter. The fifth, however, saw them collide accidentally again with Noynay so badly bleeding that the ring physician advised the ref Someya to call a halt. Iida (Japan) saw the close affair 49-46 for Ogawa, Tapdasan (Philippines) 48-47 for Noynay and Sugiyama (Japan) 48-48, making it a technical decision split draw. They may deserve a rematch since Ogawa was accelerating his rhythm and work rate as the contest progressed.

By Joe Koizumi / Fightnews.com

FOTO POR Notifight.com via Hisao Adachi

Kenichi Ogawa (24-1-0-1, 18KOs) [尾川 堅一] is back on December 7th, in the main event of Dynamic Glove card at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo against WBO Asia Pacific Jr. Lightweight Champion Joe Noynay (18-2-1, 7 KOs), in a really mouth watering match.

Ogawa is best known internationally for his IBF world title fight with Tevin Farmer, which he won before the result was over-turned due to a positive drug test which has been blamed on a skin cream Ogawa was using for acne. Since the failed drug test he has returned to action and picked up a couple of wins over local opposition whilst seeing an IBF world title eliminator with Azinga Fuzile (14-0, 8) fall through.

Whilst Ogawa has fought in the US Noynay hasn’t, but this year he has developed a reputation as a upset minded Japanese killer. Back in April he stopped Kosuke Saka to become the WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight champion, then he returned in July and upset 2012 Olympic bronze medal winner Satoshi Shimizu, in one of the bigger upsets at regional level this year. Not only did he stop Shimizu, but he really did a number on him, damaging both of Shimizu’s orbitals and putting him down a number of times in a very impressive display.

This will be Noynay’s second defense of the regional title he took in his win over Saka whilst Ogawa will be looking to claim his first regional title. Maybe more important than the title however is that the winner of this bout will be snapping on the heels of a world title fight. At the time of writing Nonay is ranked #6 with the WBO, whilst Ogawa is #11.

By Asian Boxing.info

Filipino sharpshooter Joe Noynay (18-2-1, 7 KOs), 129.75, impressively kept his WBO Asia Pacific 130-pound belt as he battered previously unbeaten 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Satoshi Shimizu (8-1, 8 KOs), 129.75, from the outset, dropped him twice in the first round, kept whipping the damaged Japanese and finally halted him at 2:18 of the sixth round in a scheduled twelve rounder on Friday in Osaka, Japan.

It took place beneath the WBA middleweight title bout of Rob Brant and Ryota Murata at the Edion Arena Osaka, where people gloomily witnessed an unexpected massacre. It had been regarded as Shimizu’s step en route to his world title crack in the near future, but Noynay was such a great nuisance that he completely destroyed his dream. The fatal sixth saw Shimizu, probably due to his deteriorated eyesight, abruptly quit by himself to be declared a TKO loser. It was a shocking scene.

Via By Joe Koizumi / fightnews.com

WBO Asia Pacific Clash: Noynay-Shimizu

In 2018 we saw 2012 Olympic bronze medal winner Satoshi Shimizu (8-0, 8) [清水 聡] fight 3 times, and his activity for the year consisted of just 15 rounds of action and unfortunately, he’s yet to fight this year.

On July 12 Shimizu battles the WBO Asia Pacific Jr. Lightweight Champion Filipino fighter Joe Noynay (17-2-1, 6) as part of a card headlined by Ryota Murata’s (14-2, 11) [村田 諒太] rematch with Middleweight champion Rob Brant (25-1, 17).

The fight broadcast on ESPN+ will begin at 7 a.m. ET

Promoter Mr Ohashi revealed that the bout isn’t a sign of Shimizu abandoning the Featherweight division, but instead expanding options for a world title fight, suggesting that Shimizu can make weight without issue. Given his frame it’s not hard to believe this.

Although the Japanese fighter is seen as the puncher it is worth noting that Noynay really shined earlier this year, when he blitzed Kosuke Saka to win he WBO Asia Pacific title. Whilst Noynay has lost twice both were ultra close decisions, coming to Richard Pumicpic and Reiya Abe, and he has certainly grown, matured and developed since then.

On paper, this should be a very, very interesting test.

Photo credit to Obe Yasushi