Former WBC flyweight champion Daisuke Naito says his four-time Thai opponent Pongsaklek Wonjongkam and current WBC title holder Koki Kameda are equally matched.

Pongsaklek is currently in Japan for his bid for the WBC title against Kameda at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo on March 27. His colleague WBC stawweight champion Oleydong Sithsamerchai will also fight in the same event against Japanese challenger Yasutaka Kuroki.

Both Thai boxers and their promoter Piyarat Wachiratanawong arrived in Japan on March 20 in preparation for the title matches and on March 23 were greeted by a large group of Japanese reporters when they visited Naito’s Miyata Gym.

The reporters watched as the two boxers started their training session, which included a sparring match with each other. Unbeknownst to the Japanese-speaking journalists, Piyarat kept yelling to the boxers to not use full force or their key techniques so that they would be kept secret from their opponents.

Thai boxers Pongsaklek Wonjongkam and Oleydong Sithsamerchai have arrived in Japan on March 20 for their title matches this Saturday.

Pongsaklek, now holding a WBC flyweight interim title, seems to be getting much attention from the Japanese media upon his arrival at the Narita airport in Tokyo, as he will fight Japan’s notorious Koki Kameda, the world title holder, at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo on March 27.

At the airport, Pongsaklek, his promoter Wirat Wachiratanawong, and the Thai staff team were also greeted by Hiroyuki Miyata, who is manager of former WBC champion Naito Daisuke. The Japanese pugilist is an old-time rival of Pongsaklek, as the two have fought each other in four matches already.

In March 2008, Naito retained his WBC flyweight title after a draw with Pongsaklek, but eventually lost it to Kameda in November last year.

Thai boxing manager Wirat Wachiratanawong says he is not worried that Japanese boxing figure Shiro Kameda has been allowed to return to the sport.

Wirat said it would be up to his boxer Pongsaklek Wonjongkam whether he could beat WBC flyweight champion Koki Kameda, Shiro’s oldest son, at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo on March 27.

The Thai manager said he is not concerned that Shiro may return to his former job as trainer to his three boxer sons. Shiro’s license was taken away by the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) for abusing the referee in the match of his middle son Daiki Kameda and fellow Japanese pugilist Daisuke Naito in 2007.

Filipino superstar boxer Manny Pacquiao has defeated challenger Joshua Clottey of Ghana by unanimous decision to retain his WBO welterweight title.

Pacquiao enjoyed quite a one-side slaughter against the defensive Clottey at the WBO match held in Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday March 13.

The first round was a slow start as Pacquiao’s attempts to strike were mostly blocked by the well-guarded Clottey. The Filipino ramped up his attacks in the second round but none hit, while his opponent used straight punches to counter his aggression.

The third round was remembered for Clottey’s strike that landed on Pacquiao’s face, although the Filipino’s punches started to get through Clottey’s guards as well. In the fourth round, Pacquiao clearly gained control of the fight and was able to land hits to the midsection.

In the fifth and sixth round, the champion mostly kept his distance but tried to use his flurries on Clottey, who started to show some action in the seventh round with some nice hit to midsection in the middle of the round.