Boxing: Hasegawa aims for 'big fight' overseas

KOBE, Dec. 19 Kyodo -
WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa, who successfully defended the crown
for the 10th time a day earlier, said Saturday he envisions taking part in a
big fight overseas.
''I want to be in a big fight. If it's a nothing bout, I can't see any reason
to travel all the way overseas,'' Hasegawa said at a press conference in Kobe.
Some of the opponents he imagines going toe-to-toe with include WBA
featherweight champion Chris John from Indonesia or WBA super bantamweight
champion Poonsawat Kratiengdaeng of Thailand.
''My feeling (about trying to win crowns in two weight categories) is about
fifty-fifty,'' he said.
Hasegawa, who knocked out Nicaraguan challenger Alvaro Perez in the fourth
round on Friday, also said he would welcome a unification title against the
bantamweight champion of a different organization.
The 29-year-old sits alone in second on the Japanese all-time list for
consecutive title defenses behind Yoko Gushiken, who defended the WBA light
flyweight crown 13 times. He struggled to make weight before Friday's match.
''I would like to aim for Gushiken's record but at the same time, I am curious
to find out if I can match up in unfamiliar weight classes. I need to really
think hard about this.''
==Kyodo
2009-12-20 00:57:25