Wednesday, September 12, 2007 Yukka concedes to loss vs. Niida
TWO time world title challenger Eriberto “Yukka” Gejon offered no excuse in his recent defeat to Yutaka Niida of Japan for the WBA minimum-weight title last Sept. 1 in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
“After the 12 rounds, I knew I lost. Niida was not the same fighter I fought two years ago. He opted one power punch this time than what he did before,” Gejon told Sun.Star-Cebu Monday night.
With his recent defeat, Gejon has decided to move up to a higher weight division, probably the flyweight division where he could be more comfortable.
“We had a talk with sir Wakee (Salud) and he decided that I should go up to the higher division he wanted me up at 108 pounds but I can be more comfortable at the flyweight division,” added Gejon.
At 30 years old, Gejon has outgrown his 105 pounds division when he turned professional back in 1999.
He admitted that although he could still make the 105-lb. limit, he was zapped with all his powers and his hard training at the gym trying to build more muscles went for naught when he started to reduce.
“I felt very tired and I could feel his punches especially on the body because there’s no more muscle left in me during the fight. I’m not getting any younger so I have to make a decision because I wanted to continue fighting,” said Gejon.
At 5-foot-6, Gejon weighed only 50 kilos in the pre-fight weigh-in.
“Imagine I only gained 2.4 kilos after our weigh-in, my body could no longer accept more food since a little amount of food would make me full already,” he said.
A member of the vaunted Cebu boxing team which swept all the national amateur boxing titles in 1997, Gejon is one of the very talented Cebuano prize fighters, who has a good chance of becoming a world champion.
Gejon is hoping to get another chance for the world title as his manager, Salud, has promised him for another world title fight. (RCM)
