By CHARLIE DUMAVI
TEAM Raka Kauko Junior is grateful for the opportunity and the experience gained despite the loss away from home in Philippines in the super featherweight category.
Boxing trainer and mentor Ephraim Montoru who is behind the PNG lightweight boxer, Raka Kauko Junior said despite going down in an eight-round boxing fight against Mark John Yap, they are now embracing the experience going forward.
Montoru said they knew the battle would be a tough one and it turns out to be as expected.
“We went toe to toe with one of the Asia’s best. It was a good fight. We knew it was going to be a tough one due to our opponents experience with many fights in Japan and also two fights in Vegas, USA. Not our best performance but we will come back stronger,” Montoru said.
Montoru along with his assistant Nelson John and PNG “Prodigy” Raka Kauko Junior took on a three men team and stepped into Tiger battlefield in Philippines.
Raka with only three professional boxing bouts records went all round against Yap “the Journey man” who has 47 professional boxing bouts pinned to his name.
Raka kept Yap busy around the ring with little to no effort to hold back. The journey man on the other hand was extraordinary with his punches, collecting points from Raka’s head every time he gets the opportunity. Yap was victorious after round eight by unanimous decision.
It is now back-to-back lost for Raka. He previously went down in a World Boxing Association-Asia title belt fight against Roldan Aldea in Port Moresby. Also on his record is the his to win against Raphael Dimero of Indonesia and Allan Vellespin of Philippines.
Moreover, despite the result of the recent fight, Team Raka is now working on securing a fight in Vietnam in the near future to continue on the international boxing match experience and to re-introduce PNG to the international boxing communities.
