Raquinel and company arrive in Japan

By Lito delos Reyes

DAVAO CITY — Jayr “The Dreamer” Raquinel of Negros Occidental arrived in Japan yesterday (Aug. 21) to defend again his Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight title against Takuya Kogawa of Japan on Aug. 23 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.The 22-year old Racquinel (10W-1L-1D, 7KO) arrived together with boxers Alphoe “Wolverine” Dagayloan (13W-2L-5D, 5KO) of Dipolog City and Jay Lloyd “The Storm” Quidlat (4W-0L-1D, 2KO) of Paranaque.Also accompanying them are manager Brico Santig and trainers Allan Alegria and Eric Santig.Dagayloan will fight Ryota Yamauchi (4W-1L-0D, 4KO) for 8-round in the flyweight division while Quidlat will be face debuting Ryo Nakai.Racquinel took away the OPBF flyweight title from Keisuke Nakayama of Japan by a 9th round knockout last March 13, 2018 in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.He then retained the title by knocking out another Japanese Shun Kosaka in the 4th round last May 27, 2018 in Wakayama, Japan.Racquinel, however, lost to Chinese Wulan Tuolehazi by a unanimous decision in the vacant World Boxing Council Silver flyweight title last Sept. 28 in China.