23 years ago today: Mincha "Rocky" Lin vs. On "Wandee Chor Chareon/Singwancha" Doowiset

A nice straw tussle in the Orient - that is probably off most folks' radar and has become something of a rarity (this being the only complete version on the internet, with even asianboxing.info having previously obtained just a partial TV edit) - with the combatants, Taiwanese and Thai respectively, going hammer & tong in front of an uncommonly lively Japanese audience:

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This same card featured Cesar Bazán Pérez vs. Hiroyuki Sakamoto and Paul Anthony Ayala vs. Jōichirō Tatsuyoshi, with the latter still available online but all uploads for the former now defunct.

Lin would never fight again, with his only professional defeats this one and his previous attempt for this same title six years earlier, kayoed in 2 by arguably the 105lb division GOAT himself in Ricardo "Finito" López. Doowiset, just 18½ during this match, would defend the interim belt once and later be promoted to full champion status when López vacated to move up to light fly, but immediately lost it and spent his next 13 years in the ring can-crushing at home or getting beaten up abroad...with his final conqueror, Hong Konger southpaw Rex Tso, ironically, sharing Han ethnicity (if not citizenship) with Lin.

 

Mincha Lin vs. On Doowiset, 12 rounds @ minimumweight

 

That corner to corner Suntory display is among the coolest looking ring canvas adverts I've seen.

 

Round 1

Lin marching forward thrusting stiff left jabs to body and head from a high guard. Doowiset matching those in kind and raising the stakes with a sneaky overhand right while strafing laterally on a diagonal to cut inside added into the ante.

10-9 Doowiset

 

Round 2

Lin busier with the jab but mostly getting blocked. Lin putting some mustard on a descending right hand chasing Doowiset out when he scores a body shot and then exits with earmuffs, landing mostly at the base of the head. Nice left hooks downstairs by Doowiset.

20-18 Doowiset

 

Round 3

They're fairly even in the jabbing duel and on defense. Both picking off shots and parrying well at medium-close range, and both threading needle and scoring with lefts. Doowiset however is dominating in power shots. Big overhand rights, often tripling or quadrupling up on them, just slamming down on the guard of Lin until he can pull it away to land the next, or slashing fast left hooks across the waistband.

30-27 Doowiset

 

Round 4

Doowiset's body combos, starchier overall punching, and guard-hopping overhands continue just about making the difference for the first two minutes. Lin carving his way down the middle with some very nice 1-2s, however. WBC open scoring is announced but drowned out by the crowd and commentators. Lin pieces together a jab-cross-hook flush late in the round, perhaps stealing it.

10-9 Lin, close

39-37 Doowiset

 

Round 5

Lin has found a working formula - stepping all the way out after landing the jab and 1-2, and then galloping a quarter-circle around Doowiset to make him reset. Wide lunging hooks by Doowiset, missing and spinning him around. Very sharp right hand leads from Lin, moving in a nice rhythm now.

10-9 Lin

48-47 Doowiset

 

For two guys most of you have almost surely never heard of, even though one fought on until just eight years ago (albeit as a journeyman), they're both quite skillful.

 

Round 6

Tricky angle and level changing jabs from Lin versus the sudden explosive power punch head hunting of Doowiset. Both having their moments. Anyone's to steal with a minute left. Lin evades or slaps down several hard shots and counters with neat straight combos on the button.

10-9 Lin

57-57

 

Round 7

Lin absolutely on fire with his footwork and counter jabs. Doowiset trying very hard with his nonstop pressure and massive hooks, complete with spring-loaded rotary torso follow-through, but Lin pulling the carpet out from under him and denying him anything pristine.

10-9 Lin, close

67-66 Lin

 

Round 8

Doowiset blocking some jabs with his face, refusing to raise his knux above his chin, so that he is always in position to either hurl uppercuts from behind the hip or fire line drives off his chest. Lin still getting in with some jabs and counter 1-2s but drowned out by Doowiset's power attack, and brutal body shots in particular backing Lin up.

10-9 Doowiset

76-76

 

Round 9

Doowiset smartly timing his volleys of hard uppercuts just when Lin is at peak extension with his jab, this lumping them into his armpit to bruise up that pectoral fascia. Lin still doing very good work and landing stiffly, high rate of jabs, but Doowiset keeps a grip on the reins he seized in round eight, if just.

10-9 Doowiset, very close

85-85 Doowiset

 

Round 10

Doowiset ripping left hooks into the chest and sides of Lin, visibly hurting the man from Taiwan and nearly bending him over sideways a few times. Lin adjusts, pinning his arms to his side and dipping slightly at the knees to remove some of that bullseye while cranking out deterrent jabs, but Doowiset dominated a good two minutes before that and has made Lin more gunshy.

10-9 Doowiset

96-94 Doowiset

 

Round 11

Doowiset tanking through jabs and abusing Lin with overhand rights across the left temple and left hooks planted into the right lower ribcage. Doowiset is staying on top of Doowiset and slugging hard for the full three minutes, bell to bell. Lin jabbing, surviving, opens up with his own meaty hook on the body but is hit with a few bombs in return, getting the worst of things.

10-9 Doowiset

106-103 Doowiset