Micah Matsushima heading to nationals

Micah Matsushima is one of a 12-man Junior Olympic team heading to the nationals later this month, said Ken Oki, his coach.

Recently, Matsushima demonstrated that championship quality at the Palolo Valley Gym when he pulled out a victory from the brink of defeat, Oki said in a press release.

Heading into the gym on that cold and rainy evening, Oki was hoping for an easy night of coaching, telling Matsushima to score a first-round knockout.

That was Plan A.

But his opponent, a year older and bigger, had other plans.

“His opponent pummeled him from ring post to ring post,” Oki said. “We had to go immediately to Plan B for the second round.”

Matsushima entered the round executing numbered combinations that Oki called, turning the tide.

“It was cool when Micah could hear without turning around, just like he was hitting the heavy bag,” Oki said. “He executed some combinations with precision, and in others, he looked like a mad stork. But he heard them all and attempted all of them while fashioning enough beautiful combos to garner the satisfatory but hair-raising win.”

Matsushima’s victories are due to his sparring partners, Oki said.

“His defensive abilities definitely came from trying to avoid the power punches from the likes of Renante Villanueva of Kaumakani, who at 5 feet 11 inches and 130 pounds is almost an exact twin of Matsushima,” Oki said. “He is much stronger and older, though.”

Another of Matsushima’s sparring partners has been John “Pound for Pound” Lumabao, whom Oki describes as having Floyd Mayweather-like abilities. He is making a comeback after a break to grow five inches and gain 25 pounds.

Oki said Lumabao impressed Honolulu boxing judges after winning his first two outings.

Matsushima described Villanueva as strong and Lumabao as good.

“Next time I’ll try to stick with Plan A,” Matsushima said, following his close win in Palolo.