## WATANABE ACQUIRES VACANT OPBF LIGHT TITLE

April 10, 2000
TOKYO, JAPAN-Hard-punching veteran YUJI WATANABE(right photo), 134, acquired the vacant OPBF lightweight title as he dropped Australian STUART PATTERSON, 135, twice en route to an impressive TKO win at 1:46 of the second round.

Watanabe, now 24-4-1, 23 KOs, had fought to a split draw with the OPBF top contender Sungho Yuh in an elimination bout here last January. The Japanese was supposed to meet the Korean for the vacant throne in a rematch, but Yuh suffered a car accident and had his Achilles' tendon to be unable to participate in this eliminator.

The fast-moving Australian took the leadoff in the opening session as he almost toppled Watanabe with a well-timed left-right combination and obviously had the upper hand.

Watanabe, however, exploded a big right to the face of Patterson, sending him backward to the deck in the second round. He kept stalking the Australian with a barrage of punches and had him on the canvas again. Referee David Chung made a well-received halt to save the loser from further punishment.

Patterson fell to 12-5-2, 1 KO. The winner and new OPBF champ Watanabe will have to meet the Korean Yuh in his first defense.

### UNDERCARDS

Upcoming NOBUYUKI ENOMOTO, 107, ran his mark to 11-1-1, 2 KOs by scoring a fine TKO of Filipino lefty FLASH VILLACURA, 104 1/2, OPBF #5 ranked minimum, at 2:21 of the 4th session.

Enomoto, also a southpaw, registered 9 victories straight. Villacura dropped to 13-8-1, 8 KOs.

Promoter: Saida Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(4-10-00)

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