## WBA #14 SUPER-LIGHT MAEDA BARELY RETAINS JAPANESE TITLE

August 5, 2000
TOKYO, JAPAN-WBA #14 ranked Hiroyuki Maeda(right photo), 140, barely kept his Japanese super-light belt as he had a tough time catching an elusive footworker Tatsuhisa Kawashima, 139 3/4, and desperately swept the last three sessions to be awarded a split decision over 10.

Scored: Uratani 97-96 and Uchida 99-93, both for Maeda, and Kumazaki 97-96 for Kawashima. Referee was Takeshi Shimakawa.

Maeda, making his first defense, had wrested the national throne by dropping then WBA-rated Junichi Ono to win a close verdict last April. Despite our expectation of Maedafs easy defense, it became a very tough fight for Maeda, a 5f11h boxer-puncher, who absorbed quick left-right combos of the Fancy Dan.

Aware of being behind on points, Maeda furiously swarmed over the fading opponent and took the last 3 rounds with his aggressiveness. The champ raised his mark to 21-6-2, 12 KOs. Kawashima, a lanky dancer, fell to 14-7-2, 4 KOs.

### Undercard:

Unranked underdog Mitsuhiro Harashima, 115, scored an upset unanimous decision over Japanfs #10 ranked prospect Masahiro Iimura, 115, over 10.

The light-punching Harashima, just 9-7-5, 2 KOs, kept outjabbing and outclassing the prefight favorite Iimura, 10-2-1, 5 KOs, and withstood his solid combinations. The upset loser previously won the All Japan final of the Novice King tournaments last year.

Japanfs #10 ranked lightie Tomoyuki Kusama, 125, floored hard-hitting prospect Shintaro Yazawa, 125 1/2, with a countering left hook in the 4th en route to a unanimous verdict over 8. The victor is 10-7, 3 KOs, and the loser 11-3, 7 KOs.

Ex-national high school champ Takashi Ijichi, 135, made a fine pro debut after a 4-year inactivity and earned a majority but popular decision over Hiroyuki Ioku, 135, in 6.

Promoter: Masao Suzukifs Kadoebi Jewel Promotions.

(8-5-00)

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