## WBA #5 RANKED RICKY YOSHIMURA REGISTERS 21ST DEFENSE OF NATIONAL LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE

February 21, 2000
TOKYO, JAPAN-Stylish jabber RICK "YOSHIMURA" ROBERTS, 134 1/4, established a new record of 21 defenses of the national title, as he retained his Japanese lightweight title by winning a shutout decision over the top contender HIRONARI OHSHIMA, 135, over 10.

Scored: Masakazu Uchida and Yuji Fukuchi, both 100-93, and Hiroyuki Tezaki 100-92, all for the lanky New Yorker residing here in Japan for many years.

Rick, 37-5-1, 20 KOs, proved too sharp and ringwise for the less experienced Ohshima, handled by ex-world junior middle champ Koichi Wajima, utilizing his left hand all night. Rick, a military worker at Yokota Base Camp, kept sticking and moving so brilliantly that Ohshima, now 11-1, 7 KOs, failed to land his vaunted solid rights with precision.

### UNDERCARDS:

Japan's #8 ranked welter MOTOKI SASAKI, 139 3/4, dropped a split decision to aggressive and onrushing KENSHI TODA, 139 1/2, over 10.

Toda kept going forward to stalk the hard-hitting footworker and occasionally brought him to a standstill. Scored: 97-93 and 97-96, both for Toda, and 96-95 for Sasaki, who fell to 9-3, 7 KOs. Toda bettered his mark to 11-2-1, 3 KOs.

Japan's #10 ranked fly TAKEFUMI SAKATA, 111 3/4, chalked up a TKO win over Filipino LEO RAMIREZ, GAB #9 ranked light fly, 113 1/2, at 0:34 of the 4th round in a scheduled 10.

Sakata improved his unbeaten ledger to 9-0, 3 KOs. Ramirez reportedly dipped to 55-28-10, 10 KOs.

Keiichi Ishikawa's Ishikawa Promotions.
(2-21-00)

PS The previous records in retaining the Japanese national titles were as follows:
20; Hitoshi Kamiyama, super-welter
19; Masashi Akiyama, light
16; Kazunori Tenryu, light fly
14; Hiroyuki Yoshino, welter
13; Spider Nemoto, feather; Junya Kushikino, welter; and Hachiro Tatsumi, middle.

## WBC #30 RANKED YAMAJI BARELY WINS OVER FILIPINO ERAHAM

February 22, 2000
HIROSHIMA, JAPAN-WATARU YAMAJI, 115, barely defeated Filipino FLASH ERAHAM, 113, by a close but unanimous decision over 10.

Yamaji had him on the deck in the 5th, but was floored with Eraham's big right in the 9th. Yamaji had his right ankle sprained though he pulled himself up. Eraham showed his generosity then without swarming over the injured opponent.

Scored: 96-94, 96-92 and 96-93, all for Yamaji, 14-5-2, 7 KOs. Eraham, GAB #4 ranked fly, is reportedly 13-2-3, 7 KOs.

### UNDERCARDS:

TAKAHIRO UOMORI, 105 3/4, unanimously decisioned Japan's #8 ranked YUKI HASHIGUCHI, 105, over 10.

The faster lefty Uomori outlegged and outboxed the slower Hashiguchi to earn a decision (97-95, 97-94 and 97-96).

Uomori is 7-9-1, 1 KO. Hashiguchi is 7-8, 4 KOs.

Hiroshima Promotions.
(2-22-00)

## ABE DECISIONS FILIPINO ALADI

February 23, 2000 TOKYO, JAPAN-Unbeaten Japan's #3 ranked super-bantam MOTOKAZU ABE, 126, outscored Filipino RAFFY ALADI, 125, over 10.

Abe bettered his log to 6-0-1, 4 KOs.

Kenji Yonekura's Yonekura Promotions.
(2-23-00)

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