July 1, 2000
TOKYO, JAPAN-Toshikage Kimura(left), 125, came off the canvas, dropped back highly regarded Haruhiko Okuda, 125 1/4, and impressively halted him with a flurry of punches at 2:35 of the 5th round to retain his Japanese national featherweight title at the Korakuen Hall.
In a sensational encounter of our top 126-pounders, Kimura took the leadoff in the first two rounds, as Okuda, from Osaka, looked tense and nervous. But Okuda, piloted by ex-WBA and WBC top bantam contender Eijiro Murata, was in command in the next two sessions.
The 5th canto, which must be Japan’s “Round of the Year,” saw Okuda floor the champ with a crisp left hook. Kimura, however, sent him sprawling to the deck with a vicious straight right.
The champ furiously followed up and forced the referee Uratani to intervene this see-saw affair.
Kimura, handled by influential impresario Akihiko Honda, raised his credentials to 21-2-4, 10 KOs. Okuda, whose winning streak stopped at 14, fell to 16-2, 11 KOs.
Feather prospect Yoshiteru Okazaki, ex-world bantam champ Fighting Harada’s protege, was awarded a TKO win after the 4th session as Filipino Fernando Montilla, previously world rated, retired with the pain of his hand in a supporting 10.
Promoter: Akihiko Honda’s Teiken Promotions.
(7-1-00)
July 1, 2000
NAGOYA, JAPAN-Hard-punching Kozo Ishii(right photo), WBA #12 ranked super-bantam, 123 3/4, kept stalking and punching an elusive Thailander named Hino Kiet Thor Bor Ubon, 122 3/4, and finally caught him en route to a fine stoppage at 2:19 of the 10th and last session.
Having failed to win the WBA 122-pound title on a 12th round TKO despite the very close proceedings last year, Ishii decked his second comeback victory both within the distance.
The Thailander, ranked #1 in the Thailand Boxing Commission’s bantam ratings, fought well to cleverly avert Ishii’s strong shots. But Ishii accelerated his attack and dropped him with a wicked overhand right in the 10th.
Though Hino beat the count, Ishii desperately attacked him with a two-fisted attack to prompt the ref Domoto to declare a halt.
Ishii, 23-2, 17 KOs, is gunning for a second crack at a world throne. The Thai loser dipped to 12-3, 4 KOs, but he showed a much better fight than expected against such a hard-hitter as Ishii.
Undercard:Hiroshi Watanabe(left photo), 146, landed a smashing one-two combo and flattened Thailand’s Jaksingh Chuwatana, 145 1/2, at 1:32 of the 5th round in a scheduled 10. Watanabe, a local favorite in Nagoya, bettered his mark to 9-2-1, 6 KOs.
Once-beaten fly prospect Yosuke Kobayashi(right photo), 111 3/4, earned a close but unanimous decision (97-96, 97-95 and 100-97) over Thailander Waenpetch Sakmunagklang, 113 3/4, over 10. Kobayashi, a busy puncher, improved his ledger to 11-1, 7 KOs.
Promoter: Takao Maruki’s Tenyu Maruki Promotions.
(7-1-00)