September 2, 2000
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN-WBC #2 ranked Tony Wehbee(right), 125, Australia, kept his feather title of the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) as he annihilated a southpaw Japanese Kyoshiro Fukushima(left), 125 3/4, en route to a fine KO win at 1:57 of the 6th round.
Wehbee, 28-5-2, 21 KOs, proved too strong for ex-national champ Fukushima, dominating all rounds from the outset. The tall Aussie dropped him with a straight right in the 6th, and scored another vicious right to send him almost out of the ring. Fukushima, 20-6-1, 4 KOs, was saved by the towel thrown by his father/cornerman while the referee Ukrid Sarasas, Thailand, was counting at his second knockdown. (In Japan, a towel-tossing during the third manfs count is registered as a KO, not a TKO.)
Promoter: Shima Gym.
(9-2-00)
September 2, 2000
TOKYO, JAPAN-WBA #13 ranked Kohki Tanaka(right photo), 107 1/4, retained his OPBF light fly belt as he struggled to cope with a game and durable compatriot Satoshi Yoshida, 107 1/2, in earlier rounds, dropped him to the ropes for a compulsory 8 count in the 9th and gained a unanimous nod over 12.
Though the champ was an aggressor all the way, Yoshida blocked his rallies well and occasionally countered with precision. The pugnacious Tanaka, 13-1-3, 7 KOs, was in command in the 9th through 11th rounds to confirm his victory. Yoshida dipped to 15-11-2, 2 KOs. Itfs a good fight.
Scored: referee Uratani 116-113, judge Uchida and Morita 117-113 and 118-111 respectively, all for Tanaka.
Promoter: Hachioji Nakaya Promotions.
(9-2-00)