December 12, 2000
December 12, 2000
OSAKA, JAPAN-Slick-punching speedster Masamori Tokuyama(right photo), a North Korean residing in Japan, 115, kept his WBC super-flyweight title as he dropped lefty hard-puncher Akihiko Nago(left photo), 114.75, in the third, overcame his visit to the canvas in the 6th and won a lopsided decision over 12 rounds.
Scored: James JenKin (US) 118-108, Kazumasa Kuwata and Nobuaki Uratani (both Japan) 117-109, all for Tokuyama, 23-2-1, 5 KOs. Nago, managed by ex-WBA junior fly champ Yoko Gushiken, fell to 18-2, 12 KOs. Referee was Frank Cappuccino (US). Some 8,000 spectators, including many North Korean residents here, were in attendance at Maisu Arena near the Osaka port.
It was such a onesided fight as no one had expected, as Tokuyama, making his first defense, swept almost all rounds but the 6th when he landed a southpaw left and floored the champ on the seat of his trunks. It was only a scene Nago showed some of what he was expected. In short, he was really a disappointment as he seldom threw punches positively throughout the contest.
Tokuyama took the initiative all the way and truly proved his prediction that he was very good at handing a lefty opponent. The stylish North Korean scored plenty of leading rights to the southpaw with precision, piling up points very steadily. The third saw Tokuyama staggering the lefty rival with a right-left combination to the ropes to score a knockdown.
Nago, former national high school champ, probably aimed to score big punches too eagerly to be repeatedly outpunched and countered by the faster champ. Except in the 6th, he seemed to have left his fighting spirit in Okinawa, his native place.
Promoter: Hideo Kanazawa’s Kanazawa Promotions.
WBC supervisor: Edward Thangarajah (Thailand)
Special guest: Jose Sulaiman, WBC president, from Mexico.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(12-12-00)