April 30, 2001
April 30, 2001
SHIZUOKA, JAPAN-Upcoming Takuya Kiya(right photo), 114 1/2, dug a wicked right uppercut to the belly and sank southpaw hard-puncher Yoshiaki Matsukura, 115, for the count at 1:18 of the 5th round to acquire the vacant Japanese super-fly title.
Kiya, 18-3-1, 13 KOs, weakened the lefty opponent, 22-5, 19 KOs, with solid body shots in the 4th and kept aiming at the breadbasket in the fatal 5th, finally exploding with a lethal body bombardment.
The JBC #4 ranked 115-pounder Matsukura became a late substitute on a short notice for Hiroaki Murakoshi, the Japanese top contender, who had unfortunately sustained a left ankle fracture during his workout. Since the injured boy’s manager/promoter Tatenao Mitsuyama already sold majority of tickets, he decided to book an elimination bout of the Tokyo boys.
The winner of the originally scheduled Kiya vs. Murakoshi eliminator was supposed to meet the #3 contender Shingo Sasaki, so the newly crowned Kiya will have to put his belt on the line against Sasaki, whatever Mitsuyama may claim in order to push his boy Murakoshi in the champ’s first defense.
Kiya, then rated by the WBA thanks to his lopsided victory over Randy Mangubat, dropped an upset decision to Masamori Tokuyama, a fast-rising speedster from Osaka, in April, 1999. It was a turning point of their careers, as Tokuyama zoomed up quickly to win the OPBF belt and then the WBC world diadem, while Kiya dropped out of the world ratings though winning 4 bouts straight since.
It may show that we have many outstanding 115-pound boxers in Japan-the WBC champ Tokuyama, the WBA boss Celes Kobayashi, the OPBF ruler Kazuhiro Ryuko, the national titlist Kiya, the unfortunately injured Murakoshi (18-5-2, 14 KOs) and the next challenger to the national belt Shingo Sasaki (13-2-1, 10 KOs)-unlike in other categories.
Promoter: Mitsuyama Promotions.
(4-30-01)
April 28, 2001
NAGOYA, JAPAN-JBC #8 super-feather Tomoyumi Higashide(right photo), 128, battered a very durable Thailander Dornchai Sakpanya, 129, from all angles and finally flattened him with his furious combination at 1:02 of the 5th canto.
Handled by ex-WBC 122-pound kingpin Kiyoshi Hatanaka, Higashide, the latest winner of the Novice King tourney, bettered his mark to 6-1, 4 KOs. The Thai loser slipped to 9-5, 1 KO.
Promoter: Hatanaka Promotions.
(4-28-01)