September 17, 2001
OSAKA, JAPAN-Previously unbeaten WBA #7 ranked Takayuki Korogi (9-1-2, 3 KOs), 107.25, hit the deck in the second round, and lost his Japanese national 108-pound belt by a unanimous decision to Keisuke Yokoyama (17-7-2, 9 KOs), 107.25, over 10. Itfs an upset result at Korogifs home-turf.
Scored: 96-93, 97-95 and 96-94, all for Yokoyama who acquired his second national throne.
The newly crowned Yokoyama, from Tokyo, was an aggressor all night, stalking the footworker from pillar to post. Korogi attempted to outjab and outleg the more powerful challenger, which looked successful in the third, 4th and 6th. But Yokoyama, ex-national 105-pound ruler, maintained the pressure on the speedster to earn a well-received triumph.
Promoter: Green Tsuda Promotions.
(9-17-01)
September 17, 2001
TOKYO, JAPAN-Upcoming WBA #8 ranked Osamu Sato (25-1-1, 14 KOs), 121.75, impressively kept his OPBF 122-pound title as he kept battering Thai champ Wichit Chuwatana (25-8, 9 KOs), 122, all the way and finally pummeled him into submission at 1:48 of the 11th round.
Sato registered 21 consecutive wins in wearing down the durable Thai southpaw with his rapid-fire combinations to the face and breadbasket. Sato is gunning for a shot at the WBA crown against the winner of an eliminator between Venezuelans, Yober Ortega and Jose Cheo Rojas this coming October.
Unbeaten Japan-based Russian Mal Matvei (5-0, 4 KOs), 126.75, survived a couple of visits to the deck by scoring a come-from-behind one-punch KO of hard-hitting Korean Dongkuk Lee (7-2, 6 KOs), 126.75, at 1:47 of the opening canto in a semi-final 10.
Itfs a thriller as they exchanged knockdowns in a very short affair. Matvei, whose real name is Matvei Tsyndyjapov, hit the deck with Leefs roundhouse right twice as soon as the fight began, and people then thought it would be a matter of time as some 1 minute and a half was still remaining. But it was Matvei that scored a lethal shot, a wicked right cross to the temple, and made Lee fall face first to the deck. The ref had tolled a fatal ten as Lee barely regained his feet staggeringly. This upright unbeaten Russian can punch and is a bright prospect.
Fast-rising Tatsuo Hayashida (10-2-1, 6 KOs), 108.25, defeated OPBF #3 ranked Thai light fly champ Cheowchan Dhanaswate (7-2-1, 2 KOs), 108.5, by a unanimous verdict over 10.
Scored: 99-93, 98-95 and 99-95, all for Hayashida, handled by ex-WBA 108-pound champ Katsuo Tokashiki.
Thanks to this important victory, Hayashida will certainly enter the OPBF top ten, and will have an OPBF light fly title shot against Korean Pilkoo Kang in Tokyo on December 10.
Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.
(9-17-01)