November 4, 2001
NAGOYA, JAPAN-Unbeaten WBC 4th ranked lefty Hiroshi Nakano (17-0, 10 KOs), 111.5, kept his OPBF flyweight belt, as he sustained a left hand injury midway in the 4th, but kept punching Thailander Panomdeth Au Yuthanakorn (21-7, 6 KOs), 112, en route to a unanimous decision over 12.
In a battle of southpaws Nakano had the upper hand all the way, but Panomdeth refused to go down and showed his resilience that won the praise of the crowd.
The Japanese southpaw had him at bay in the 6th through 8th, but the Thailander kept retaliating with left crosses.
Scored: referee Takeo Harada (Japan) 118-111, judge Samas Chantakloi (Thailand) 117-113, and judge Takaomi Ito (Japan) 117-112, all for Nakano who is gunning for a shot at a world title next year.
Once-beaten ex-Japanese super-feather champ Ryuhei Sugita, 131, sank Thailandfs Nakboon Nationman, 130.75, at 2:20 of the second round. Sugita, who had failed to win the OPBF 130-pound title via a hairline decision this year, scored a couple of wins since, and raised his mark to 21-1-1, 18 KOs. Sugita is rated atop in the super-feather division by the Japanese Commission.
Promoter: Hatanaka Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(11-04-01)