## FRENCH MEDJKOUNE WRESTS WBA 122-POUND TITLE BY UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER SATO

October 9, 2002

TOKYO, JAPAN-Slick-punching southpaw Salim Medjkoune (40-3-1, 21 KOs), 122, captured the WBA 122-pound belt as he kept incessantly moving around and punching light but more accurate combinations to the defending champ Osamu Sato (26-2-2, 15 KOs), 122, and withstood Satofs retaliation in later rounds, winning a unanimous decision over 12 heats in Tokyo, Japan.

Scored: Silvestre Abainza (Philippines) 116-112, Philippe Verbeke (Belgium) 117-111, and Rodolfo Maldonado (Panama) 119-110, all for the clever Frenchman.

Medjkoune, 5 years his senior at 30, started circling and throwing busy combinations to the still nervous and stiff champ from the outset. Sato couldnft catch the fast footworker in the first four rounds, and turned aggressive to attempt to cut off the ring, but in vain. Though Sato aimed at the breadbasket with body shots in the 6th, he hit the deck with his opponentfs straight left at the bell to end the round. Referee Guillermo Perez Pineda, Panama, called it a slip, but it looked like a knockdown that gave the champ considerable damage.

Sato, whose nostrils and lip were badly bloodied by Medjkounefs busy combos, desperately accelerated his attack from the 9th onward, but the French lefty occasionally countered him with light but accurate punches. Medjkoune dominated the final session to confirm his victory with busier combinations. The newly-crowned champ fully displayed their difference of skills.

### Undercard:

Ex-Olympic gold medalist Brahim Asloum (10-0, 6 KOs), 114, future superstar in France, showed his superior speed in dropping Thailander Saengsak Singmanasak(5-5, 2 KOs), 115, twice en route to an impressive TKO win at 2:00 of the 4th round. Unbeaten WBC #16 ranked superfly Sasha Baktin (6-0, 3 KOs and previously fighting as Knight Alexander), 118, from Russia, exploded overhand rights and floored Thailander San Sithnaruepol (15-16, 8 KOs), three times to finish him at 1:40 of the second session. French feather champ Ali Oubaali (8-0, 8 KOs), 130, stopped Nuafa Sinjaiyai (9-12, 4 KOs), 129.5, Thailand, at 0:50 of the second stanza. Japanese #3 ranked superlight Motoki Sasaki (17-4, 10 KOs), 141.25, demolished Shota Haruyama (6-5, 3 KOs), 141.25, at 1:58 of the 5th.

Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.

(10-9-02)

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