## WBC #9 SATAKE STOPS #26 SAKAMOTO IN LAST ROUND TO RETAIN OPBF 140-POUND TITLE

October 5, 2002

TOKYO, JAPAN-In the most sensational encounter of compatriots before a packed-house crowd, WBC #9 ranked 140-pounder Masakazu Satake(right photo) (17-2-4, 10 KOs), 140, kept his OPBF belt as he impressively floored #26 Hiroyuki Sakamoto(left photo) (37-6, 27 KOs), formerly 4-time world challenger at 140, and stopped him at 2:47 of the 12th and final session in Tokyo, Japan.

Satake, making his 8th defense, made best use of his trade-mark footwork and kept averting Sakamotofs roundhouse left hooks, peppering him with sharp shots to the face. Piling up points steadily, Satake finally caught the 31-year-old veteran with a southpaw right hook and dropped him on the deck in the last round. Barely standing up as he was, Sakamoto looked so shaky and groggy that Satake swarmed over with a furious combination him to prompt the referee to intervene. The fast-rising lefty Satake scored 10 consecutive victories since dethroning the then OPBF ruler Chongkil Kim by a lopsided decision in December 1999.

Promoter: Kadoebi Jewel Promotions.

Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.

(10-5-02)

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