January 21, 2001
TOKYO, JAPAN-Unbeaten WBC #10 ranked Japanese flyweight champ Takefumi Sakata (17-0-1, 7 KOs), 112, kept his national belt as he had a tough time in early rounds, but went to take back the initiative and earned a unanimous decision over Mizuo Nakada (11-7, 2 KOs), 112, in 10 in Tokyo.
Scored: Morita 97-94, Tate 98-93, and Fukuchi 99-94, all for the defending champ.
Nakada took the pace over the slow-starting champ with sharp jabs and body shots in the first three rounds. But Sakata, making his third defense, warmed up his engine and accelerated his attack to be in command from the 4th round on.
The 9th saw the champ double him up with a wicked body shot and kept peppering him persistently. Sakata took the command with a fine display of busy combinations in the final session.
Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.
(1-21-02)