January 28, 2002
TOKYO, JAPAN-Having failed to get a title shot at the national 130-pound title in the Carnival of Champions, Japanese #5 ranked Tetsuya Shinozaki (14-9-7, 7 KOs), 131, battered unranked Thailander Dornchai Sakapanya (11-6, 2 KOs), 129, at the breadbasket and sank him for the count with persistent combinations at 2:57 of the second round.
Shinozaki, known by his iron jaw, had gone the distance with the then national champ Koji Arisawa in 2000, WBC #2 130-pounder Kengo Nagashima last May and WBA top contender Lakva Sim in August, despite losing hard-fought decisions.
Shinozaki had an easy night as the Thailander was tricky but so fragile as to succumb once to be unable to beat the count.
Shinozaki was once said to have a shot at the Japanese 130-pound belt against a WBA #7 ranked champ Kinji Amano, who, however, faced the WBC #2 ranked southpaw Kengo Nagashima to lose his title via unanimous decision on January 19.
(1-28-02)