February 11, 2002
February 11, 2002
TOKYO, JAPAN-WBC #18 ranked 105-pounder Hiroyuki Abe(right photo) (10-5-2, 3 KOs), 104.75, failed to win the Japanese interim minimumweight belt as he hit the deck with a wicked right of an underdog Hiroshi Kasamatsu (9-3-3, 1 KO), 104.5, in the second to be trailing on points until he badly dropped back the early starter in the 9th and 10th , and it ended in a grueling majority draw over 10 in Tokyo.
Scored: Uchida and Date both 94-94. and Shimakawa 95-94 for Abe.
It was a total war. Abe had comfortably beaten Kasamatsu by sending him crashing to the deck twice prior to a 5th round technical decision in 2000. The overconfident Abe took a bad beating after collapsing with his opponentfs well-timed overhand right, and fought on staggeringly.
Abe was behind on points by double 4 and 3 points on the official tallies after the 8th. The prefight favorite Abe turned the tide by flooring him with a short right in the 9th and almost stretching him out on the deck with a solid left hook following a left-right combo in the 10th. Amazingly did Kasamatsu barely regain his feet to be saved by the final bell.
Though the crowd supported Abefs victory due to his strong finish, the official verdict was a majority draw by evaluating Kasamatsufs early accumulation on points.
The WBC #11 ranked national champ Makoto Suzuki was slated to defend his belt against Abe, but sustained a neck injury during his workout. So, an eliminator to decide an interim champ took place under the condition that the winner should meet Suzuki to decide the legitimate champ. Undoubtedly it was a strongest candidate for Fight of the Month here.
Kazuo Morikawa (8-2-3, 1 KO), 122, was awarded a majority technical decision over Kazuhiro Shinkawa (7-3-2, 3 KOs), 122, at 2:59 of the 5th canto after their many head-collisions.
Unbeaten fly prospect Akira Takahashi (6-0, 1 KO), 111.75, showed his speed and gameness in outscoring a switch-hitting Daigo Nakamizu (8-3-1, 2 KOs), 111.75, over 8.
Having suffered an unexpected TKO defeat in his pro debut, ex-national amateur champ Kenji Sato (1-1, 1 KO), 160, badly fell backward with a vicious overhand right of an unheralded and unranked Thailander Gaograi Ganenorasingh(3-4, no KO), 157.75, in the opening canto to be on the brink of his second defeat, but his desperate attack to the belly sank the Thai prone for the count at 1:58 of the third session. Sato must learn again how to defend himself more properly.
Takaaki Yoshida (5-3, 1 KO), 130, earned a unanimous decision over elongated Mexican import Hugo Ivan (5-3, 3 KOs), 129.5, over 6. Ivan repeatedly received a warning of the referee for hitting with his left glove open.
Co-promoters: Yonekura and Misako Promotions.
(2-11-02)