April 20, 2002
OSAKA, JAPAN-WBC #6 super-welter Akira Ohigashi (35-7-3, 23 KOs), 160, swarmed over Korean #7 Seunguep Kim (4-3-2, 4 KOs), 159.25, with body bombardments, and sank him in agony at 2:35 of the 4th session.
Ohigashi, who is unbeaten in last 21 bouts, was once slated to have a shot at the then WBC ruler Javier Castellejo, who eventually cancelled his defense with Ohigashi and went to fight Oscar De La Hoya last year. The 32-yar-old stocky Japanese has been waiting for his turn to have a world title crack in the twilight of his career.
WBC #16 super-bantam Akihiro Kanai (16-1, 13 KOs), 124.25, amazingly hit the deck with a vicious right of unranked Shinji Kawahara (6-12-2, 5 KOs), 123.5, in the opening canto, but wore him down with solid combos and finally brought him to a standstill to prompt the refereefs intervention at 0:17 into the 5th.
Kanai had failed to win the OPBF 122-pound belt via first round annihilation by Korean Youngin Cho in the first round to taste his first defeat in Osaka last December. Kanai, who often hit the canvas, is notorious for his lantern jaw despite his powerful combination.
Probably mistakenly ranked #30, Japanfs #8 super-fly Tat Torres (11-6-3, 5 KOs) was awarded a technical decision over Takayuki Hirose (8-11-3, 8 KOs) at 0:54 of the 7th round.
Promoter: Taiho Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(4-20-02)