June 16, 2002
AKASHI, JAPAN-WBC #10 ranked elusive southpaw Masakazu Satake (16-2-4, 9 KOs), 140, kept his OPBF 140-pound belt as he impressively utilized his excellent reflexes in averting the constant attack of Korean champ Hwangyoung Park (12-3, 11 KOs), 140, and finished him with a single right hook to the bottom at 2:05 of the 8th round in Akashi, Japan.
Satake, making his 7th defense, made best use of his vaunted footwork and had the Korean hard-puncher missing almost all punches, piling up points with sharp counters. The 8th saw Satake connect with a countering southpaw right hook to the other lefty, Park, who fell and barely stood up wobblingly only to be counted out by the third man.
Satake, in his 7th defense, raised his stock by lopsidedly beating ex-Japanese champ Rick Yoshimura Roberts (who had kept his national title 22 times) into retirement last March. If Satake should fight and display his incredible reflexes based on his career as a basketball player in the US, he might be able to attract US aficionados with his remarkable agility.
Promoter: Kinya Yoshida’s Akashi Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(6-16-02)
June 16, 2002
TAGAWA, JAPAN-Unranked but sensational KO artist Daisuke Maruyama, 114.75, ran his KO streak to 10-0, 10 KOs as he dropped Thailander Khannchit Kiatgeija, 114.75, five times and stopped him at 1:36 of the 4th round in Tagawa, Japan.
Maruyama, still a green boy, had previously sunk all 9 mediocre victims in the first round, and was expected to finish the Thailander within the first three minutes again, but in vain. The 115-pound puncher, however, floored him twice in the first, once in the third, and twice more in the fatal stanza.
Promoter: Chikuho Promotions.
(6-16-02)