June 18, 2002
TOKYO, JAPAN-Underdog Teruo Nagase (21-5-2, 12 KOs), 147, impressively kept his Japanese welter belt as he landed many right crosses to WBA #10 ranked taller jabber Hiroyuki Maeda (24-7-2, 14 KOs), 147, and withstood his last surge to earn a split but well-received decision over 10 heats at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Scored: 97-95 and 98-95 for Nagase, and 96-95 for Maeda, ex-national 135-pound and 140-pound champ, who failed to win his third different class title.
Nagase, making his third defense, had shown lackluster performances in his last two bouts, barely retaining it by a controversial nod over Motoki Sasaki and a draw with Yoshiaki Takenaka, so Maeda, despite a 10-month layoff due to a hand injury, was favored to capture the national title. But Nagase, a stocky puncher, was in command in the second through 8th, when he almost toppled the prefight favorite with solid right shots.
Maeda displayed his determination by landing good uppercuts to dominate the last two sessions, which was not enough to overcome his early deficits on points. It’s an upset result.
Japanese #5 feather Motokazu Abe (9-0-1, 7 KOs), 126, sank Thai #3 feather Thongcharoen Ausuwannasilp (9-7, 1 KO), 126, with a countering right at 3:10 of the 7th round. A haymaker was landed just at the bell.
Promoter: Kenji Yonekura’s Yonekura Promotions.
(6-18-02)
June 17, 2002
TOKYO, JAPAN-Japanese #9 super-fly Toshihiko Yamagata (13-3, 10 KOs), 111.25, was on the verge of being declared a TKO loser due to his profuse bleeding, but finally caught game and stylish Wataru Suzuki (11-2, 4 KOs), 111.5, at 1:25 of the 9th round in Tokyo, Japan.
The winner decked him in the second, twice in the 7th and in the 9th, but almost all other rounds had been dominated by the loser’s sharper jabs and straight rights. It’s a tremendously gory affair.
Thai lightweight champ Saipetch Boon Thavi (8-6, 5 KOs), 134.25, revealed his lantern jaw, neither his pride nor his determination, only to be dropped three times and declared a KO loser by unranked Keita Manabe (11-1, 10 KOs), 134.25, at 1:51 of the opening session.
Promoter: Keiichiro Kanehira’s Kanehira Promotions.
(6-17-02)