May 27, 2003
TOKYO, JAPAN-Unranked southpaw Koji Yoshida (8-1-1, 1 KO), 140, astoundingly upset Japanese #3 ranked 140-pounder Feifong Kogure (13-5-1, 5 KOs), 140, as he kept peppering the prohibitive favorite from the second round on and finally sank him with a fusillade of punches at 2:38 of the 8th session on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.
Kogure, well-known for his durability and fighting spirit, revealed his defect in fighting a southpaw opponent only to be a dummy for the unheralded newcomer. When he hit the deck, he had absorbed too much punishment to pull himself up.
This card was held in commemoration of the retirement of ex-OPBF feather and light champ Yuji Watanabe (25-5-1, 24 KOs), ex-OPBF feather ruler Takeo Imaoka (23-4, 12 KOs) and ex-Japanese national welter champ Minoru Horiuchi (22-7, 19 KOs), all belonging to Saida Club. Watanabe had a couple of ambitious cracks at the world titles, losing to Genaro Chicanito Hernandez in 1992 and to Wilfredo Vazquez in 1997.
Promoter: Saida Promotions.
(5-27-03)