November 23, 2003
SAKAI, JAPAN-Newly crowned Japanese national middleweight champ Yoshihiro Araki (13-1, 7 KOs), 159.5, kept his belt as he sent top ranked Eiji Nakamura (8-5-5, 2 KOs), 159.25, three times and finally finished him at 1:08 of the ninth round on Sunday afternoon in Sakai, Japan.
Having dethroned WBA #10 ranked Satoru Suzuki via upset decision in his tenth defense in Tokyo last July, Araki, formerly an amateur baseball player, caused a great sensation. Araki, making his first defense, turned loose, dropping the game challenger with solid rights in the third, eighth and ninth sessions. Despite his lack of convincing power Araki displayed his crisp and accurate punching to impress the crowd. Araki is slated to face ex-OPBF ruler Naotaka Hozumi (who failed to win the WBA title via tenth round TKO in October of the previous year) with his title at stake in the Carnival of Champions where all the national champs must meet mandatory challengers in the first three months of the next year.
(11-23-03)