January 21, 2004
TOKYO, JAPAN-Ex-Japanese feather champ Eugenio Yuji Gomez (19-4, 18 KOs), 122, was surprisingly stopped by unheralded and unranked Rikiya Fukuhara (11-1-1, 8 KOs), 122, at 1:16 of the eighth and final session on Wednesday night in Tokyo, Japan. It was the first attempt of Gomez, a Puerto Rican living here with his Japanese wife, to move down to the 122-pound division from the 126-pound class. Gomez, a muscular hard-puncher, was completely outlegged by Fukuhara, whose hit-and-run tactics were superbly effective. The underdog floored the ex-champ in the first and fifth, obviously leading on points. Gomez took the sixth and seventh, but was dropped badly by Fukuharafs well-timed right uppercut. A towel came fluttering in to save the fallen loser to stun the crowd. Fukuhara looked very promising.
Kozo Okamoto (9-2, 7 KOs), 147, decked Brazilian Luis Okamoto (6-2, 3 KOs), 147, in the second and earned a unanimous decision (all 78-75) over eight. Lefty Junji Murakami (9-2-1, 4 KOs), 130, scored a fine TKO win over previously unbeaten Shintaro Kurihara (7-1, 2 KOs), 130, at 0:11 of the fourth session in a scheduled eight. Japanese #10 ranked 105-pounder Hidekazu Miyagi (12-3-1, 5 KOs), 105, exploded a vicious southpaw right hook and halted Daisuke Takahashi (7-4-3, 5 KOs), 105, at 2:59 of the fourth in a scheduled eight.
Promoter: Hachiohji Nakaya Promotions.
(1-21-04)