April 17, 2004
OSAKA, JAPAN-WBC #9 ranked 122-pounder Akihiro Kanai (20-2, 16 KOs), 123, defeated compatriot Hiroakzu Uesugi (8-4-2, 5 KOs), 123.25, by a close but unanimous decision (96-94, 96-95 and 97-93) over ten on Saturday night in Osaka, Japan. Kanai, who had once outscored the current WBO champ Cruz Carbajal in Osaka in 2000, failed to win the Japanese belt, losing to WBC #3 Yoshikane Nakajima via come-from-behind TKO last year. Uesugi fought better than expected, but Kanai had the upper hand in the middle of the contest.
Kazuaki Matsumoto (9-1-2, 9 KOs), 139.75, chalked up a TKO win over Shohei Nakai (7-10, 4 KOs), 139.5, at 0:51 of the fourth canto in a scheduled eight.
Promoter: Taiho Promotions.
(4-17-04)
April 14, 2004
TOKYO, JAPAN-It must be very interesting, if main eventers who usually fight in ten rounds battle in 4-round tournaments. The event, named B: Tight Tournaments, started in three classes on Wednesday (April 14) in Tokyo, Japan.
WELTERWEIGHT CLASS:
Ex-Japanese welter champ Teruo Nagase (22-6-2, 12 KOs), 147, overpowered #8 Nobukazu Hirose (4-1, 3 KOs), 146, en route to a unanimous decision over four. Japanese #6 super-welter Kazuhiko Hidaka (16-4, 11 KOs), 145.25, unanimously decisioned #10 Taisei Marumoto (14-4-1, 7 KOs), 147, over four. Yasuto Kasagi (16-7-1, 15 KOs), 147, dispatched Fumiaki Matsushita (9-10, 2 KOs), 146.25, at 1:55 of the second round. Kozo Watanabe (10-2, 7 KOs), 146.5, outpointed Daisuke Negishi (3-4, 2 KOs), 147, over four.
LIGHTWEIGHT CLASS:
Japanese #2 ranked 130-pounder Keita Manabe (18-1, 16 KOs), 134.5, demolished Torazo Kawamukai (7-2-1, 1 KO), 134.25, at 2:56 of the third round. Japanese #6 130-pounder Hidekazu Matsunobu (26-7-1, 18 KOs), 135, barely decisioned Yusuke Doi (8-6-1, 5 KOs), 134.25, over four. Kentaro Ogura (6-4-1, 4 KOs), 134.5, stopped Seitaro Mstsunuma (13-8-2, 8 KOs), 134.5, at 1:32 of the second canto. Kenichi Hashiura (19-5-1, 4 KOs), 133.75, outscored Takaaki Ishida (8-2-2, 6 KOs), 134.5, over four.
FEATHERWEIGHT CLASS:
Japanese #7 feather Yoshinori Miyata (11-2-1, 8 KOs), 126, dropped a close decision (all 39-38) to Shintaro Yazawa (19-4, 11 KOs), 125.75, over four. Japanese #9 super-bantam Norihisa Tomimoto (10-3-1, 5 KOs), 126, outscored ex-OPBF challenger Kenji Ryuki (10-4-2, 6 KOs), 125.25, over four. Unbeaten hard-punching prospect Ryu Miyagi (9-0-1, 8 KOs), 125.75, impressively disposed of Hero Bando (12-6-5, 6 KOs), 126, at 2:23 of the third. Nobuhisa Doi (15-4-1, 8 KOs), 125.75, barely decisioned Shingo Endo (9-5, 8 KOs), 125.5, over four.
The semi-finals by the winners will be held on June 23, and the finals on August 21.
Promoter: Watanabe Promotions.
(4-14-04)