June 29, 2004
TOKYO, JAPAN-Ex-OPBF middle champ Naotaka Hozumi (24-4-1, 21 KOs), 159.75, battered Korean #2 Sungjoo Park (4-3-1, 4 KOs), 164, nearly at will to prompt the referee’s intervention at 2:30 of the fourth round on Tuesday night in Tokyo, Japan. The six-footer Hozumi had failed to win the WBA regular belt, succumbing to William Joppy on a tenth round TKO in October 2002, and recently couldn ’t regain the national 160-pound belt from WBC #19 ranked defending champ Yoshihiro Araki in Osaka. Hozumi, however, looked too strong for the beer-barreled Korean, who was much tougher than he appeared.
Unbeaten Japanese #9 welter Hiroshi Yamaguchi (10-0, 6 Kos), 147, earned a unanimous nod (98-95, 98-96 and 100-95) over ex-Korean ruler Yonghwa Choi (10-3-1, 2 KOs), 147, over ten.
Promoter: Yonekura Promotions.
(6-29-04)