July 17, 2004
TOKYO, JAPAN-WBC #4 ranked lightweight Kengo Nagashima (26-2-2, 15 KOs), 135, utilized his southpaw style and superior speed and battered Korean Sungwon Baek (9-4, 2 KOs), 134.25, to the punch to retire him after the sixth round on Saturday night in Tokyo, Japan. Nagashima had failed to win the vacant WBC 130-pound belt via second round demolition by Sirimongkol Singwancha two years ago, and then moved up to the 135-pound division, winning five and drawing once with current OPBF light champ Dennis Laurente this year. Baek badly kept streaming blood from three gashes with his absorption of much punishment.
Also, WBA #6 bantam Jun Toriumi (22-3-1, 9 KOs), 120.25, was aggressive from the outset, and followed it up to hurt Korean Junghoon Kang (4-4, 3 KOs), 118.5, so effectively that the referee called a well-received halt at 2:55 of the fifth session. Toriumi had entered the WBA’s top ten thanks to his upset stoppage of ex-WBA fly champ Sornpichai Kratindaeng-gym this year.
Co-promoters: 18 Koga and Watanabe Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(7-17-04)