September 8, 2004
TOKYO, JAPAN-OPBF #10 ranked Japanese #3 140-pound contender Koji Ozawa (10-2, 3 KOs), 137, surprisingly dropped a majority technical decision (67-66, 69-68 and 68-68) to unheralded southpaw Nobuhiro Kumagai (6-5, 4 KOs), 137.25, at 2:25 of the seventh round in a scheduled eight. Ozawa, an up-and-coming prospect, attempted to outhustle the underestimated opponent toe-to-toe and threw plenty of combinations, but absorbed Kumagai’s solid southpaw lefts with precision. Ozawa sustained so nasty cuts caused by many head-collisions that his face became a bloody mess and the ref had to declared a halt upon the ring physician’s advice.
Awkward Keiichi Arai (9-2, 3 KOs), 152.75, was awarded a split duke (77-75, 78-75 and 76-77) over ex-national amateur champ Manabu Komatsu (3-5, no KO), 153.5, over eight. It was strange that Komatsu, a good jabber, could not show his potential in the paid ranks despite his amateur career. Daisuke Takahashi (7-4-4, 5 KOs), 104.25, and Kennichi Kishida (6-3-3, 1 KO), 104.75, fought to a split draw (77-76, 76-77 and 77-77) in a lousy eight. Japanese #7 ranked superfly contender Hideki Imanishi (6-2-1, 3 KOs), 117, lost a hairline majority nod (78-77, 77-76 and 77-77) to Shota Terabatake (9-3, 2 KOs), 116.5, over a close eight.
It was a disastrous night for Watanabe Gym, as the four eight-rounders featuring its prospects resulted in a draw and three defeats with the Japanese ranked Ozawa and Imanishi unexpectedly losing decisions.
Promoter: Watanabe Promotions.
(9-8-04)