February 5, 2005
TOKYO, JAPAN-Formerly six-time high school champ, unbeaten feather prospect Hiroyuki Ao (6-0, 5 KOs), 126.75, needed just 3:07 of the opening session when he blasted out Korean #7 ranked Sangchan Na (6-4-1, 2 KOs), 126.75, with a vicious southpaw left following a solid right hook in a scheduled ten on Saturday night in Tokyo, Japan. The 20-year-old Ao, handled by Akihiko Honda, is one of the brightest prospects with his flexible mobility and remarkable reflexes.
WBA #9 ranked feather, Venezuelan “El Nino de Oro (Golden Boy)” Jorge Linares (13-0, 7 Kos), 126.5, proved too fast and too sharp for Filipino #4 ranked Melvin Ayudtod (12-9-2, 5 KOs), 125.5, and polished him off with a wicked body shot at 2:07 of the first round in a scheduled ten. Linares, 19, also piloted by Honda, displayed his superior speed from the outset, controlled his opponent with his left hand, and landed a fast one-two followed by a well-timed left hook to the belly. Ayudotod tried to withstand the pain, but collapsed in a delayed reaction as Linares threw an additional light left-right combo. The Venezuelan’s fine performance as well as his improved post-fight interview in Japanese greatly impressed the audience.
Unbeaten lefty Akifumi Shimoda (9-0, 6 KOs), 122, swarmed over game and gallant Takuma Shiraishi (6-3-2, 3 KOs), 121.25, with a fusillade of punches to prompt the referee’s intervention at 0:42 of the eighth and final session.
Promoter: Teiken Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for the Ao vs. Na and Linares vs. Ayudtod bouts).
(2-5-05)