April 4, 2005
OSAKA, JAPAN-Unheralded WBC #13 ranked Japanese speedster Katsunari Takayama (15-1, 7 KOs), 105, amazingly outsped and outlegged defending champ Isaac Bustos (24-7-3, 13 KOs), 105, all the way to capture the WBC 105-pound belt by a well-received unanimous decision over twelve fast frames on Monday in Osaka, Japan. The official scores were as follows: Bill Clancy (US) 117-111, Brad Vocale (Australia) 117-112, and Francisco Vazquez (Spain) 115-113, all for the shorter footworker. The towering referee over the strawweights was Vic Drakulich (US).
The 21-year-old Japanese Takayama, nine years his junior, battered the champ from all angles in the first round, and apparently took five points in the first eight sessions. Bustos, who had dethroned Eagle Kyowa by a fourth round stoppage last December, kept throwing punches in the air against the very elusive target and absorbed much punishment of the challenger’s light but busy combinations.
Bustos seemingly took the eighth, but Takayama was in command in the next three rounds with his faster and more accurate combinations, while the champ kept missing many blows. The twelfth and final round saw Bustos show his heart and pride to keep stalking the fading challenger with roundhouse shots. But Takayama’s youth, gameness and hungriness made him last the champ’s last surge. Despite such a bad start Bustos tried to regain his usual rhythm and futilely threw big shots to keep the tiny Japanese from scoring a one-sided decision. The newly crowned Takayama is supposed to make his first defense against ex-champ Eagle Kyowa in 90 days.
WBC #2 ranked OPBF 105-pound champ Rodel Mayol (21-0, 17 KOs), 104.5, swept all rounds and dropped ex-Japanese champ Takayuki Korogi (13-5-3, 4 KOs), 105, in the ninth to retain his regional belt by a lopsided decision over twelve rounds. Bill Clancy (US), the scoring referee, Bruce McTavish (Philippines) and Hiroyoshi Yasuda (Japan) all tallies 120-107, in favor of the defending champ. Mayol, however, wasn’t so impressive as people had expected his much easier victory. Korogi, a Japanese veteran, averted almost all punches with his excellent defensive skills except that he took a good right-left hook combo and hit the deck in the ninth. Japanese local prospect Ken Nakajima (13-2, 8 KOs), 108, decked an important victory over WBC #8 ranked WBC international champ Arman dela Cruz (17-6-1, 7 KOs), 108, by a unanimous nod (98-92, 97-93 and 96-94) over ten.
Promoter: Green Tsuda Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for all the three bouts).
(4-4-05)
April 3, 2005
NAGOYA, JAPAN-Ex-WBC youth 122-pound champ Masanori Sugita (18-1-2, 13 KOs), 124.25, stopped WBC #27 Samuel Ventura (22-13, 17 KOs), 124.5, at 1:23 of the fourth round in a scheduled ten on Sunday in Nagoya, Japan. Sugita’s looping right dropped the Mexican, and his corner tossed in the towel to save him from further punishment. Ex-OPBF challenger Shin Ogata (17-2-2, 7 KOs), 118, knocked out Thailander Samart Sithsaithon (3-3, no KO), 114.5, at 1:17 of the third session. Ryohei Hagimori (12-3-1, 5 KOs), 129.25, won a unanimous nod (99-94 twice and 100-91) over Thailander Kurachana Jocky-gym (3-6, 1 KO), 129.25, over ten. Shinnosuke Yasuda (10-1, 2 KOs), 114.5, earned a hard-fought decision (78-74 twice and 78-72) over Nopadetchlek Chuwatana (3-4, 1 KO), 115, Thailand, over eight.
Promoter: Tenyu Maruki Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for all the four bouts).
(4-3-05)