April 16, 2005
April 16, 2005
TOKYO, JAPAN-In the first title bout of a world twinbill, Japanese titlist Yutaka Niida (18-1-3, 8 KOs) (right photo), 105, successfully kept his WBA 105-pound belt as he cleverly kept counterpunching onrushing Korean challenger Jaewon Kim (19-2-2, 6 KOs), 105, and showed his last surge in later rounds to win a unanimous verdict over twelve fast rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. The official scores were: Francisco Martinez (New Zealand) 117-112, Pinit Prayadsab and Arkom Wannasit (both Thailand) 118-110 and 119-111 respectively, all in favor of the shorter but more powerful champ. Referee was Mark Nelson (US).
Kim, ex-OPBF champ, began fireworks from the start, but Niida, making his second defense, kept averting his opening rallies and countered well with solid rights and left hooks in the first round. The Korean threw more punches all the way, but the Japanese, handled by ex-world top feather contender Mitsunori Seki (who had failed to win the world belt, losing to Ultimino Sugar Ramos, Vicente Saldivar and Howard Winstone), remained cool enough to counter him with overhand rights and looping left hooks. Kim seemingly took the initiative in the sixth and seventh with his higher work-rate. But Niida, who dethroned Venezuelan Noel Arambulet in July of the previous year, turned loose from the eighth on, battering him with good combinations to the face and the midsection. The champ continued to take advantage of throwing punches with precision to the monotonously coming Korean, steadily piling up points. Had the champ accelerated his attack more furiously in the three rounds from the eighth, he could have scored a knockdown. Kim, as old as the champ at 26, showed his heart, not his finesse, while Niida occasionally displayed his superior power, not his best effort despite his triumph.
Promoter: Teiken Promotions.
WBA supervisor: Chalermpong Cheosakul (Thailand).
(4-16-05)