JAPAN UPDATE


SAKATA MAKES COMEBACK

April 18, 2005

TOKYO, JAPAN-WBA#4/WBC#9 ranked flyweight Takefumi Sakata (23-2-1, 10 KOs), 111.75, made a fine return to the ring warfare after a ten-month hiatus as he embalmed Thailander Kongtranee Gogumanon (reportedly 5-3, 3 KOs), 112, with a single body shot at 1:51 of the opening session in a scheduled ten on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Sakata barely wrested the WBA fly belt from Lorenzo Parra, Venezuela, losing a majority decision here last June. The game and gutsy Japanese had a fractured jaw midway in the title bout, but went on to keep stalking the fleet-footed champ. Sakata was obliged to take a long rest for treatment, but he looked very sharp and speedy in demolishing the overmatched Thailander. He is gunning for a rematch with Parra within this year.

Undercard:

Unbeaten Japanese #2 ranked feather Ryu Miyagi (12-1-1, 10 KOs), 127.5, surprisingly dropped a unanimous nod (98-94, 97-93 and 99-92) to unheralded rough-and-tumble swinger Kazuhisa Watanabe (9-2, 5 KOs), 128, over ten.

Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.

(4-18-05)


YUBA KEEPS JAPANESE WELTER BELT

April 17, 2005

MIYAKONOJO, JAPAN-WBC #35 ranked Tadashi Yuba (27-2-2, 19 KOs), 146.5, an elongated southpaw hard-puncher, made a first defense of his Japanese welter belt when he dropped top contender Ryu Bando (17-8-1, 6 KOs), 146.5, twice and decked a fine TKO victory at 2:39 of the first round on Sunday in Miyakonojo, Japan.

Promoter: Miyakonojo Leo Promotions.

(4-17-05)


WBC #3 NAITO RETAINS JAPANESE FLY BELT

April 11, 2005

TOKYO, JAPAN-WBC #3 ranked Daisuke Naito (27-1-2, 19 KOs), 112, kept his Japanese flyweight title as he floored top contender Nobuyuki Enomoto (17-4-3, 2 KOs), 111.75, with a solid right in the fourth and scored a unanimous verdict (97-92 twice and 95-94) over ten lousy rounds on Monday (April 11) in Tokyo, Japan. Naito was an obvious victor, but he wasnft impressive at all, missing plenty of roundhouse blows.

Undercard:

Unbeaten OPBF #8 ranked 115-pounder Kuniyuki Aizawa (8-0-1, 6 KOs), 115.5, swept all rounds and finally stopped ex-Indonesian champ Yoppie Benu (reportedly 21-5-4, 6 KOs), 114.25, at 1:43 of the seventh round. OPBF #7 ranked 122-pounder Toshimitsu Sakai (16-3-1, 7 KOs), 123.5, kept boring in like Jake LaMotta all the way and scored a nearly shutout win (100-92, 100-91 and 99-92) over Indonesian bantam champ Ringgo Jaguar (26-7-2, 12 KOs), 123.5, over ten.

Promoter: Misako Promotions.

Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for the Aizawa vs. Benu and Sakai vs. Jaguar bouts).

(4-11-05)


MARUMOTO DEFEATS KOREAN CHAMP BAIRA

April 10, 2005

SANDA, JAPAN-Ex-OPBF challenger Taisei Marumoto (16-5-1, 7 Kos), 148.75, decked an important victory by a uanimous decision (100-90 twice and 97-93) over OPBF #3 ranked Korean champ Dae Baira (19-4, 17 KOs), a slower but hard-punching Mongolian living in Korea, over ten heats on Sunday (April 10) in Sanda, Japan. The taller and faster Marumoto kept outpunching the slower Mongolian, steadily piling up points. Marumoto aims to have another OPBF shot against the winner of Kazuhiko Hidaka and Dondon Sultan in Tokyo on July 21.

Promoter: Green Tsuda Promotions.

Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.

(4-10-05)


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