July 10, 2005
KOMAKI, JAPAN-Japanese top ranked 130-pounder Ryuhei Sugita (29-2-2, 22 KOs), 127.75, was awarded a unanimous technical decision (49-46 twice and 49-47) over Filipino feather champ Jeffrey Onate (31-20-7, 19 KOs), 127.75, at 2:11 of the fifth round in a scheduled ten on Sunday in Komaki, Japan. Sugita had failed to win the WBA 130-pound belt from Yodsanan Nanthachai via seventh round TKO defeat in February of the previous year. Since then, he scored four wins straight and recently attempted to fight in the feather category, looking for a shot at either of the WBC or the WBA 126-pound belts. Sugita, piloted by ex-WBC 122-pound champ Kiyoshi Hatanaka, kept more aggressive to be leading on points, when the ring physician advised a halt to the ref after Sugita began to profusely bleed from a gash over the left optic caused by an accidental butt. Onate, on his twelfth visit here, also sustained a bad gash over the left eyebrow, which became a handicap prior to the stoppage.
Philippine superfly champ Eric Barcelona (33-6-4, 11 KOs), 115.5, produced a stunning upset by a fine TKO win over WBA #13 ranked ex-OPBF fly champ Hiroshi Nakano (21-2, 12 KOs), 115.25, at 0:37 of the fourth session in a supporting ten. In an encounter of southpaws Barcelona, early in the opening canto, exploded a breathtaking one-two combo to drop Nakano to the deck. The Filipino lefty kept battering the fading Japanese, and the third man finally declared a halt to save the local favorite from further punishment. Unbeaten bright prospect, Japanese #5 fly Kohei Ohba (12-0, 8 KOs), 117, landed a wicked left hook to the side of the belly, dropping Thai national champ Petchklongpai Sor Thantip (10-9, 1 KO), 117, in agony for the count at 1:39 of the second round in a scheduled ten. The lanky hard-puncher is worth watching. Toshikazu Waga (9-3, 2 KOs), 104.5, pounded out a nearly shutout decision (99-92 twice and 98-94) over Filipino Gilbert dela Torre, 104.25, over ten.
Promoter: Hatanaka Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(7-10-05)
July 10, 2005
SHUNAN CITY, JAPAN-Japanese top 140-pound contender Kazuyuki Matsumiya (12-4-1, 4 KOs), 140, survived a last surge of Sakae Ishigaki (6-2, 3 KOs), 139.75, and earned a unanimous verdict (97-95, 97-94 and 98-93) over ten. It was a hard-fought affair, but Matsumiya was leading on points with his effective body bombardments midway in the contest. The winner is gunning for a mandatory shot at the national super-light belt against awkward and aggressive southpaw Norio Kimura. The loser is piloted by ex-WBA 140-pound champ Akinobu Hiranaka.
Aozora Nishida (7-1-2, 6 KOs), 129, halted Kenji Torii (8-20-3, 2 KOs), 129, at 1:02 of the third session in a scheduled eight.
Promoter: Tokuyama Promotions.
(7-10-05)
July 7, 2005
TOKYO, JAPAN-Unheralded and unranked Fukutaro Ujiie (7-4, 2 KOs), 160, amazingly scored an upset over previously unbeaten Japanese #3 middle prospect Yuzo Kiyota (10-1, 8 KOs), 158.75, by winning a close but well-received majority decision (78-76, 78-75 and 77-77) over eight heats on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan. It seemed an easy payday for the up-and-coming future champ Kiyota, who, however, looked so sluggish from the outset that he surprisingly became groggy with Ujiie’s barrage of light combinations in the second. Kiyota attempted to take back the initiative, but the awakward Ujiie continually frustrated him in the close quarter to score an unexpected upset.
Japanese #4 ranked 108-pounder Katsuhiko Iezumi (18-6-2, 12 KOs), 110.75, dropped Yusuke Imamiya (11-9, 3 KOs), 110.25, with smashing counters in the second, but was befuddled by Imamiya’s incredible recovery and resilience only to eke out a hairline nod (77-76, 77-75 and 78-75) over eight.
Promoter: Flash Akabane Promotions.
(7-7-05)