October 9, 2005
KANAZAWA, JAPAN-WBC#6 ranked OPBF 122-pound champ Wethya Sakmuangklaeng(79-4, 50 KOs), 121.75, kept his regional belt as he scored with heavierpunches with precision and doubled up ex-OPBF ruler Yasuo Kunimi(16-7-4, 6 KOs), 121.75, Japan, with effective body shots in the seventhand eleventh rounds en route to a popular but majority decision(117-114, 118-116 and 114-114) over twelve rounds on Sunday in Kanazawa,Japan. The southpaw Thai veteran previously displayed a goodperformance against then WBC feather champ Guty Espadas Jr. in Mexico in2000 and suffered his last defeat, sixth-round TKO, at the hand ofgPacmanh Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines in2001. Wethya cautiously started with more accurate shots than thetaller Japanese challenger, whose punches hit the air or were blocked bythe champfs tight guard. As the contest progressed, Wethyaproved smarter and economical by throwing less punches than Kunimi withbetter accuracy. The champ had the challenger at bay with his heavybody bombardments in the seventh and ninth, and had him nose-bleeding inthe eleventh. Kunimi desperately attacked him in the final session, butWethya cleverly kept moving to and fro to avert his last surge.
Promoter: Kashimi Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(10-9-05)