May 15, 2006
TOKYO, JAPAN-WBA#3/WBC#10 ranked flyweight Takefumi Sakata (27-3-1, 12 KOs), 112, eked out a split technical decision (59-58, 60-55 and 57-59) over game and aggressive Kenji Yoshida (9-6, 5 KOs), 112, at 2:27 of the sixth round, as the loser suffered bad gashes over both eyebrows caused by accidental headbutts in the second and the fatal sixth. Sakata had failed to win the WBA 112-pound belt twice from Venezuelan Lorenzo Parra both by a majority decision. Sakata was neither fast nor sharp this night only to mix up recklessly, sometimes absorbing Yoshida’s wild shots though scoring with few good left-right combinations.
Japanese #7 superfeather Hiroyasu Matsuzaki (13-1, 7 KOs), 132.25, flattened Tomoharu “Tom” Nagaoka (8-3-1, 4 KOs), 132.25, with a wicked left hook at 2:41 of the eighth round in a scheduled ten. Ex-OPBF 105-pound champ Shingo Yamaguchi (18-4-2, 7 KOs), 111.75, survived a first round visit to the canvas and fought back hard to win a unanimous decision (79-74, 78-74 and 78-73) over eight.
Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.
(5-15-06)