October 14, 2006
TOKYO, JAPAN
Unheralded Japanese #9 ranked challenger Koji Umezu (12-6, 5 KOs), 125.75, surprisingly captured the Japanese national feather belt as he scored a stunning upset majority decision (96-94, 95-92 and 94-94) over WBC#14 Kazuhisa Watanabe (13-3, 7 KOs), 126, over ten frames on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.
Watanabe, notorious by his rough-and-tumble tactics, was penalized twice: for wrestling in the fourth and for head-butt in the seventh, which cost his national throne. Umezu, formerly a rugby player, could cope with the champfs wild performance, and floored Watanabe with a right uppercut in the seventh to score a slight edge in the close affair.
Japanese #2 bantam Shota Terabatake, 117.5, earned a close verdict (96-93, 96-94 and 96-95) over skillful but less powerful Hideki Imanishi, 117.5, over ten.
Promoter: Kadoebi Jewel Promotions.
(10-14-06)