October 26, 2006
TOKYO, JAPAN
WBA#8/WBA#13 ranked 154-pounder Javier Mamani (30-5, 17 KOs), 155, Argentina, scored a very dramatic come-from-behind knockout over WBC#8 OPBF super-welter champ Crazy Kim (AKA Toshiharu Kaneyama; 25-4, 22 KOs), 155.5, Japan, at 3:09 of the tenth and final round on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.
The official scorecards after the ninth were as follows: 87-86, 88-86 and 88-85, all in favor of the local favorite Kim. Had Kim been saved by the final bell to end the tenth, the verdict would have been a split draw with a 10-8 score by all the three judges. Kim fell down face first on all fours with Mamanifs beautiful right counter at 2:59 of the last round, and the ref Shimakawa kept counting up to the fatal ten against the wobbling loser.
It was a very good fight with the tide busily turning. Kim, unbeaten in 17 last bouts since 2001, started fireworks from the opening session, but the fast-moving Argentine responded to the Japanesef persistent body attacks with sharp jabs and left-right combinations to the face in following rounds. Kim dominated the sixth, but Mamani, seven years his junior at 25, scored good one-two combinations to the face with precision in next rounds.
Aware of the fight being so close, Kim wildly went forward to win another point in the tenth, which cost him a victory. His defense became loose and Mamani landed a solid left hook to the temple of Kim and finally exploded a perfectly timed short right to the button of the aggressor. Down he went. Kim barely stood up with rubbery legs and then lost his balance only to be counted out. Mamani, a clever speedster with his tight guard, greatly impressed the Japanese crowd with the dramatic triumph.
Promoter: Yonekura Promotions.
(10-26-06)