March 3, 2007
TOKYO, JAPAN
Unbeaten WBC#12/WBA#15 southpaw prospect Takahiro Aoh (14-0, 8 KOs), 125.5, captured the Japanese featherweight belt as he pounded out a unanimous decision (98-94, 97-94 and 96-95) over OPBF top ranked defending titlist Koji Umezu (12-7, 5 KOs), 126, over ten heats on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.
The 22-year-old Aoh, formerly six-time amateur champ in his high-school days having compiled a fine 76-3 mark with 27 stoppages, dominated almost all rounds though Umezu, 30, kept boring in without throwing punches in a peek-a-boo style. It was surprising that a judge tallied such a close score as he probably saw it on the scoring standard of rugby. The champ started his engine from the sixth on, but Aoh cleverly kept moving side-to-side and countered with southpaw lefts. It wasnft an easy triumph for the vastly talented Aoh as the champ showed his tremendous resilience, but it was obvious Aoh was victorious in precision and effectiveness.
Ex-national 122-pound champ Rikiya Fukuhara (19-2-1, 15 KOs), 128, returned to a ring warfare after an eight-month hiatus due to his right hand fracture suffered in his title-losing bout with Daisuke Yamanaka, moved up to the feather division and impressively scored a knockout over Thailander Yuki Wor Wisuth (7-5, 2 KOs), 126.25, at 1:19 of the third round in a scheduled eight. Fukuhara floored him twice in the second and once more in the fatal session. Yoshihiro Kamegai, 140, formerly an amateur champ, ran his unblemished ledger to 5-0, 5 KOs by halting Akinori Suzuki (10-7-3, 2 KOs), 138.75, at 1:59 of the third round.
Promoter: Watanabe Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (as for the Fukuhara-Yuki bout).
(3-3-07)