## SHIMIZU, OKUBO VICTORIOUS IN TITLE BOUTS

April 14, 2008

TOKYO, JAPAN

Japanese top contender Tomonobu Shimizu (13-2, 5 KOs), 112, wrested the national flyweight belt as he withstood repeated headbutts of defending champ, WBA#3 Kenji Yoshida (13-7, 5 KOs), 112, and occasionally countered the onrushing opponent to earn a unanimous decision (97-95, 98-95 and 98-93) over ten disappointingly foul-studded rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Yoshida was penalized once for continual butts only in the fourth, but the referee should have disqualified the champ.

OPBF#8 Masafumi Okubo (13-2, 4 KOs), 112, acquired the vacant OPBF flyweight belt as he was awarded a unanimous nod (116-112, 117-112 and 118-111) over OPBF#4 Korean Jinki Jung (5-4, no KO), 111.75, over twelve terrible sessions. Former champ Masaharu Naganawa, who had been slated to defend his belt against Okubo, had to retire and renounce his belt because of detached retina just weeks before the promotion. The Okubo-Jung elimination bout was sanctioned by the OPBF under such unexpected circumstances, but it resulted in a disaster due to their poorest performance.

The crowd was disgusted to watch the very worst OPBF and national title bouts in history on the same night.

Promoter: Watanabe Promotions.

(4-14-08)

Back to Oriental Boxing

Go to Top