## FUKUSHIMA SHUTS OUT IKEDA

February 28, 2008

TOKYO, JAPAN

Ex-world challenger and ex-OPBF 122-pound champ Manabu Fukushima (31-8-3, 19 KOs), 126, outspeeded and outlegged Mitsumasa Ikeda (13-12-3, 9 KOs), 126, scoring a shutout decision (80-73 twice and 80-74) over eight monotonous rounds on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

Fukushima, 33, had an unsuccessful crack at the WBC super-bantam belt against Oscar Larios only to be mercilessly battered en route to a well-received eighth round TKO defeat here in 2002. Since then, Fukushima, a hard-hitting footworker with his always criticized habit of hanging his hands too low, once acquired the OPBF 122-pound belt by defeating Korean Jaekwang Jung but yielded it to lanky Filipino Pedrito Laurente in his initial defense, both in 2003. Though scoring six victories against two draws in eight bouts since, Fukushima was obviously declining to lose his previous zip and sharpness. He then lost twice in a row to world-rated Nobuto Ikehara by a unanimous nod and was halted by fast-rising Mikihito Setoh in five losing rounds in his previous bout last year.

Fukushima, fighting at the feather limit, looked sharper than previously, and whipped the much slower and lesser Ikeda, also 33, piling up points with great ease. But Fukushima himself became slowing down in later rounds to make it a competitive game down the stretch. Both were in the twilight of career, showed their bests but failed to entertain the sparse audience.

Promoter: Hanagata Promotions.

(2-28-08)

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