February 10, 2008
TAKASAGO, JAPAN
OPBF top ranked Japanese middleweight champ Keiji Eguchi (17-1, 11 KOs), 160, formerly a sumo wrestler, barely kept his national belt as he utilized his southpaw stance to effectively frustrate mandatory challenger Norifumi Suzuki (11-2-1, 9 KOs), 157, and keep him from displaying vaunted solid shots, winning a close but unanimous verdict (96-95 twice and 99-94) over ten frames on Sunday in Takasago, Japan.
Eguchi, a stoutly-built champ making his fourth defense since dethroning Toshihiko Itagaki via upset decision in Tokyo fourteen months ago, paid his respect to Suzuki’s latest string of ten wins including eight knockouts, but took the initiative with southpaw lefts to the face with precision. Suzuki, taller by three inches and a half, looked nervous and tense as he was too anxious to finish Eguchi at the champ’s home turf, only throwing a strong shot at a time. The 27-year-old champ, in round nine, had the challenger, also 27, at bay with a well-timed left, but didn’t go for a kill for fear of Suzuki’s come-from-behind leather.
Akihito Nishio (12-3-2, 7 KOs), 139.75, decked a fine stoppage as he floored Yusuke Doi (8-10-1, 5 KOs), 140, in the fourth, dropped him again with a vicious left hook in the fatal round and followed up to welcome the referee’s intervention at 2:05 of the sixth session in a supporting ten. Hard-punching prospect Toshitada Utsumi (9-2-1, 8 KOs), 116.5, needed just 64 seconds into the opening session to polish off Ken Oshika (7-7, 2 KOs), 118, in a scheduled eight. A wicked left hook was a haymaker.
Promoter: Himeji Kinoshita Promotions.
(2-10-08)