June 16, 2008
TOKYO, JAPAN
Formerly world-rated ex-Japanese 122-pound champ, currently JBC#2 contender Shoji Kimura (21-2-2, 7 KOs), 123.5, was awarded a hairline unanimous but debatable decision (97-96 and 98-95 twice) over JBC#1 Mikihito Setoh (26-7-1, 13 KOs), 123.5, over ten give-and-take rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan.
The very competitive bout disappointingly drew only a sparse crowd at the Korakuen Hall, where they put on a see-saw brawl as expected. WBC#19 Setoh’s winning streak including an upset decision over currently WBC#6 national champ Akifumi Shimoda stopped at sixteen. The crafty speedster Kimura took the leadoff in the first two rounds, but Setoh, a tricky stylist with both hands low, was in command in the third and fourth. Since then, they took a round in every other round. As Kimura tired to come close to him in the close quarter, Setoh effectively lifted solid right uppercuts, while Kimura fought back hard with overhand rights and left hooks. Kimura sustained a nasty laceration over the left eyebrow in the ninth, but kept on battling toe-to-toe with the willing mixer. Kimura will be entitled to have a shot at the national belt against fast-rising southpaw Shimoda as the mandatory challenger.
JBC#2/OPBF#10 super-feather Hiroyasu Matsuzaki (18-2, 9 KOs), 132.25, caught lantern-jawed Shoot Mifune (11-7-2, 4 KOs), 132.5, with overhand rights, dropping him twice en route to the referee’s intervention at 2:40 of the second session in a scheduled eight. It was the victor’s first appearance since he failed to win the national 130-pound belt from current WBA light ruler Yusuke Kobori via unanimous nod this January.
Promoter: Kyoei Promotions.
(6-16-08)