July 30, 2008
TOKYO, JAPAN
WBA flyweight champ Takefumi Sakata (33-4-2, 15 KOs), 112, Japan, successfully kept his belt as he pounded out a unanimous decision over WBA#3 compatriot Hiroyuki Hisataka (16-7-1, 5 KOs), 112, over twelve rounds on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan.
Japanese judges Takeshi Shimakawa and Takeo Harada tallied 118-111 and 116-112 respectively, and Pinit Prayadsab, Thailand, saw it 117-111, all for the more aggressive champ Sakata. The referee was Kazunobu Asao of Japan.
It was a very monotonous lopsided affair since the champ, 28, took the initiative from the second through eleventh. It was also strange that the challenger from Osaka, 23, dominated the first and the last sessions.
Hisakata, who had entered the world top ten thanks to his upset victory over world-rated Hussein Hussein last December, looked sharp enough to land quick counters to the onrushing Sakata in the opening canto. But Sakata, a notoriously slow starter, started fast tonight as he warmed up his engine from the second and kept stalking the circling and countering challenger.
Sakata, making his fourth defense since dethroning Venezuelan Lorenzo Parra by a second-round stoppage in March of the previous year, sustained a gash over the right eyebrow, which temporarily ceased bleeding but later kept streaming red ribbon down the cheek. Probably Sakata had watched the Margarito-Cotto battle, so followed Tijuana Tornado’s persistent body attack all night. Luckily, Hisataka, a sharp counterpuncher, wasn’t a Cotto, so Sakata need not absorb considerable punishment to the face on behalf of working the body.
From the second round on, as Sakata returned to his corner, he added a point to the scoresheet. The sixth witnessed Sakata accelerate his attack to finish it and bring home the bacon early, as he brilliantly displayed versatile attacks upstairs and downstairs. But Sakata wasn’t such a hard-puncher that he only hurt Hisataka but failed to embalm him despite giving him good damage.
Hisakata kept moving around to avert Sakata’s incessant aggression, but he could only hit at a time, which was apparently nullified by the volumes of the champ’s busy combinations.
The quite monotonous affair suddenly became hot and alarming enough to shake off the crowd’s sleepiness in the eleventh. The champ kept battering the negative challenger, who abruptly turned loose just after Sakata’s cut was again examined by the ringside physician. The round had been overwhelmingly dominated by the champ, but Hisataka became furious with a barrage of punches just in the closing seconds of the session.
Hisataka’s momentum continued even in the final session, when he threw stronger shots to hurt the champ. Though this reporter wouldn’t give the eleventh to Hisataka, the last was apparently dominated by the previously negative and disappointing challenger. Why didn’t he start his explosion much earlier? Probably Sataka’s continual body shots paid off. Hisataka’s energy tank had been damaged by the champ’s body bombardments. However, Tokyo Tornado was less powerful than Tijuana Tornado, so he couldn’t finish the game.
The champ said, “I wasn’t satisfied with my performance tonight, and will show a better fight.” It was just the same Naito, the WBC ruler, said after his successful defense in the main event. The program of TBS Television called it “Who’s the strongest?” But Naito looked terrible, while Sakata appeared disappointing ? in comparison with their best form.
WBC#8 superfly Daigo Nakahiro (18-2, 8 KOs), 115, also looked terrible and eked out a controversial but unanimous decision (all 77-76) over ex-Japanese national champ Kenji Yoshida (13-8, 5 KOs), 115, over eight. Yoshida looked more victorious than Nakahiro who couldn’t show his trademark jabs, nor right crosses.
Unbeaten Korean 115-pound champ Hayato Kimura (11-0, 7 KOs), 115.75, dispatched Thailander Kanchai Klongphajol (reportedly 11-8, 2 KOs), 115.75, at 1:41 of the third round in a scheduled eight. The 19-year-old prospect, a lanky footworker, is called Jooin Yoo in Korea, and Hayato Chuwatana in Thailand, though his nationality is Japanese. He had acquired the vacant Korean belt during his campaign there.
Promoter: Kyoei Promotions in association with Miyata Promotions.
(7-30-08)