October 4, 2008
TOKYO, JAPAN
Unbeaten but unheralded Kazuma Miura (12-0-2, 5 KOs), 122, surprisingly captured the Japanese 122-pound belt as he was awarded an upset split technical decision (77-76 twice and 76-77) over highly regarded WBA#4/WBC#7 Akifumi Shimoda (18-2, 8 KOs), 121.75, at 0:38 of the eighth round in a scheduled ten on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Miura sustained a couple of bad facial cuts and the ring physician advised the ref to halt the proceedings. It was unfortunate for Shimoda that the title bout abruptly ended in the eighth, though he was about to show his last surge against the early starter Miura who apparently ran out of gas. Shimoda was too nervous to finish his challenger with big punches, missing plenty despite recklessly going forward all the way.
WBC#12 feather Naoki Matsuda (29-8-3-1NC, 12 KOs), 126, seized the vacant national 126-pound belt when he accelerated his two-fisted attack, dropped JBC top contender Masaki Sawanaga (22-8-4, 9 KOs), 126, and halted him at 1:20 of the fifth canto in the first title go. Matsuda previously scored a stunning upset by flattening ex-WBC champ Rudy Lopez in Cancun, Mexico, in March of the previous year, but fought Lopez again to a controversial No Contest in their rematch there last December. Though dismantled by Guty Espadas Jr. in his third campaign in Mexico, Matsuda, a game left hooker, was given an opportunity to acquire the vacant title recently vacated by his stablemate Takahiro Aoh (who will have a crack at the WBC feather throne against Oscar Larios on this coming October 16).
Younger brother of former WBC feather ruler Jorge Linares, Venezuelan import Carlos Linares (3-1, 3 KOs), 158.75, displayed a quick demolition of Indonesian #6 middleweight Dedy Suwandana (3-6-1, no KO), 157.25, with a wicked body shot at 1:18 of the opening session in a scheduled six. The handsome six-footer looks promising with his potential speed and power.
Promoter: Teiken Promotions.
(10-4-08)