December 20, 2008
TOKYO, JAPAN
Japanese champ Ichitaro Ishii (21-2-1, 16 KOs), 135, captured the OPBF lightweight belt as he kept moving to avert vaunted powerful shots of WBC#7/WBA#11 Randy Suico (28-4-1, 24 KOs), 134.5, and occasionally scored with good counters to be awarded a split decision (115-113, 117-110 and 113-114) over twelve heats on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.
Ishii cleverly moved side-to-side to refuse mixing up with the prefight favorite Sucio, and scored points with right crosses and left hooks. Suico, making his fourth defense, had Ishii at bay in the sixth, when he caught the Japanese and had him badly nose-bleeding with solid uppercuts, but failed to finish the affair. Though Suico dominated the last two sessions, he couldn’t offset his earlier deficit on points. Suico claimed his win, but it was Ishii’s night. He fully utilized his brain and feet as well.
Japanese super-light champ Norio Kimura (35-6-2, 19 KOs), 140, fresh from his failure to win the WBA belt from Andreas Koternik in Ukraine this September, kept his national belt by chalking up a fine TKO win over top contender Akihito Nishio (13-4-2, 8 KOs), 140, at 2:54 of the fourth session. The tricky southpaw champ lopsidedly took the leadoff and battered the taller challenger from all angles to make him a bloody mess. The ref declared a well-timed and well-received halt to save the groggy loser from further punishment.
Promoter: Yokohama Hikari Promotions.
(12-20-08)