July 18, 2009
TOKYO, JAPAN
Unheralded Ryol-li Lee (AKA Retsuri Lee; 13-1-1, 7 KOs), 125.25, a Japan-based Korean, scored a stunning upset victory as he kept moving well and effectively countered WBA#8 ex-world challenger Hiroyuki Enoki (28-2-2, 20 KOs), 126, winning a split but well-received decision (97-93, 97-94 and 95-97) over ten heats on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.
Having failed to win the WBA feather belt from Indonesian Chris John via hard-fought unanimous decision last October, Enoki engaged in his second comebacking bout after his third-round demolition of Indonesian national champ Aldi Diego this March. Enoki, a prohibitive favorite, might have underestimated Lee and taken him lightly, but was terribly slow and out of timing against the slick-punching footworker. Ex-OPBF champ Enoki kept going forward without throwing his trademark jabs only to absorb Leefs countering rights. The sixth saw Lee pin Enoki to the ropes with a flurry of punches, dominating the round despite the latterfs less effective retaliation. It was just in the seventh that Enoki began to warm up his engine, and was clearly in command in the tenth and final session, which was too late for the ex-champ to overcome his early deficits on points.
Promoter: Kadoebi Jewel Promotions.
(7-18-09)
July 16, 2009
Hard-punching perennial contender, OPBF#1 Katsuhiko Iezumi (26-7-3, 19 KOs), 108, seized the interim OPBF 108-pound belt by decking a dramatic TKO win over OPBF#2 Tsutomu Yamanaka (17-2, 6 KOs), 108, at 2:49 of the eighth round in Tokyo, Japan.
Iezumi was slated to have a mandatory shot at the OPBF throne against compatriot Yukio Wadamine this March, but the champ suffered an auto accident just a week prior to the event. His whiplash neck injury caused the OPBF to reluctantly sanction an interim title elimination bout between the OPBF top two ranked contenders despite the OPBFfs fundamental attitude not to recognize any interim championship to avoid criticized proliferation.
It was really a give-and-take affair. Yamanaka, in the first, badly dropped Iezumi, who floored him back in the second. The shorter Yamanaka had him on the deck again in the closing seconds of the fourth. Since then, it was Iezumi that took back the initiative and piled up points to have the tide turn. The eighth saw Iezumi rain a barrage of punches to the fading foe with the ref Uratani interrupting to his rescue. Then Yamanaka fell flat to be carried out on a stretcher. The OPBF light-fly unification bout between Wadamine and Iezumi will take place within this year, depending on the full champfs complete recovery.
Promoter: Flash Akabane Promotions.
(7-16-09)