July 11, 2010
NAGOYA, JAPAN
Ex-WBC flyweight champ, Japan-based Filipino southpaw Malcolm Tunacao (26-2-3, 15 KOs), 117.75, kept his OPBF bantam belt as he connected faster combinations with better precision than previously unbeaten, WBC#5/WBA#9 Kohei Ohba (27-1-1, 11 KOs), 118, winning a unanimous decision (all 116-112 by all Japanese judge) over twelve see-saw rounds on Sunday in Nagoya, Japan.
It was a much closer affair than the official tallies indicated, but all the judges might evaluate Tunacao’s better ring generalship. It was their grudge fight as they battled to a split draw here four years ago. Ohba, in the initial round, made a good start by connecting with direct rights and looping left hooks to the counterpunching lefty champ, who, however, solved Ohba’s monotonous style and occasionally caught him with a solid combo at a time. After the fourth, the open scoring system showed Tunacao’s lead on points: 39-37 twice and 38-38. After the eighth, it was also Tunacao that was leading on the scores: 77-75 twice and 78-74 (which looked too severe to the aggressive Ohba). Ohba, a Floyd Mayweather stylist, desperately fought hard to overcome the deficits on points down the stretch, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide and carry him to a victory. The referee was Kenji Fukuchi, Japan, and the judges were Tsuchiya, Sakamoto and Urata. The local prospect Ohba suffered a bitter setback for the first time in his career.
Promoter: Hatanaka Promotions.
(7-11-2010)