October 3, 2010
OSAKA, JAPAN
Tricky and fast-moving southpaw, top contender Makoto Fuchigami (14-6, 5 KOs), 159.25, wrested the Japanese middleweight belt when he battered defending champ and OPBF #1 Tetsuya Suzuki (25-9, 15 KOs), 160, from the outset, decked him with a southpaw left cross in the second and finally halted him with a fusillade of punches at 0:45 of the sixth round on Sunday night in Osaka, Japan.
It was a rematch of the southpaws as Suzuki, the home-towner in Osaka, eked out a split verdict in his initial defense in April 2009. Suzuki, making his fourth defense, tonight inexplicably looked so sluggish from the outset and allowed the taller challenger to land fast roundhouse blows to himself nearly at will. The second round saw Fuchigami explode with a vicious left cross, dropping the champ on the deck. Though raising himself, Suzuki was apparently hurt so badly that he lost his rhythm, zip and reflexes from then on. Fuchigami swept all rounds before he finally caught the fading champ with another overhand left and pinned him to the ropes with unanswered combinations to prompt the refereefs intervention. Hachioji Nakaya Gym now boasts of three champs: OPBF/JBC 154-pound champ Charles gOtah Bellamy, national 135-pound ruler Nihito Arakawa and Fuchigami.
Promoter: Shinko Promotions.
Promoter: Osaka Teiken Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi. (10-3-10)