July 11, 2011
TOKYO, JAPAN
Once-beaten Japanese feather champ Satoshi Hosono (21-1, 15 KOs), 126, impressively kept his national belt as he quickly dropped game challenger Kazunori Takayama (19-8-4, 4 KOs), 126, with a vicious left uppercut to the face and battered him from all angles to prompt the referee’s intervention at 2:56 of the second round in a scheduled ten on Monday in Tokyo, Japan.
Hosono, making his third defense, who once failed to win the WBA 122-pound belt via unanimous decision to Poonsawat Kratindaeng-gym in January of the previous year, displayed his improvement in effectively scoring with short punches in the close quarter. Takayama, who couldn’t win the same 126-pound title by a close verdict to future WBA ruler Ryol-li Lee last year, attempted to land solid shots to the shorter champ from the long range, but absorbed the champ’s wicked combinations upstairs and downstairs. Hosono, handled by ex-WBA/WBC 105-pound champ Hideyuki Ohashi, is gunning for a shot at a world feather belt as he claims he’s a legitimate 126-pounder with his best speed and power.
Unbeaten bright prospect Ryuji Hara (8-0, 6 KOs), 107, proved too sharp and skillful for Hiroshi Ishii (6-6-3), 108, whipping him nearly at will en route to a fine TKO victory at 1:28 of the sixth round in a scheduled eight. Hara, formerly national high school champ, once decided to pursue his new career as jockey by hanging up amateur gloves and passed an exam to receive strenuous training at the jockey club. Then, he changed his mind to be eager to try his fists in the professional ring and won the Novice King national four-round tournaments last year. Hara seems special as he is gifted with very good reflexes and keeps his own proper range with his shifty footwork. It is also good for him to be able to train with world-rated national 105-pound champ Akira Yaegashi at Ohashi Gym. Hara will zoom up remarkably soon.
Promoter: Ohashi Promotions.
(7-11-11)