## MIYAO KEEPS WBA FEMALE 102LB BELT

June 24, 2013

TOKYO, JAPAN

Fast-moving Japanese girl, Ayaka Miyao (11-1, 1 KO), 99.25, successfully kept her WBA female light-minimumweight belt as she defeated ex-champ and compatriot Mari Ando (10-5, 5 KOs), 101.5, by a unanimous decision (all 97-93) over ten two-minute rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. It was their grudge fight since Miyao, four years her senior at 29, dethroned defending titlist Ando at the champfs home turf Osaka last September. Miyao, making her second defense, cautiously kept moving well and occasionally scored left-right combinations, while Ando tried to outjab the elusive target as she kept stalking the champ all the way. It was a closer fight than the official tallies indicated, but Miyao apparently controlled the last three sessions with better precision.

It is rare to see a boxer weighing less than 100 pounds. This reporter happened to remember that great flyweight champ Pascual gLittle Gianth Perez scaled very low against our Japanese outstanding opponents such as Japanfs first world titlist Yoshio Shirai (from whom Perez wrested the belt in 1954), Sadao Yaoita (who registered the first defeat of Perez in his previously unblemished career), Kenji Yonekura (who lost to Perez twice on points). After reviewing his record and weight, Perez proved that he never weighed in at less than 100 pounds but usually scaled some 108, the current limit of light-flyweight category. If so, Miyao might be a rare member of the less-than-one-hundred club.

Promoter: Ohashi Promotions.

(6-24-2013)

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