## EX-WORLD CHALLENGER AKAHO STOPS BUHAWE

November 2, 2013

TOKYO, JAPAN

Ex-OPBF super-fly champ, WBC#6 Ryo Akaho (21-1-2, 14 KOs), 117, decked his second comeback go after his failure to win the WBC belt from compatriot Yota Sato last December as he fought a rough-and-tumble battle and finally dropped durable Filipino Jecker Buhawe (14-10-1, 9 KOs), 116.75, en route to a fine stoppage at 1:30 of the sixth round in a scheduled ten on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

Akaho, 27, greatly disappointed his adherents by showing nothing out of his highly touted weapon in losing a unanimous nod to Sato in a bid for the WBC belt. Sato forfeited his world throne in his next defense via upset TKO defeat by current titleholder Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in Thailand, and abruptly called it quits by hanging gloves on the wall. Satofs bad shellacking relatively Akahofs stock again. Akaho, a very aggressive swinger, scored a fine fourth-round halt of Elmer Francisco this June, and faced another Filipino at the Hall.

They roughly and recklessly mixed it up from the outset, swapping wild rallies and missing each other. Akaho had the upper hand as the contest progressed, but sustained a laceration over the right eyebrow due to a head-collision in the fourth, when Buhawe, 23, was penalized a point as he hit another punch to the ex-champ after the bell. The sixth saw Akaho explode a beautiful right to the face, flooring the Filipino on the deck though Buhawe quickly came off the canvas. Akaho, agile and aggressive, swarmed over him with a flurry of punches, when referee Vinny Martin, ex-national junior middle champ, declared a halt. Akaho, truly a crowd-pleaser, should keep his composure, without which he will not be able to improve more on his comeback trail.

Japanfs top flyweight contender Takuma Hayashi (23-2-1, 7 KOs), 113.75, earned a close but unanimous verdict (77-75, 78-75, 78-74) over #8 super-fly Shuji Hamada (12-6-3, 2 KOs), 114, over eight.

Promoter: Teiken Promotions.

Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi (for the Akaho-Buhawe bout)

(11-2-2013)

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