March 10, 2013
KOBE, JAPAN
An upset happened on Sunday afternoon in Kobe, Japan. OPBF#7 Shingo Wake (13-4-2, 6 KOs), a Japanese southpaw speedster and an obvious underdog, 122, stunned the local spectators when he dethroned previously unbeaten OPBF super-bantam champ, WBA#9/WBC#14 Yukinori Oguni (10-1, 2 KOs), 122, via unexpected TKO triumph after the tenth session in a scheduled twelve rounder. Having dethroned Filipino Roli Gasca and defeated world-rated compatriot Masayuki Serie, Oguni, 24, zoomed up as a bright prospect in the 122-pound category with his stylish way of fighting. Making his fourth defense, Oguni might have been a bit too overconfident or careless against the unheralded challenger from Tokyo. The upright stylist Oguni surprisingly hit the deck with Wake’s southpaw left midway in round two, and couldn’t regain his usual rhythm for a while. After the fourth session, the open scoring system indicated: 40-35 twice and 40-36, all in favor of the challenger.
The fifth saw both contestants suffer a gash at the right eyebrow caused by a legal punch, but Oguni kept bleeding more profusely as the contest progressed. The champ gamely went forward to take back the initiative from the fifth, but Wake displayed his fast, if not strong, punches to befuddle the defending titlist. After the eighth, the official tallies were: 79-73, 78-73 and 80-71, all for Wake.
The champ desperately tried to mix it up, but couldn’t control the combat with Wake’s good retaliation in the ninth and tenth. With his face in crimson Oguni breathlessly returned to his corner, where his manager Minoru Takashima made up his mind to throw in the towel after the tenth session.
Ex-WBC minimum champ Wandee Singwangcha (67-16-1, 18 KOs), 117, Thailand, fought well, but was apparently outspeeded and outpunched by younger Japanese Shinichiro Morikawa (12-4-1, 8 KOs), 116.5, losing a unanimous nod (79-75, 79-73, 80-73) over eight.
Promoter: VADY Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(3-10-2013)