## YAMANAKA, MARTINEZ TO DEFEND WBC 118LB, IBF 122LB BELTS IN JAPAN TODAY

April 23, 2014

OSAKA, JAPAN

A world title twinbill will take place at the Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan, today (Wednesday). WBC bantamweight champ Shinsuke Yamanaka (20-0-2, 15 KOs), an unbeaten southpaw razor-puncher, will put his belt on the line against Stephane Jamoye (25-4, 15 KOs) from Belgium in the main event. IBF super-bantam titlist Kiko Martinez (30-4, 22 KOs) of Spain will risk his throne against former WBC bantam and feather ruler Hozumi Hasegawa (33-4, 15 KOs), a Japanese lefty veteran, in the first title go.

All of them passed the weigh-in at the first trip to the scale yesterday: Yamanaka 118, Jamoye 117.25, Martinez 121.25 and Hasegawa 122.

The officials are as follows:

WBC 118-pound title bout: referee Hector Afu (Panama); judges Juan Carlos Pelayo (Mexico), Timothy Cheatham (US), Noppharat Sricharoen (Thailand); supervisor Edward Thangrajah (Thailand).

IBF 122-pound title bout: referee Robert Byrd (US); judges Hubert Earle (Canada), Robert Hoyle (US), Carlos Ortiz Jr. (US); Anibal Miramontes (US).

Yamanaka, making his sixth defense, registered his last four within the distance and is greatly expected to collect another victim by way of knockout, although Jamoye is said to be physically durable and mentally resilient. The Spaniard Martinez is making his second defense since he captured the IBF belt by a sixth-round stoppage of Jonathan Romero in Atlantic City last August. The Japanese challenger Hasegawa had previously gained the WBC 118-pound and 126-pound belts to his credit, and should he acquire the 122-pound throne, he will be a triple-crown winner, which is his ultimate dream through his long career.

This show, telecast nationwide by Nippon TV, is staged by Teiken Promotions in association with Shinsei Promotions.

(4-23-2014)

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