## MARUKI WINS WBC YOUTH 154LB BELT TO FOLLOW HIS FATHERfS FOOTSTEP

March 29, 2015

KARIYA, JAPAN

Japanese challenger Ryosuke Maruki (9-3-1, 7 KOs), 153.75, impressively captured the WBC Youth super-welterweight belt when he scored a dramatic come-from-behind knockout of defending champ Petchsuriya Singwangcha (22-12, 9 KOs), 153.75, from Thailand, at 1:20 of their rematch on Sunday in Kariya, Japan. It was a grudge fight since Petchsuriya defeated him by a hard-fought majority decision last July. Ryosuke, who celebrated his birthday on this fight day, is a son of his manager/trainer Takao Maruki, former world title challenger who unfortunately failed to win the WBA junior feather belt from Samuel Serrano via unanimous decision in Nagoya in 1978. Takao now handles Ryosuke as well as his elder brother Kazuya (18-3, 12 KOs), now JBCfs #11 super-light contender.

It was a see-saw contest that fully entertained the crowd, as the tide very busily turned each other. Ryosuke, a taller boxer, utilized good jabs and quick left-right combinations to the Thai slow starter who didnft positively throw strong punches but responded to his foefs opening attack with occasional counters. After the fourth, the open scoring system showed Ryosuke leading on points: 40-36 and 39-37 twice.

The fifth and sixth saw Petchsuriya pin the Japanese to the ropes and batter him from all angles to hurt him as badly as the referee was almost preparing to halt the proceedings. He was barely saved by the bell in both rounds. After the seventh session, the tallies were announced: 67-66 twice (still for Maruki) and 66-66. Ryosuke, however, came back hard due to his fatherfs strong encouragement, whipped the champ with desperate combinations and landed a lethal left hood to the side of the belly, dropping the champ in agony for the count. It was an eye-catching knockout that all the spectators whole-heartedly enjoyed to watch. Papa Maruki couldnft hold any belt though he was highly world rated at his prime in 1970fs, and the WBC Youth belt is the very first for his family. Ryosuke wishes to make a defense of this belt and then renounce it because of the age limit of the WBC youth championship. Japan, now in spring, is covered by beautiful cherry blossoms everywhere, and the Maruki family welcomed a title-winning celebration. Ryosuke did it in his rematch with the champ, but Papa said, "Never make two bites of a cherry next time."

Promoter: Heiwa Promotions in association with Tenyu Maruki Gym.

(3-29-2019)

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