January 14, 2015
January 14, 2015
April 22, 2015
OSAKA, JAPAN
IBF 105-pound titlist Katsunari Takayama (29-7-1NC, 11 KOs), 104.75, barely kept his belt as he was awarded a unanimous technical decision over Fahlan Sakkreerin Jr. (27-4-1, 15 KOs), 104.5, Thailand, due to the champ having suffered bad cuts over the eyebrows at 2:19 of the ninth session on Wednesday in Osaka, Japan.
The official tallies including the incomplete ninth round read: Takeshi Shimakawa (Japan) 80-71, Kyoung-Ha Shin (Korea) 87-84, Cherdchaichanon Sricharat (Thailand) 86-85, all in favor of Takayama. The referee was Katsutoshi Nakamura (Japan).
It wasn’t an easy triumph for Takayama at all despite the unanimous scores, although the 31-year-old veteran champ lopsidedly controlled the contest with his non-stop rallies. Fahlan Jr., the son of ex-IBF minimum champ in 1990’s, occasionally scored with a solid right uppercut at a time, and it was Takayama that was bleeding from bad gashes over both optics (given having been caused by accidental butts) and from the nostrils at the termination on a technical decision.
Takayama, who acquired the vacant IBF belt by stopping compatriot Go Odaira last December, started fireworks from the outset, battering the taller challenger by five inches with incessant combinations to the face and the midsection. Fahlan, 21, previously established his name by demolishing then world champ Ryo Miyazaki in three upset rounds of a non-title bout in 2013. He was a stylish and sharp counterpuncher against the then ill-conditioned Miyazaki.
Takayama, who had four belts of as many organizations in the minimum category, was an aggressor all the way, but Fahlan retaliated with at least a solid counter in each round. As the champ realized the challenger’s vicious weapon, he, from the fifth, attempted to keep the distance though he kept punching for three minutes, as usual. His attack looked like Floyd Mayweather’s pad work at a gym.
The seventh saw Takayama sustain a cut over the left eyebrow caused by an accidental butt, and the eighth witnessed him have another over the right optic. Just looking at the face, we wonder which was leading on points though Takayama was a constant aggressor due to the volume of punches.
It was logical that the third man had the champ’s bad gashes examined by the ringside physician early in the ninth, and again later because of the deterioration of bleeding. But it was after the champ absorbed a wicked right uppercut and looked to have had considerable damage therefrom. The stoppage didn’t happen at a right timing.
The winner Takayama said, “I feel sorry not to be able to finish him though I almost caught him.” He experienced some critical moments by Fahlan’s dangerous counters, but displayed his incredible stamina and non-stop mobility.
The loser Fahlan gloomily said, “I couldn’t win my father’s previous belt, as Takayama was too aggressive.” The talented son may have an opportunity to fight for a world belt again to dedicate it to his father who didn’t come here but watched a television in Thailand.
The champ Takayama wishes to unify the belts with another organization’s champ or fight for a 108-pound belt in the near future. Given thirty-one, he is amazingly ambitious.
Promoter: Ioka Promotions.
(4-22-2015)