Mar. 8, 1999
TOKYO-Korakuen Hall-Game and gory KOJI ARISAWA, 130, survived a 4th
round visit to the deck, and showed his will power to retaliate with
solid shots to also game and gutsy NOBUTOSHI HIRANAKA, 129 3/4, to wear
him down in later rounds and successfully retain his Japanese
super-feather title on a split but popular decision over 10.
It was an extravaganza. Both absorbed what they threw with their full powers each other. It wasn't only a physical fight but a battle of will powers. Hiranaka, a veteran lefty who failed to win the world feather thrones due to his defeats by Eloy Rojas and Lusiito Espinosa, smoothly punched the tense and nervous champ from the start. He caught Arisawa with a crisp left followed by a southpaw right hook, flooring him for the mandatory 8 count.
The WBC #28 ranked Arisawa, a notorious slow starter, initiated his engine from the 5th, and turned loose with long rights and effective left hooks to the tough lefty. The champ suffered a cut under the left eyebrow in the 6th, and he kept fighting with his face in crimson thereafter. Hiranaka also sustained a gash at the right eyelid in the 8th, and it became a gory affair. The champ's forehead was swollen grotesquely due to their repeated headbutts.
Arisawa, however, was in command in the last 3 rounds to carry himself to a hairline victory. The 10th and last round saw Hiranaka exhaust himself only to grab the champ without throwing punches.
Arisawa, 21-1, 16 KOs, is aiming to revenge the current WBA super-feather champ Takanori Hatakeyama in a rematch with the latter's world title at stake. Hiranaka, who protested against the decision, fell to 18-5-1, 11 KOs.
HIRONARI OSHIMA, this year's Novice King tourney winner, 135, extended
his mark to 8-0, 5 KOs, as he scored a one-punch KO of Filipino MARVIN
FRANCISCO, also 135, at 2:10 of the 3rd in a scheduled 8.
Soka Arisawa Promotions.
(3-8-99)
Mar. 8
HIROSHIMA-Hiroshima General-Purpose Gymnasium-WATARU YAMAJI, 113 1/2,
outscored YUYA MATOBA, 113 1/4, over 10.
(3-8-99)