MANABE RETAINS JAPANESE SUPER-BANTAM TITLE

MANABE Apr. 5, 1999
TOKYO-Korakuen Hall-Lefty YUTAKA MANABE(right photo), 122, successfully kept his national super-bantam title as he was awarded a TKO win over previously unbeaten MOMOTARO KITAJIMA(left photo), 121 1/4, at 2:33" of the 8th round.

KITAJIMA It was a grueling give-and-take war with each absorbing much punishment. The tide turned busily. Kitajima, ex-Novice King tourney winner, tried to pin the southpaw champ to the ropes with busy but less accurate combinations. Manabe occasionally caught him with southpaw right hooks in the close range. The 7th saw the champ often catch the fading foe with a flurry of punches. The referee, Uratani, declared a halt midway in the 8th, as Manabe connected with solid combos to the game opponent.

KITAJIMA&PANTHER Scored after the 7th: Morita and Uchida, both 68-67, and Fukuchi 68-66, all for Manabe, 31, who raised his mark to 22-6-1, 15 KOs. It's his third defense of his Japanese 122-pound belt. Kitajima, 22, tasted his first defeat and dropped to 15-1, 9 KOs (including a 6-round decision over currently world-rated Kozo Ishii, a sensational left hooker).

UNDERCARDS:

Former national super-fly champ YOSHIAKI MATSUKURA, 118, finished Filipino MARLON TERADO, 115 3/4, at 1:25 of the 3rd round in a scheduled 10. Matsukura, dethroned by unbeaten Akihiko Nago, is 20-3, 17 KOs. Terado reportedly fell to 11-7-5, 3 KOs.

JBC #9 ranked super-feather HIROTO OHGUSHI, 130, chalked up a TKO win over Filipino JERRY DE GRACIA, 126 3/4, at 1:17 of the 4th of a scheduled 8. Ohgushi is 10-1, 8 KOs. Gracia is reportedly 6-6, 2 KOs.

JBC #10 fly DAISUKE NAITO, 112, ran his unbeaten mark to 10-0-1, 8 KOs, by stopping Filipino JUN OLJARIZA, 110, at 1:35 of the 2nd session of a scheduled 8. The loser reportedly dipped to 20-13-5, 10 KOs.

JBC #10 ranked welter TEPPEI YASUDA, 146 3/4, drew with KENJI SATO, 146 1/4, over 6.
Miyata Promotions.
(4-5-99)

HOZUMI WRESTS JAPANESE MIDDLE TITLE

HOZUMI Apr. 3
TOKYO-Korakuen Hall-Ex-high school champ NAOTAKA HOZUMI(right photo), 160, wrested the Japanese middleweight title, as he exploded solid left hooks and dropped defending champ NOBUNAO OHTANI(left photo), 158 3/4, twice before the referee intervened at 2:04 of the 7th round in a scheduled 10.

OHTANI Hozumi controlled the fight from the outset. The champ fought back with left-right combos in the 4th and 5th, but Hozumi sent him to the deck with a well-timed left hook in the 6th. The still dazed champ hit the deck again in the 7th, and Hozumi's follow-up attack prompted a halt.

Hozumi bettered his credentials to 12-1-1, 10 KOs. Ohtani fell to 13-3, 10 KOs.

UNDERCARD:

Unbeaten MOTOKAZU ABE, 126, easily finished Filipino EDGAR MAGHANOY, 125 1/4, at 1:35 of the 2nd round in a semi-final 10. The unranked ex-amateur is 4-0-1, 3 KOs.
Teiken Promotions.
(4-3-99)

LOCAL PROSPECTS MURAKOSHI AND IIDA WIN

MURAKOSHI Apr. 4
SHIZUOKA-Shizuoka Twin Messe-JBC #5 super-fly HIROAKI MURAKOSHI(right photo), 115 1/4, needed just 2:13 of the opening session to dismantle a lefty KENICHI HIRAYAMA, 115 1/4, in a scheduled 10.

IIDA Murakoshi is a hard-punching kid who lost to Raffy Montalban and Akihiko Nago in his bids for the OPBF and Japanese 115-pound belts, respectively, despite showing good fights. The winner is 12-5-1, 10 KOs, and loser is 9-6-1, 2 KOs.

JBC #4 mini-fly DAISUKE IIDA(left photo), 104 3/4, scored a KO win over Filipino ALLAN ORAIS, 103, at 2:32 of the opening session.
Mitsuyama Promotions.
(4-4-99)

Back to Oriental Boxing

Go to Top