June 14, 1999
TOKYO, JAPAN-In a sensational encounter of lefties, KAZUHIRO RYUKOH(right photo),
115, scored a fine TKO win over hard-punching but lantern-jawed YOSHIAKI
MATSUKURA(left photo), 114 1/2, at 0:55 of the 4th round to acquire a vacant
Japanese super-flyweight title in a scheduled 10.
The competitive card gathered a sell-out crowd at the Korakuen Hall. It
turned out to be a very competitive give-and-take affair.
Ryukoh, a slick-punching ex-amateur footworker, failed to win the OPBF 115-pound title as he drew with defending champ Raffy Montalban, fighting here under the Japanese nom-de-guerre Mangoro Ishimaru, here on Oct. 27 last. Matsukura, a then upcoming KO artist, also failed to win the vacant Japanese 115-pound belt as he was badly knocked out by unbeaten lefty Akihiko Nago in the 9th on Mar. 9 of the previous year.
Ryukoh, regarded as a light hitter, amazingly dropped Matsukura with a solid left in the opening canto. The sturdy Matsukura, in the second, took back the initiative by flooring Ryukoh with a flurry of body punches. They mixed up with solid punches to fight in even terms in the third.
Ryukoh connected with a well-timed southpaw right hook in the 4th to down him for the mandatory 8 count. He swarmed over the rubbery-legged opponent so furiously that the referee Kazuo Abe declared a halt.
This important triumph raised WBC #22 ranked Ryukoh's mark to 10-1-2, 2 KOs. WBC #29 ranked Matsukura fell to 20-4, 17 KOs. Ryukoh is an aspirant to become a professional singer in the future, along with his fistic career.
Unbeaten lightweight prospect HIRONARI OHSHIMA, 135, blasted out a KBC #5 ranked DONGKEUN KIM, 137 3/4, at 2:36 of the opening session to extend his unblemished mark to 9-0, 6 KOs. Ohshima, handled by ex-world junior middle champ Koichi Wajima, recently won the All Japan tournament to be ranked by the JBC. Kim impaired to 6-8-1, 5 KOs.
JBC #7 ranked super-feather HIROTO OHGUSHI, 130, was befuddled by the durability of Filipino ERNIE URDANIZA, 127 3/4, but finally sank him for the count at 2:40 of the 8th and final round. Ogushi is 11-1, 9 KOs. Urdaniza reportedly fell to 29-19-2, 15 KOs.
JBC #9 ranked fly DAISUKE NAITO, 111 3/4, battered Filipino JOVY MANCHA, 112, so lopsidedly as to prompt the referee's stoppage at 0:25 of the 7th round in a scheduled 8. Naito, a busy puncher, bettered his unbeaten log to 11-0-1, 9 KOs. Mancha reportedly impaired to 12-9-1, 7 KOs.
Co-promoted by Miyata Promotions and Watanabe Promotions.
(6-14-99)