September 13, 1999
TOKYO, JAPAN-Gutsy lefty YUTAKA MANABE(right photo), 121 1/2, kept his national
super-bantam title, as he positively mixed up with a game but limited
HIDEKI TAKAYAMA(left photo), 121 1/2, dropped him with a southpaw right hook in the
third, and finally halted him at 2:40 of the 5th round.
Manabe, formerly working as a stock dealer prior to his company's bankruptcy, often took Takayama's lead rights, but he retaliated with three-punch combos and took the initiative from the second round on.
Manabe, a lanky lefty, battered him with furious rallies, though
absorbing the challenger's right shots. Takayama sustained a bad cut
under the right eyebrow in the third, and another gash around the other
optic in the 5th. Referee Masakazu Uchida made a well-timed halt to the
lopsided affair.
The OPBF #2 ranked Manabe, who registered his 4th defense, bettered his mark to 23-6-1, 16 KOs. The 31-year-old champ will be obliged to meet the JBC's top contender, hard-hitting Manabu Fukushima, in the Carnival of Champions next February. Takayama sagged to 13-4-3, 4 KOs.
JBC #4 ranked super-feather Hiroto Ohgushi, 130, was awarded a TKO win over ex-OPBF bantam champ Changyun Oh, 128 1/2, at 0:42 of the 5th, when Oh abruptly quit, claiming his hand injury. Ohgushi is 12-1, 10 KOs, and Oh 33-10-4, 14 KOs.
JBC #10 ranked fly Daisuke Naito, 111 1/2, made a short work of Korean Myongsung Lee, 110 3/4, at 1:28 of the opening session in a scheduled 8. Naito ran his unbeaten mark to 12-0-1, 10 KOs. Lee dipped to 2-3-1, a KO.
Miyata Promotions.
(9-13-99)