☆The Japanese Boxing Thread - Inoue wins; Olympic gold medallist Murata in action!☆

[kosaros]

Originally Posted by Flea Man

Tunacao has been around for donkeys years (Wonjongkam splattered him to take his FIRST WBC title!!!) but wow, Yamamaka Vs Santa Cruz is the way to go

12 years and 25 fights later for Tunacao to finally get another chance at a 'world' title if he wins that eliminator. Would be a great story if he gets that opportunity

As for Yamanaka-Santa Cruz, Shinsuke has Teiken behind him, so you know they have the power to get him that fight in America. I'm optimistic it'll happen if Santa Cruz doesn't move up.

[BoxingAnalyst]

What a fight that will be! Santa Cruz looks like a beast but Yamanaka is a damn good fighter.

Isn't Mcdonnell mandatory for Leo?

[kosaros]

Originally Posted by kosaros

Hasegawa to campaign at super bantamweight

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After mixed results at featherweight, Hozumi Hasegawa has decided to move down to super bantamweight in search of becoming a three-weight 'world' champion. The 31-year old Hasegawa (30-4, 13KOs), who rose to prominence for his five year streak as WBC bantamweight champion from 2005 to 2010, will have his first fight in this new weight class on December 22 in Kobe, Japan. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds and an opponent is to be announced in the near future.

His opponent is WBC #13 Arturo Santos Reyes (12-2, 4KOs), who is most known for dropping a split decision to Fernando Montiel back in June. His last fight was a handy win over Khabir Suleymanov.

Hasegawa-Reyes is supported by the aforementioned Tunacao-Esquivel contest.

Originally Posted by BoxingAnalyst

What a fight that will be! Santa Cruz looks like a beast but Yamanaka is a damn good fighter.

Isn't Mcdonnell mandatory for Leo?

I think he is mate, but I think they can get some sort of dispensation for mandatory fights if they take part in a unification fight?

[kosaros]

Just a few updates over the last few days:

Fast tracked prospect Yukinori Oguni (10-0, 2KOs) successfully defended his OPBF super bantamweight title for the third time, defeating Roli Gasca (19-4, 5KOs) via an uncontentious split decision. Although the scorecards (116-112, 116-114 and 113-114) indicated a closer victory for the 24-year old Japanese boxer than their previous encounter - a clear decision win for Oguni last November - Filipino Gasca, 23, was unable to exact revenge.

On the undercard, domestic super featherweight gatekeeper Hirohito Fukuhara (15-7-8, 7KOs) upset Roberto Gonzales (20-2, 11KOs), stopping him in the third of a scheduled eight rounds.

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OPBF welterweight champ, hard-punching southpaw Akinori Watanabe (27-4, 24 KOs), 147, kept his regional belt as he floored WBC top ranked super-lightweight contender Prawet Singwancha (48-4-2, 27 KOs), 147, in the fifth and earned a very unanimous decision (116-112, 116-111 and 117-108.) over twelve sizzling rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan.

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On the undercard, amateur stand out Naoto Uebayashi (1-0, 1KO) made his debut, stopping Ryota Koizumi (6-9-1, 4KOs) in two rounds.

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The exciting Wars Katsumata (18-6, 16KOs) rebounded from his disappointment last time out to stop Indonesian Isack Junior (20-3-2, 8KOs) in the eighth and scheduled last round of their bantamweight encounter. Katsumata, fighting out of Japan via the Philippines, got his career back on track after losing in just 34 seconds to the big punching Oscar Blanquet in June of this year.

The main event saw 23-year old Masamichi Nozaki (16-3, 3KOs) acquire the vacant WBC Youth World bantamweight title, overcoming a knockdown in the fourth round to win a split decision over Vergel Nebran (8-4-1, 6KOs). The scorecards were 95-94, 95-94 and 94-95.

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Super flyweight prospect Yushi Tanaka (9-0-2, 6KOs) added the most impressive name to his record, stopping former Interim WBC light flyweight champion Wandee Singwancha (67-15-1, 18KOs) inside six rounds. The bout, which was scheduled for eight rounds, ended abruptly when the 21-year old Tanaka delivered a body shot to end proceedings. Singwancha, 32, was last seen in Japan losing to one fight novice Yohei Tobe in June 2011.

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...Fast-rising Koki Eto (12-2-1, 9 KOs), 113.75, stunned the crowd with his demolition of WBA#9 rated flyweight Denchailek Kratingdaeng-gym (20-2-1, 8 KOs), 114, in the second round. Eto, one of his three brothers, dropped the highly regarded Thailander on three occasions to score an upset KO win due to the JBC’s three knockdown rules in effect. This tall and hard-hitting prospect is worth watching.

...Ex-WBA super-bantam champ Akifumi Shimoda (27-3-1, 12 KOs), 124, impressively displayed a fine stoppage of WBC-rated Mexican Hugo Partida (16-4-2, 13 KOs), 124, at1:18 of the ninth round. Shimoda had the wild-swinging Mexican hit the deck three times in the fifth, eighth and fatal ninth rounds.

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The supporting bout for the Shimoda-Partida main event saw JBC#3 light welterweight Keita Obara (7-1, 6KOs) carve out an important victory, stopping JBC#2 Hayato Hokazono (16-3-1, 9KOs) in the eighth of a scheduled ten rounds. The 26-year old Obara is unbeaten in his last seven contests.

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Also some news:

The always exciting Nobuo Nashiro (18-5-1, 12KOs) has decided to do a u-turn on his proposed retirement plans. The former WBA super flyweight champion, 31, put in a gallant effort against Tepparith Kokeitgym last time out, which helped make him decide not to retire.

WBA super featherweight champion Takashi Uchiyama (18-0-1, 15KOs) has reiterated his desire to face Yuriorkis Gamboa (21-0, 16KOs) in the near future. Gamboa is scheduled to face former Uchiyama opponent Michael Farenas on the Pacquiao-Marquez IV card on December 8, while 'KO Dynamite' headlines a card on December 31 against dangerous mandatory Bryan Vasquez.

Heavyweight hope Kyotaro Fujimoto (5-0, 3KOs) has been added to the Miyazaki-Porpramook card on December 31. The 26-year old, ranked #15 with the WBC, will challenge for the vacant OPBF heavyweight title against 37-year old Solomon Haumono (19-1-2, 17KOs).

[Flea Man]

122 is better for Hozumi. He's a natural feather but most featherweights aren't nowadays.

Hasegawa Vs Mijares would be heartbreaking for me though so hopefully Diamanté goes down to 118 and schools the Jap'

[kosaros]

Japan could begin to recognise the IBF and WBO sanctioning bodies:

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...We, in Japan, have recognized only two sanctioning bodies of the WBC and WBA for so long, plus only two regional championships of the OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) and the WBC Youth (authorized just from last year). It is said that the JBC may affiliate next year with the IBF and WBO to widen opportunities for local boys to fight more for world championships due to strong requests of JPBA (Japan Professional Boxing Association that consists of all licensed club owners). Although we have already had five world champions, we may have much more titlists and see much more title bouts from next year on. In the boxing world, however, the logic of the more the better wouldn’t stand since our champs will apparently lose the rarity value.

[kosaros]

Not Japanese boxing, but worthy of a mention:

Zhong defeats Martinez; makes history

Becomes first world boxing champion from China

Xiong Zhao Zhong (20-4-1, 11 KOs) of China Unanimously decisioned Javier Martinez Resendiz (13-4-2, 6 KOs) of Mexico to win the vacant WBC minimumweight world title. The bout was fought at a very fast pace and very close throughout the first half of the fight. The second half of the fight Zhong turned it on and really was teeing off on Martinez at times and seemed to be in the brink of at least putting him down. Zhong also opened up a cut over the eye of Martinez. Martinez was game until the end and neither fighter was down in the bout. 116-114 116-112, and 119-110 were the official scores. Zhong became China’s first world champion boxer. The bout took place at the Kunming City Stadium in Kunming, China.

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On the undercard, Jomthong Chuwatana (4-0, 3KOs) scored a unanimous decision over Ranel Suco (14-7-2, 6KOs) to successfully defend his OPBF super featherweight title for the first time. The scorecards were 119-109, 117-111 and 119-110.

[Flea Man]

Came here to say just that. Jomthong is goin' all the way. Hopefully they can get him in with one of the super feather Titlists soon. I wouldn't even he scared of homing with Uchiyama.

[kosaros]

Ioka to fight for vacant WBA 108lb belt

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten ex-WBA minimumweight champ Kazuto Ioka (10-0, 6 KOs), who lately renounced his belt to move up to the 108-pound category, will be awarded an opportunity to fight Mexican Jose Rodriguez (28-1, 17 KOs), in Osaka, Japan, on the last day of the year. The 23-year-old youngster is tremendously popular in his native Osaka, where people expect him to be the first Japanese boxer that will gain the second world belt only in his eleventh pro bout. The previous WBA full champ Roman Gonzalez has been elevated to the super champ [] in the light-flyweight division thanks to his five successful defenses. Now that another title bout is announced, we will see no less than five world title goes on December 31. It is possible Only In Japan.

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Also, Rodriguez lost his last fight for the interim WBA belt and is rewarded for that with a fight for the regular title

[B.A]

Ioka a G.

[kosaros]

Big fight in Japan tomorrow, with the infamous Koki Kameda (28-1, 17KOs) facing arguably his biggest test since Pongsaklek Wonjongkam back in March 2010, when he defends his WBA World bantamweight title against mandatory challenger, Hugo Ruiz (31-1, 28KOs).

At the weigh-in today, Ruiz came in at nearly half-a-pound over the 118lb limit. However, he successfully made the weight in his second attempt.

[B.A]

It's about time Ruiz got a title shot! He's been interim champ for ages, I see him knocking Kameda out or winning close on points.

[HMSTempleGarden]

Ruiz got robbed from what I read.

[B.A]

Yeah, even the Scene are calling it a robbery.

[BoxingAnalyst]

Looks like Gonzalez will face the winner of Ioka/Rodriguez! The winner must face Gonzalez within 90 days according to the scene!

Gonzalez/Ioka could be the fight of 2013