RESULTS FROM JAPAN: ITO, INOUE AND SHIRO VICTORIOUS IN TOKYO (PHOTOS)
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 31 Dec 2018
Japanese fighters Masayuki Ito, Takuma Inoue and Ken Shiro won their world title fights at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan Sunday night, Dec. 30, during Japan's traditional yearend boxing festivities.
MASAYUKI ITO TKO EVGENY CHUPRAKOV IN 7
Masayuki Ito of Japan stopped Evgeny Chuprakov of Russia in the 7th round and successfully defended his WBO super featherweight crown, the first defense of the title he won last July against Christopher Diaz of Puerto Rico in Florida. Chuprakov's corner threw in the towel after Ito inflicts heavy punishment on the Russian in the fateful 7th round. Ito now improves to 25-1-1 with 13KOs while Chuprakov suffers his first defeat and drops 20-1-0, 10KOs.
Photos by Sumio Yamada.
Referee Laurence Cole halts the contest in the 7th round after the heavy punishment inflicted by Masayuki Ito on Evgeny Chuprakov.
TAKUMA INOUE INFLICTS FIRST LOSS ON PETCH CP FRESHMART
Takuma Inoue, brother of Japanese superstar 'The Monster' Naoya Inoue, captured the WBC Interim banatamweight title by defeating Petch CP Freshmart (Tasana Salapat) of Thailand by decision. All three judges gave it to Inoue with scores of 117-111. Inoue improves to 13-0-0, 3KOs while Petch suffered the first loss of his career, 48-1-0, 33KOs.
Takuma Inoue connects with a right on Petch CP Freshmart.
KEN SHIRO WIDE UD OVER SAUL JUAREZ
Ken Shiro of Japan remains undefeated and retained his WBC light-flyweight crown by defeating Saul Juarez of Mexico by lopsided unanimous decision over twelve rounds. Judges scores: Steve Morrow, 120-108; Perla Rodriguez, 119-109 and Jun-Bae Lim, 119-109. Shiro is now 15-0-0 with 8KOs while Juarez dropped to 24-9-2, 13KOs.
Ken Shiro battles Saul Juarez in close quarters.
Tonight three Japanese fighters will also try to win world titles in Macau in another triple-header yearend fights. Kazuto Ioka will face Donnie Nietes of the Philippines for the vacant WBO super flyweight title, Hiroto Kyoguchi will challenge WBA super world light flyweight champion Hekkie Budler of South African and Masahiro Sakamoto challenges IBF world flyweight Moruti Mthalane also of South Africa.
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