Michael Casama Blasts Kota Kaneko Saturday in Japan
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 07 Jul 2024
Hard-hitting Pinoy featherweight Michael Casama (10-2-1, 10 KO's) did not waste a second in shocking, rocking and stopping Japanese fighter Kota Kaneko 金子虎旦 (5-1, 4 KO's), disassembling him in less than 3 minutes for a round one TKO win.
From the sound of the first bell, the focused Casama came-in on the attack, throwing heavy punches to the unbeaten Japanese, rocking him hard with a power left hook, that instantly made Kaneko's legs unsteady.
The shaken Kaneko tried to escape the Filipino's onslaught with footwork and clinches. It didn't work.
He was already too reduced, defenseless, unable to battle, prompting the Japanese third man to intervene, stopping the match for Michael Casama's round one TKO 1.
With his victory, the 23-year-old Casama avenges a prior defeat that he suffered last September in The Land of the Rising Sun. Congratulations.
MORE RESULTS
In a thrilling battle, Japanese world-ranked, former world title challenger and Asian triple-champ Shokichi Iwata 岩田翔吉 overpowered in six rounds brave and strong Pinoy Jahzeel "The Technician" Trinidad (11-1).
The rumble was an exciting one.
Shokichi Iwata, 28, of Japan's Teiken Promotions - ranked #1 in the world by the WBC & WBO in light flyweight division - and the taller, big-heart Trinidad gave fans a what they wanted to see.
Trinidad came in on the attack, showing heart and determination, but the more experienced Japanese prevailed landing enough damaging blows to deck and ravage the brave Filipino from Puerto Princesa.
For the winning Iwata (13-1, 10 KO's), the victory inches him closer another shot at the light flyweight world title. Two years ago, Iwata challenged reigning Puerto Rican world champ Jonathan "La Bomba" Gonzalez, losing by points.
IN ANOTHER result for Saturday's Teiken show, undefeated Japanese super bantamweight slugger Subaru Murata 村田昴 (7-0, 7 KO's) knocked out Filipino Bryan James Wild (12-1-1, 6 KO's) in six rounds of war.
The 23-year-old Wild born in Agusan del Sur showed courage and battled well, being bested by the stronger Japanese.
Wild's fans still have full trust on the "Wild Fury," believing that the experience learned from fighting in Japan is priceless, eventually making him a better fighter.
In addition to the above results, Japanese light flyweight Kyosuke Takami 高見享介 (7-0, 5 KO's) of Tokyo outclassed and defeated Chinese brawler Wulan Tuolehazi (15-7-2, 7 KO's) for a unanimous decision win.
Identical scores were 79-73 (three times) in favor of the promising 22-year-old Takami.
The show Saturday, July 6, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, was a presentation of Akohiko Honda of Teiken Promotions.
The author Carlos Costa can be reached at carlos@philboxing.com
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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