Japan Crowns Second Unified Champion But Loses, Fails to Win Another Belt
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 14 Mar 2025
Results from triple world boxing title bouts at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo yesterday had Japan crowning a second unified titleholder but losing a belt and failing to win another title to make up for the loss.
Newly-crowned WBC flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji became unified titlist when he stopped WBA flyweight titleholder Yuri Seigo Akui in the last round of their main event 12 round unification bout.
In the main supporting bout, WBO light flyweight champion Shokichi Iwata surrendered his title by 12 round unanimous decision defeat to Puerto Rican challenger Rene Santiago.
In the other supporting bout, former two division world champion Hiroto Kyoguchi failed to wrest the WBO flyweight championship going down by 12 round unanimous decision defeat to defending American titlist Anthony Olascuaga.
Teraji was trailing slightly on points in the cards of two judges and desperately go for broke in the 12th and final round to force the stoppage over the tiring Akui.
Meanwhile Kyugochi, a former title victim of Teraji when Teraji won his first unified world championship at light flyweight, tried to overpower Olascuaga from Los Angeles. Olascuaga not only proved too tough and elusive but also connected with punches and combinations that won the nod from all three neutral judges.
Judges John Basile scored it 117-110, Surat Soikranchang, 114-113 and Muhammad Aquil Tamano, 118-109 all in favor of Olascuaga.
The Iwata-Santiago bout was also like the Olascuaga-Hiroto fight but this time it was the champion Iwata who took the fight to the challenger looking for a knockout. But the Puerto Rican established his jabs and at times connected with eye catching rights.when forced to stand his ground.
Judges Basile scored it 118-110, Soikranchang, 117-111 and Aquil Tamano, 116-112 all for Santiago.
Japan still has a total of seven reigning world champions, the most in Asia, led by undisputed super bantamweight titlist Naoya Inoue.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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