By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten Japan’s top welterweight contender Yuki Beppu (17-0-1, 17 KOs), 145.75, needed just 86 seconds of the first session to dispatch Thai super-light champ Phongsathon Sompol (8-4, 5 KOs), 145.75, in a scheduled eight on Friday in Tokyo, Japan.

Phongsathon attempted an opening attack, but Beppu, a sturdy hard-puncher, responded to his rally and dug a vicious right to the belly, which had the Thailander down for the count. Beppu, gunning for a shot at the national welter belt against also hard-punching Ryota Yada, will participate in an eliminator for #1 against Yuki Nagano in his home turf Kurume on October 21. Beppu, 27, was once held to a split draw by formerly world rated ex-OPBF titlist Charles Bellamy in January of the previous year, which was a good lesson for the upcoming prospect who had been castigated for the quality of his previous opponents.