By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Hard-punching Dominican residing in Japan, Destino Japan (AKA Vladimir Baez; 24-3-2, 22 KOs), 140, acquired the right to have a mandatory shot at the national super-light titlist Koichi Aso early next year, when he won an eliminator for #1 by chalking up a fine TKO victory over Kazuyasu Okamoto (14-5, 4 KOs), 139.75, at 2:12 of the eighth and final session on Friday in Tokyo, Japan.

It’s an eliminator between the JBC #1 and #2 contenders with Destino emerging victorious with his remarkable power-punching, with which the taller Dominican sent the game Japanese to the canvas in the fifth and eighth. Before the trick happened, the Dominican had been dominating the contest with his more accurate combinations to the belly and the face.

Destino, reportedly an Olympic representative from the Dominican Republic in 2004, is already 33 years of age, but seemed still strong enough to reign in the 140-pound category in Japan.