Report and photos by Joe Koizumi
Why do you promote such a good card in Tokyo on the same day Ryota Murata fights his fight of life against his conqueror and current WBA middleweight champ Rob Brant in Osaka? Almost all fight scribes have gone to Osaka to cover the grudge fight.
WBA female flyweight champion Naoko Fujioka (18-2, 7 KOs), a five-division titlist at 43, will defend her belt against WBO 108-pound ruler Tenkai Tsunami (26-12, 15 KOs), a two-class champ at 34, at the Korakuen Hall today. Despite their long careers they square off and exchange gloves for the first time. This must be the most important fight in female boxing history here in Japan.