By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

It was a one-punch knockout that stunned the audience at the Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan on Monday. The haymaker was a sickle-like uppercut that flattened a Japanese home-towner with a thud.

Unbeaten Thailander IBF #6 Apinun Khongsong (15-0, 12 KOs), 139, decked an important victory in the IBF eliminator to decide the mandatory challenger when he scored an eye-catching knockout of IBF #4 Akihiro Kondo (31-8-1, 18 KOs), 139.75, at 1:47 of the fifth round in a scheduled twelve. Prior to the trick happening, the tallies were competitive: 38-38 twice, 39-37 for Apinun.

The 5’10” tall Thai prospect, 22, made a good start with his opening attack in the first session, scoring with solid jabs and overhand rights to the shorter Japanese veteran. Kondo had lost to Sergei Lipinets via unanimous nod in quest of the vacant IBF junior welter belt at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, in 2017. Since then, Kondo, 33, scored a couple of triumphs over mediocre opponents to maintain his IBF world ratings so that he was given an opportunity to fight for #1 in the IBF ratings. Apinun (AKA Downua Ruawaiking) reportedly experienced some one hundred amateur (not Muay-thai but international styled) contests before entering the paid ranks, though he still looked wild, roundhouse and pugnacious.

This reporter recommends this knockout scene as a candidate for Knockout of the Year.

IBF supervisor: Anibal Miramontes (US).

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