By Joe Koizumi
On the daytime promotion of a dual event at the same Edion Arena Osaka, #1 Yuki Beppu acquired the vacant WBO Asia Pacific welterweight belt as he survived no less than five visits to the deck and finally halted #2 Ryota Yada to score a dramatic come-from-behind stoppage at 2:11 of the tenth round on Sunday (December 8) in Osaka, Japan.
Yada hit the deck early in the give-and-take affair but was in command, dropping the hard-punching opponent time and again. After the ninth, all the judges had Yada identically leading on points: 85-80, but a trick happened with Beppu’s unexpected last surge.
In the main event, unheralded ex-champ Kenta Nakagawa surprisingly dethroned IBF#13 Takayuki Okumoto, making his fourth defense, by scoring an upset decision (98-92 twice, 99-92) over ten sizzling rounds. In a confrontation of fast southpaws Nakagawa was more puzzling and frustrated the defending titlist with his sharp counters and shifty mobility. Okuda deserves a rematch to regain his belt.
In a supporting eight, unbeaten sensational import from Thailand, Thanongsak Simsri (13-0, 11 KOs), still nineteen, decked an important victory over world-rated and previously undefeated Christian Bacolod (12-1, 9 KOs), a Filipino prospect, by a close but unanimous verdict (77-75, 77-76 twice) over hard-fought eight. Thanongsak looked very promising, and he is worth watching since he may have good potential to become a second Chartchai Chionoi who had grew up strong by fighting many bouts in Japan.
Green Tsuda Promotions.