By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Female ex-world champions collided with the right to have a shot at the WBO champ and compatriot Kayoko Ebata on the line, and southpaw veteran Etsuko Tada (16-3-2, 5 KOs), 105, defeated Naoko Shibata (17-5-1, 6 KOs), 105, by a unanimous nod (77-75, 78-74, 80-72) over hard-fought eight on Friday in Tokyo, Japan.

Tada also acquired the vacant WBO ASPAC mini-flyweight belt thanks to this important triumph. Tada kept scoring well with her southhpaw lefts to the onrushing rival Shibata. Both were 36 years young.