By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda
Formerly three-division world champ Kosei Tanaka (17-1, 10 KOs), 114.75, impressively captured the WBO Asia Pacific 115-pound belt as he battered unbeaten defending titlist Masayoshi Hashizume (19-1-2, 11 KOs), 115, to the punch to prompt the referee’s intervention at 2:52 of the fifth round on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan. Annihilated by compatriot Kazuto Ioka in quest of his WBO junior bantam belt in 2020, Tanaka edged world-rated Sho Ishida and thus seized the regional belt to his credit. Tanaka said, “I’m willing to win my fourth belt in the 115-pound category.”
Highly expected ex-amateur ten-time national champ, tall southpaw Taiga Imanaga, 136.5, decked his pro debut by knocking out Takahiro Hamazaki (3-9-3, 1 KO), 136, at 2:49 of the second round in a scheduled six. His amateur mark was 113-13 in 126 contests.
Promoter: Ohashi Promotions.
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Tanaka was a 3 weight world champion after his 12th fight, when he was 23 and even now, he’s just turned 27. 115 is a fun division right now and he’s definitely one of the bigger names, be interesting to see where he goes next.