By David Finger

Former WBO mini-flyweight champion Tatsuya Fukuhara got back on the winning track Sunday (April 22, 2018) with a unanimous eight round decision victory over countryman Yuto Takahashi in Fukuoka, Japan. Although Fukuhara promised a knockout and fought with more aggression than he has in the past he was unable to pin down his fleet-footed foe long enough to seriously hurt his opponent. Takahashi seemed intent on staying away from the aggressive former champion from the opening round, when a wicked right hand to the body seemed to rattle Takahashi. There were no knockdowns.

“I won my comeback fight but I wasn’t satisfied with my performance,” Fukuhara said after the fight.

With the win Fukuhara improves to 20-6-6, 7 KOs while Takahashi drops to 8-4, 4 KOs. Fukuhara will return with his second comeback fight in Kumamoto on July 29, 2018.

In the co-main event, local boy Yuki Hirashima stopped cross town rival Junji Okami in four rounds. Hirashima improved to 8-2-1, 2 KOs while Okami droped to 10-10-1, 7 KOs.