By David Finger

Kumamoto Japan’s favorite son, former WBO mini-flyweight champion and current WBC #9 ranked minimumweight Tatsuya Fukuhara scored an impressive ten round decision over streaking Naoya Haraguchi on Sunday, July 29, in Kumamoto Japan. Fukuhara, 104.5, came out to an early lead against Haruguchi, 104.7 and was able to withstand a late rally from Haruguchi to win the decision by scores of 98-93, 98-92, and 97-92. With the win Fukuhara improves to 21-6-6, 7 KOs while Haruguchi, who won seven of his last eight fights, drops to 15-9, 6 KOs. Although ranked in the top ten by the WBC, the former WBO champion is not rated in any other sanctioning organization, something that boxing fans in Kumamoto are hoping this win will rectify.

In the co-main event 36-year old Dr. Tomoya Ikeda, 133.8 was stopped by undefeated 21-year old prospect Kazuki Nakazono, 133, in round four. Ikeda now sees his record stand at 5-3-1, 4 KOs, while Nakazono improves to 4-0-2, 4 KOs.

Rounding off the card was popular super bantamweight Yuki Hirashima, 121.9, scored a TKO in round four over South Korean veteran Jong-Won Jung, 121.3. Hirashima now sees his record improve to 9-2-1, 3 KOs, while Jung drops to 5-7-1, 3 KOs.

Kazuto Sakamoto, 158.5, and Kyohei Nakamishi, 158.2, picked up where they left off back in 2010 with a four round draw in a middleweight fight. Sakamoto and Nakamishi had both been inactive since 2010, with Sakamoto’s last fight being a four round draw with Nakamishi back in May of 2010. The two veterans saw their clash end in another draw. Sakamoto now sees his record stand at 1-3-4, 0 KOs while Nakananishi now sees his record stand at 3-2-2, 1 KO.