By Joe Koizumi

Hard-punching southpaw WBC#14, WBO#14, IBF#8 super-fly Ryoji Fukunaga (14-4, 14 KOs), 115, kept his Japanese national and WBO Asia Pacific 115-pound belt when he kept battering JBC#8 lefty Takahiro Fujii (12-7-1, 3 KOs), 114.5, all the way and finally caught up with him, badly dropping him to prompt the referee’s halt at 1:19 of the eighth round in a scheduled twelve on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Fukunaga, a 34-year-old late bloomer, held three belts including the OPBF one, which wasn’t on the line. Prior to the stoppage all the judges identically tallied 70-63 in favor of the defending champ.

Promoter: Dangan Aoki Promotions.

Attendance: 635 (with the JBC’s regulation at the Korakuen Hall).