By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten prospect with an excellent amateur mark of 59-1, Ginjiro Shigeoka (5-0, 4 KOs), 105, successfully made his initial defense of the WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight belt, when he impressively knocked out WBA#4 Rey Loreto (25-15, 17 KOs), 105, with an eye-catching left cross to have the Filipino veteran out for the count at 2:13 of the fifth round in a scheduled twelve on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

The very short 5’0” southpaw, 20, quickly dropped the also lefty Loreto with an overhand left to the face in the opening session.

Though being in command with superior speed and skills, Ginjiro took a vicious southpaw left and almost lost his equilibrium to be saved by the bell in round three. Shigeoka, however, regained his rhythm and distance, outpunching the slower opponent in the fourth. His overhand left, in round five, exploded again at the chin of Loreto, who hit the deck and was unable to beat the count. The Ivan Calderon stylist needs more to learn, but his speed on hand and foot may overcome his physical handicap, if properly coached and guided.

A disappointment was the highly regarded Rey Loreto’s performance since he had decked a couple of spectacular upset KO wins over Nkosinathi Joyi (KO3 in 2014, TKO1 in 2015) in South Africa. Then Loreto had an ambitious crack at the WBA 105-pound belt against Knockout CP Freshmart, losing a hard-fought decision in Thailand in July 2017.

Lately the Filipino Loreto was scouted and traded by ex-OPBF welterweight champ Taisei Marumoto of Japan, but he couldn’t deck his first bout under him reportedly because of his failure to properly make weight, so he looked sluggish from the outset. The rookie Shigeoka deprived him of his high world rating and good reputation base on his eleven-year career.

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