By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten Japanese southpaw, IBF interim minimum champ Ginjiro Shigeoka (10-0-1NC, 8 KOs), 105, impressively halted IBF full titlist Daniel Valladares (27-4-1-1NC, 15 KOs), 105, at 2:15 of the fifth round to unify the IBF belts on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

Ginjiro quickly decked Daniel with a southpaw left in the first round to take the initiative. Sweeping all rounds, the Japanese lefty, 23, badly shook up the Mexican, 29, again with a solid left and swarmed over him with a flurry of punches to prompt the referee Charlie Fitch (US) to declare a well-received halt.

All the judges had Ginjiro leading on points: identically 40-34. They had once exchanged gloves to a technical draw with Valladares unable to go on due to an accidental butt. In their anticipated rematch Ginjiro finally seized the unified belts with a fine TKO victory.