By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda

Underdog Shinobu Charlie Hosokawa (11-3, 10 KOs), 159, captured the OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific middleweight belts when he avenged his previous defeat by defending champ Yasuyuki Akiyama (12-8-1, 9 KOs), 159.5, and halted him with the referee’s intervention at 2:56 of the eleventh round on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan.

It’s a grueling battle with the tide busily turning in the see-saw process where each gamely withstood much punishment and displayed furious retaliation. Akiyama had wrested the regional belts by upsetting Tyson Koki via fifth round in Osaka last December. In his first defense the 38-year-old beltholder faced Charlie whom he had defeated in an eliminator to decide the mandatory challenger against Tyson in March of the previous year.

In a give-and-take proceedings Charlie gradually took back the initiative with his vicious combinations responding to the champ’s persistent rallies. After the eighth, the open scoring system read 76-76 twice and 77-75 for the hard-punching challenger Charlie.

The eleventh and fatal session witnessed Charlie accelerate his attack and batter the bloodied champ to the punch, pinning him to the ropes, when the referee Someya stepped in and called a halt. Akiyama then absorbed much punishment and fell down then and there.

Charlie, 34, is the younger brother of current Japanese 140-pound titlist Valentine Hosokawa, 37, and they become simultaneously reigning brother champions, which is very rarely happening here in Japan. They are sons of a Nigerian father and a Japanese mother. Their long-time fistic efforts have finally come to fruition.

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