By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda

Shinobu Charlie Hosokawa (12-4-1, 11 KOs), 159.75, showed his determination and durability in acquiring the vacant OPBF middleweight belt as he finally caught up with his grudge rival Tyson Koki (14-4-3, 12 KOs), a taller southpaw at 160, and halted him with the referee’s intervention at 1:21 of the eighth round in a scheduled twelve on Friday in Tokyo, Japan.

In their first encounter it ended in a drawn game (114-114 twice, 115-114 for Tyson) this July, and they faced again and it resulted in a give-and-take battle again.

Hosokawa this time smartly used his brain, keeping his distance and having Tyson punching out with his opening attack. The third round witnessed Tyson having a swollen right optic (caused by legal punches), which became worse and worse as the contest progressed. After the fourth, it was a close affair with 38-38 twice and 39-37 for Hosokawa.

Charlie then accelerated his attack and effectively hurt the sporadic southpaw with solid combinations upstairs and downstairs. The ref often had the badly swollen eye examined by the ringside physician. The fatal eighth saw Hosokawa swarm over the fading foe to bring him to the standstill to prompt the referee’s intervention. Then Tyson fell flat with damage and exhaustion.

Charlie, 35, with good physical strength, is the younger brother of former Japanese 140-pound ruler Valentine Hosokawa, 38, both being sons of a Nigerian father and a Japanese mother.

–