By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
Unbeaten Ghanan-Japanese IBF#8 junior welter Andy Hiraoka (23-0, 18 KOs), 142, decked Mexican Sebastian Diaz (18-7-1, 13 KOs), 141, with a southpaw right in round one, lopsidedly battered him from all angles and stopped him at 1:07 of the fifth round in a scheduled eight on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Andy went to Ghana, his father Justice’s native place, and was training well at Azumah Nelson’s gym for months and came home to appear here after a one-year hiatus. The six-footer Andy had recently renounced his WBO AP and Japanese national 140-pound belts to pursue a world championship.
Ohashi Promotions.
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I saw the replay. Hiraoka isn’t the fastest guy. He is going to have to get to #1 before the IBF champ wants to fight him.