By Joe Koizumi

Yoshikawa follows manager Yoshikawa’s footstep

In a WBO Asia Pacific 105-pound title bout for the vacant championship, Japan’s Riyuna Yoshikawa (5-1-1, 1 KO), 104.75, acquired the belt as she made best use of footwork and outhustled WBC#3 veteran Filipino Norj Guro (12-8-1, 4 KOs), 105, winning a unanimous decision (all 78-74) over eight hot rounds in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, last Sunday (November 27). Riyuna is handled by manager ex-two-time world champ Nana Yoshikawa (no relation to her) and her husband/promoter Shinji Nogami. She is Diamante Promotions’ first champion that the couple has ever produced with their fruitful collaboration.

Koshikawa fails to appear at the weigh-in

On the same day (November 27), there happened an unexpected fiasco in Osaka, Japan. The main event was a Japanese super welter eliminator to decide the next mandatory challenger to the national belt between JBC#1 Rei Nakajima and #2 former three-time title challenger Koki Koshikawa, but Koki didn’t appear at the official weigh-in to have it abruptly cancelled. Instead, the slated semi-final became the main attraction, where former world champ Ryo Miyazaki, 115, was held to a surprising draw with Toma Kondo, 115, over eight. The JBC will severely punish Koshikawa for his negligence of the weigh-in regardless of any reason.