Tatsuyoshi, Kunimoto, Maeda victorious

By Joe Koizumi

Three shows took place at as many different arenas on Sunday in Osaka, Japan.

Unbeaten Juiki Tatsuyoshi, the son of legendary three-time WBC bantam champ Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, made a return after two years and nine months, and impressively disposed of Taketo Yamahara, formerly a university amateur boxer, at 1:35 of the fourth round in a scheduled featherweight eight on Sunday in Osaka, Japan. Juiki, now 14-0-1, 10 KOs, floored the less experienced Taketo with a vicious left hook in the opening session, and maintained the pressure at his disposal. His manager says Juiki will fight another in a 122-pound bout this year, and aim at the national belt next year, hopefully.

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Japanese middleweight champ Riku Kunimoto kept his national belt by winning a unanimous nod (all 97-93) over JBC#1 and grudge rival Mikio Sakai in a hard-fought ten in Osaka. They had a first encounter with Kunimoto winning the vacant belt by a unanimous decision in April of the previous year. Kunimoto again had an upper hand over the game challenger.

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Only once-beaten local feather prospect Jinki Maeda decked an important victory by finishing formerly IBF#1 super bantam Mike Tawatchai (AKA Pipat Chaiporn), from Thailand, for the count at 1:41 of the seventh round in a scheduled eight in Osaka.