Okuda, Takesako keep Japanese belts; Inoue regains WBO AP 154lb belt
By Joe Koizumi
JAPANESE 115LB TITLE BOUT
Japanese super flyweight champ and IBF#15 Takayuki Okuda impressively kept his national belt when he dispatched JBC#6 Dynamic Kenji with a vicious southpaw left at 1:49 of the sixth round on Sunday in Osaka, Japan. Okuda, making his third defense, looked sharp and strong in outpunching the game but less aggressive challenger. In the semi-windup, former Japanese welter ruler Ryota Yada disposed of Indonesian champ Robert Kopa Palue with a solid right at 2:22 of the fourth session in a scheduled eight.
JAPANESE 160LB TITLE BOUT
WBO ASIA PACIFIC 154LB TITLE BOUT
Unbeaten Kazuto Takesako kept his Japanese middleweight belt as he, in a grudge fight after a split draw in their first encounter this March, scored a fine stoppage of Shuji Kato with his surrender after the eighth round on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Takesako is still unbeaten with 11-0-1, 11 KOs.
Only once-beaten ex-WBO Asia Pacific 154-pound champ Takeshi Inoue regained his belt that he previously renounced to have an eventually unsuccessful shot at Jaime Mungia’s WBO throne in Houston this January, when he demolished Thailander Komsan Polsan at 2:24 of the second round in a scheduled twelve in the main event.
