By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Boxing Beat

Biggest news in Japan while this reporter was absent to attend the WBA convention in Medellin, Colombia, was that former WBC bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka (27-1-2, 19 KOs), 35, finally made up his mind to go on fighting in order to regain his belt from his conqueror Luis Nery (25-0, 19 KOs), 22, via fourth round TKO this September.

Nery tested positive afterward, but the WBC lately approved his 118-pound reign and then ordered a rematch between Nery and Yamanaka. The Japanese southpaw is willing to face the Mexican in a grudge fight and regain his belt. We expect his exito (success) in their revancha (rematch).

Local prospect Tenta Kiyose (14-2-1, 6 KOs) acquired the vacant WBC Youth super-bantamweight belt by scoring a nearly shutout decision (100-90 twice, 99-91) over Filipino Joe Tejones (9-5, 5 KOs) over ten rounds last Saturday (November 5) in Kanzaki, Hyougo Prefecture, Japan. Kiyose maintained his aggressiveness to sweep almost all rounds before his adherents.