By Joe Koizumi

Japanese prospect, ex-OPBF titlist Hiroto Kyoguchi (8-0, 6 KOs), 105, captured the IBF mini flyweight belt as he dropped defending world champ Jose Argumedo (20-4-1, 12 KOs), 104, Mexico, in the ninth round to earn a unanimous decision over twelve rounds on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.

Mike Fitzgerald (US) and Carlos Colon (Puerto Rico) both tallied 116-111, and Masahiro Noda (Japan) saw it 115-112, all in favor of the 23-year-old chalenger. The referee was Malik Waleed (US). It wasn’t a technically excellent fight at all as they kept missing the target each other, slipped down many times and repeated clinches time and again.

Argumedo, 28, was always aggressive, but his precision was much worse than that of Kyoguchi throughout the contest. The fatal ninth witnessed the left hooker Kyoguchi connect with his trademark lefts to floor the fading champ, which eventually carried him to an upset coronation. Kyoguchi followed his idol Joichiro Tatsuyoshi’s footstep, having acquired the belt in his eighth pro bout as his senior registered.

Promoter: Watanabe Promotions. IBF supervisor: Ben Keilty (Australia).