By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda
Unbeaten IBF mini-flyweight champ Hiroto Kyoguchi (10-0, 7 KOs), 105, kept his belt as he came off the canvas in the third session, controlled the remainder of the bout with his aggressiveness and pounded out a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Filipino Vince Paras (13-1, 11 KOs), 105, over twelve speedy rounds in Tokyo, Japan.
Mike Fitzgerald (US), Alfredo Polanco (Mexico) and Neville Hotz (South Africa) all tallied 117-110 in favor of the defending titlist. The referee was Benjy Esteves Jr. (US).
Kyoguchi, a prohibitive favorite, was in command in almost all rounds except in round three, when Paras caught the scrappy titlist with a solid left hook to the temple, sending him sprawling to the canvas. It wasn’t a damaging knockdown but a surprise for Kyoguchi, who, from then on, persistently and patiently threw more jabs to cautiously dominate the action. The champ had the Filipino challenger at bay in the tenth, but Paras refused to go down and showed his heart and durability.
Despite his unanimous victory on points, Kyoguchi’s performance wasn’t satisfactory, nor impressive, probably he had to reduce four pounds a day before the weigh-in. Though standing 5’4”, he has such a big torso that had previously produced seven knockouts in nine wins to demonstrate his power punching. Hiroto, 24, couldn’t show his penetrating power this night though he kept battering the 19-year-old fresh challenger with many strong body shots. It might have been caused by the champ’s severe reduction of weight this time.
Having registered his second defense following a fine stoppage of Carlos Buitrago in his initial defense last December, Kyoguchi said, “I wish to unify the minimumweight belts with the WBO champion Ryuya Yamanaka.” Both titleholders are not yet well-known even among fight fans here, and it might be still less mature to see the confrontation of the compatriot champs. Kyoguchi, a talented youngster who acquired the world belt in merely fifteen months from his professional debut, seemingly leaves room for more technical improvement and for better conditioning.
Promoter: Watanabe Promotions.
IBF supervisor: Ben Keilty (Australia).
