By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Former OPBF bantam champ Kazuki Nakajima (15-2-1, 12 KOs), 121.5, acquired the vacant OPBF 122-pound belt (renounced by his stablemate Yoshiki Takei) when he scored a nearly shutout decision (120-108 twice, 119-109) over Mugicha Nakagawa (28-10-3, 18 KOs), 122, over twelve lopsided rounds on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

Nakajima, a southpaw hard-puncher with a suspect chin whose WBO AP 122-pound belt was wrested by TJ Doheny via TKO route last year, made good use of footwork to keep his distance against the wild swinger. Nakagawa, who previously upset former world challenger and ex-OPBF super bantam champ Shingo Wake to raise his stock, kept stalking the footworker but failed to catch the crisp punching southpaw all the way. For Nakajima, formerly an Ashiya university amateur boxer, it was his third regional belt acquisition.

Promoter: Ohashi Promotions.

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