By Joe Koizumi

WBA super bantamweight champ Daniel Roman (24-2-1, 9 KOs), 121.25, US, impressively kept his belt as he hammered out a unanimous decision (118-110, 119-109 twice) over hard-punching Japanese challenger Ryo Matsumoto (21-2, 19 KOs), 122, over twelve hard-fought rounds on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan. Roman’s incessant combinations to the face and the body were more effective than the taller Japanese puncher whose retaliations were averted by the champ’s better defensive skills. There were no knockdowns.

(More to come)