By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Former Japanese feather champ Ryo Sagawa (12-2, 7 KOs), 126, scored an important victory when he exploded a vicious right hand to the face of ex-WBA 122-pound ruler Shun Kubo (15-3, 10 KOs), 125.75, and sink him for the count at 1:03 of the third round in a scheduled eight on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

They had a complex chain in the background. Kubo captured the WBA super bantam belt from Venezuelan Nehomar Cermeno via TKO route in April 2017, but forfeited his throne to Daniel Roman on a ninth-round stoppage five months later. Roman retained his belt in Japan, unanimously beating Ryo Matsumoto on points in 2018. The world-rated Ryo, in his comeback go, suffered an upset TKO defeat at the hand of unheralded novice Ryo Sagawa in September 2018. The fast-rising Sagawa later won the national feather belt, but recently lost it to another prospect Hinata Maruta by a seventh-round TKO in February of the previous year.

They fought on even terms in the first two sessions. It was Sagawa that caught up with the taller southpaw Kubo with a well-timed right, which badly dropped Kubo on the canvas. He barely stood up with rubbery legs only to be counted out by the referee.

Former amateur female champ Mizuki Hiruta (2-0, no KO), 114.5, came off the canvas twice in round seven, and managed to earn a unanimous decision (76-74, 77-73 twice) over OPBF titleholder Terumi Nuki (12-4, 8 KOs), over a non-title eight. Nuki, who dropped the ex-amateur star twice, may deserve a rematch—next time—with her regional 115-pound belt at stake.

Promoter: Misako Promotions.

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