By Joe Koizumi
Bright featherweight prospect in Osaka, upcoming tall southpaw Toshiki Shimomachi (16-1-2, 11 KOs), 125.75, decked an important victory as he upset WBO#13 Filipino Jeo Santisima (22-5, 19 KOs), 125, by a nearly shutout decision (all 99-91) over ten heats on Sunday in Osaka, Japan. Jeo previously displayed his power punching in demolishing Japanese veteran and former world challenger (against Oscar Valdez) Hiroshige Osawa here in Osaka, so many fight aficionados realized the Filipino’s tremendous power. Making good use of southpaw jabs and incessant circling, plus good left counters, the 5’11” Shimomachi steadily piled up points by averting Jeo’s roundhouse punches all the way. Santisima, however, almost caught the local favorite in round five, when he pinned him with a flurry of punches. But Shimomachi withstood his attack and had a narrow escape to regain his rhythm and distance from the sixth on. The fast and game youngster is worth watching his progress.
Promoter: Green Tsuda Promotions.
These guys are too small to be fighting. I stand on that.