By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda

Unheralded JBC#4 Yuto Takahashi (11-4, 5 KOs), 108, upset WBC#2/IBF#5 Kenichi Horikawa (40-16-1, 13 KOs), 108, by a majority but well-received decision (96-94, 97-93, 95-95) over ten hard-fought rounds on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

Takahashi, 26, made a good start and took the initiative with effective overhand rights in earlier rounds, unanimously leading on points after the fifth on open scoring system: 48-47 twice and 49-46. The 39-year-old champ, in the second half, turned loose but couldn’t overcome his early deficits as they mixed it up on even terms down the stretch.

–