By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Former OPBF/WBO AP middleweight champ Kazuto Takesako (16-1-1, 15 KOs), 160, regained the vacant OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) belt by chalking up a fine TKO victory over Korean Woo-Hyun Ma (6-2, 3 KOs), 158.75, at 0:53 of the tenth round in a scheduled twelve on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Having suffered his first defeat at the hand of unbeaten world-rated Meiirim Nursultanov of Kazakhstan via eighth round stoppage in Korea this April, Takesako faced the Korean early starter who aggressively took the initiative, leading on the open scoring after the fourth: 39-37 twice, 38-38. Takesako, however, started his engine late from the fifth, dropping Ma three times in rounds five, six and eight. The 32-year-old game Japanese puncher finally caught up with the durable Korean, 27, and floored him with a fusillade of punches with the ref’s prompt intervention in the fatal tenth.

Promoter: Teiken Promotions in association with World Sports Promotions.

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