By Joe Koizumi
Fast-rising super bantam WBO AP#3 Ryuya Tsugawa (12-1, 8 KOs), 123.25, impressively scored a fine KO win over Filipino Prince Andrew Laurio (12-6-1, 9 KOs), 121.5, at 1:36 of the second round in a scheduled eight on Saturday in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Tsugawa, Japan’s youth champ previously employed as a sparring partner of “Monster” Naoya Inoue, displayed crisp punching in dropping the game Filipino twice in the opening session and once more in the fatal second. Tsugawa, a lanky hard-puncher, registered seven stoppages in latest eight consecutive wins, and will zoom up to top in the near future.
Former OPBF 160-pound champ Yuki Nonaka (37-12-3, 11 KOs), 167.75, was awarded a bizarre TKO victory over Thailander Pathueang Sikun (16-15, 12 KOs), 164.5, at 1:19 of the second round in a scheduled eight. Pathueang sprained his knee when he moved side-to-side, fell down and became unable to raise himself. Nonaka, a veteran southpaw, is gunning for a shot at the vacant OPBF 168-pound belt next spring.
Promoter: Mitsuki Promotions.