Wins Japan’s 140lb youth belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In an encounter of unbeaten hard-punching national youth titlists, Jin Sasaki (11-0, 10 KOs), 140, came off the canvas twice before he wrested the Japanese youth super-lightweight belt by dispatching the defending titlist Kaiki Yuba (7-1-2, 5 KOs), 139.75, at 1:03 of the second session in a scheduled eight rounder on Saturday in Hachioji city, Tokyo metropolis, Japan.

It was truly a spectacular come-from-behind knockout displayed by the 19-year-old left hooker Sasaki.

The taller Kaiki, 22, is the son of Tadashi Yuba (46-10-2, 33 KOs; retired in 2014), the legendary five-division national titleholder from the 135-pound to 160-pound categories, who sent Jin on the seat of trunks with a smashing southpaw left in the closing seconds of the first stanza. Sasaki had a narrow escape as he resumed fighting.

As the second started, Yuba quickly dropped him again with another southpaw left to the face. He furiously accelerated his attack to finish him and bring home the bacon soon, when Sasakai, having missed plenty of roundhouse shots, finally caught the button of the counterpart on the brink of a victory and very badly dropped him.

Kaiki tried his best effort to stand up and regain his feet, which miserably betrayed his will to lose his equilibrium only to be counted out by the third man.

It was announced in the ring that the winner Sasaki (who now holds both national youth lightweight and super-lightweight belts) will face IBF#8 ranked Andy Hiraoka (16-0, 12 KOs) in quest of the vacant Japanese 140-pound belt at the Korakuen Hall on October 19. It will be a sensational matchup of the young hard-punchers.

Promoter: Hachioji Nakaya Promotions.

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