…Wins WBO AP 108lb belt

By Joe Koizumi

Unheralded Filipino puncher Jason Vayson (11-1-1-1NC, 6 KOs), 108, surprisingly captured the WBO Asia Pacific junior flyweight belt as he upset defending champ Ryuya Yamanaka (19-3, 6 KOs), 107.5, via stunning TKO win at 1:14 of the second round in a scheduled ten on Sunday in Kobe, Japan. A vicious right uppercut was a haymaker that exploded at the ex-WBO world titlist Ryuya’s chin with a perfect timing. Down went the champ. He almost stood up but was unable to resume fighting due to a bad equilibrium. The ref grabbed him not to see him go down again. Vayson, who had lost a lopsided shutout decision to Seigo Yuri Akui in his last fight here, displayed a do-or-die attack that paid off well.

In a tripleheader, JBC#1 Toshiki Kawamitsu (9-1, 5 KOs), 107.5, impressively wrested the Japanese 108-pound belt by demolishing defending titlist Toshimasa Ouchi (23-13-3, 9 KOs), 108, at 1:00 of the second session in a scheduled ten. Ouchi, a veteran ten years his senior at 38, had gained the belt in his fifth attempt to win the title, but unfortunately failed in his first defense.

The first title bout witnessed Japanese super feather champ Yuna Hara (14-2-1, 8 KOs), 130, need just 69 seconds in the first round to quickly polish off Taison Mukaiyama (7-5, 1 KO), 129.5, in a scheduled ten. Having dethroned Kosuke Saka by a fourth-round stoppage this April, the elongated 5’10” puncher connected with a well-timed right to the southpaw challenger, who almost lost his balance and hit the canvas with Hara’s follow-up.

The tripleheader scheduled for 30 rounds ended just in five rounds in total, having the crowd at Portpier Hotel on its feet. That’s a Thrilla in Kobe.

Promoter: Shinsei Promotions.