By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unheralded JBC#4 Daisuke Watanabe (11-4-2, 6 KOs), 126, won the final of the sensational “First Single Step” featherweight tournament as he floored game southpaw Shingo Kusano (13-9-1, 5 KOs), 126, in the fifth and pounded out a unanimous decision (78-73, 77-74, 76-75) over eight hard-fought rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. It was a commemorative tourney of the thirtieth anniversary of a nationally famous and popular comic strip named “First Single Step” by Joji Morikawa who recently drew a cover of The Ring Magazine featuring world bantam champ Naoya “The Monster” Inoue.

Having beaten ex-WBO ASPAC titlist Richard Pumicpic in the semi-final, the upcoming Watanabe took the initiative in their continual mixup throughout the contest. The ultimate winner Daisuke was awarded 1,000,000 Yen (some 9,500 USD) plus a right to appear as an important personality of the sensational comic strip. The previously unsung hero may become more famous than now.

Former OPBF and national 122-pound champ Shingo Wake (27-6-2, 19 KOs), 123.25, scored an eye-catching knockout of Shohei Kawashima (18-5-2, 4 KOs), 123.5, at 2:44 of the sixth round in a scheduled eight. In his comeback go after his unexpectedly bad stoppage by Filipino Jhunriel Ramonal last October, Wake displayed his trademark razor-sharp southpaw hand in dropping the game opponent on four occasions in rounds two, three, four and six. Wake once had an ambitious crack at the IBF 122-pound belt only to succumb to Jonathan Guzman via eleventh round TKO in Osaka in July 2016. Despite his suspect chin Wake is a very sharp hard-puncher when in a good form.

Ex-national lightweight champ Shuhei Tsuchiya (23-7, 18 KOs), 134.75, suffered a second setback in a row on his comeback trail, losing a unanimous nod (49-46 twice, 48-47) to George Tachibana (9-4, 2 KOs), 134.5, over five.

Attendance: 442 (because of the JBC’s social distancing regulation at the Korakuen Hall).

Promoter: Dangan Aoki Promotions.

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