By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In a semi-windup event to the Japanese minimumweight title bout, fast-rising Kai Watanabe (11-1-1, 6 KOs), 130, barely acquired the vacant national youth super feather belt by eking out a majority decision (76-76, 77-75 twice) over previously unbeaten Shinsei Otani (7-1, 4 KOs), 129, over eight see-saw rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Watanabe, handled by ex-OPBF champ Lion Furuyama, had a tough time coping with the peek-a-boo stylist coming forward all the way, but occasionally scored with a solid shot at a time, which might be evaluated by a couple of judges. They were previous winners of the national Shinjin-o (novice king) four-round tournament: Watanabe in 2021 and Otani last year. This reporter saw it a draw.

After a long layoff for four years and a half, formerly OPBF and national 154-pound champ and world-rated Charles Bellamy (28-5-2, 18 KOs), 155, of US, made a bitter comeback attempt only to be quickly halted by JBC#1 middleweight contender Eiki Kani (8-3-3, 4 KOs), 159.75, at 1:26 of the second round in a scheduled eight. Bellamy, in 2014, dropped Jermell Charlo in round three but lost a unanimous nod in an IBF eliminator in Quebec, Montreal. The muscular 42-year-old veteran absorbed a solid one-two combo of Kani, twenty years his junior, at the chin and badly fell down with such a heavy damage that he couldn’t resume fighting properly only to be halted by the ref Tanaka. It was a shocker to see such a quick demolition of Charles, formerly invincible and world-rated.

Unbeaten super light prospect Kaiji Nakajima (5-0, 4 KOs), 138.75, looked very impressive when he dispatched Shogo Namiki (6-4-1, 4 KOs), 138.75, at 2:03 of the second session in a scheduled six. Tall, well-proportioned, fast and powerful, Nakajima, former high school baseball player, looked so greatly talented that he might be a future champion.

BoxRec: Kaiji Nakajima

Promoter: Hachioji Nakaya Promotions in association with Ohashi Promotions.

_