Kuroda keeps Japanese 112lb belt; Fujiwara collects another female 126lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Japanese flyweight champ, WBA #1 Masayuki Kuroda (30-7-3, 16 KOs), 112, survived a bad knockdown in the closing seconds of the third round, fought back hard and retained his belt by a close but unanimous verdict (95-94, 96-93 twice) over game but limited Akinori Hoshino (14-8-2, 9 KOs), 112, over ten give-and-take sessions on Monday in Tokyo, Japan.

Having failed to win the WBA belt from Juan Carlos Reveco here in 2013, the workman stylist Kuroda overcame some setbacks and came to be rated atop by the WBA, having retained his national belt on four occasions–including this victory. Kuroda, 32 and nine years his senior, regained his aggressive rhythm after his unexpected visit to the deck and was totally in command in the second half with a flurry of punches that had the less positive challenger continually retreating.

37-year-old mother with three children, Japanese female feather champ Wakako Fujiwara (6-2-2, 2 KOs), 125.75, who started to learn how to box just three years ago, captured another OPBF belt when she kept left-hooking all night, outhustled defending titlist and compatriot Kimika Miyoshi (13-11-1, 5 KOs), 125, and pounded out a unanimous nod (78-74 twice, 77-75) over eight. Fujiwara’s heart-warming aggressiveness won the praise of the audience at the Hall.