By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
WBA#11 Riku Masuda (5-1, 5 KOs), 117.75, scored a one-punch knockout over defending champ Fumiya Fuse (14-4, 3 KOs), 118, at 2:21 of the fourth round to wrest his Japanese bantamweight belt on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan. In a rematch of southpaws, Masuda repeated his triumph over Fuse following his victory by a seventh round kayo in May of the previous year. Masuda failed to win the national belt from Seiya Tsutsumi on points last August, and his conqueror renounced his title to pursue a world title shot. It was Fuse that acquired the vacant belt by stopping Taichi Sugimoto this April. The newly crowned Masuda, whose amateur mark was 52-14, 22 stoppages, is a hard-punching lefty prospect under Teiken Promotions.
Promoter: Dangan Promotions.
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That was no surprise. Even since their first encounter, Riku has improved tremendously. All he had to do was slow down a touch and be selective with his shots. That straight left is dangerous for anyone at his level right now. He can go upstairs to end things or downstairs like he did against Sultan, either the beginning of this year or ending of last year. I can’t remember. LOL
Outcome-wise, yes — but Fuse really put the hurt on Masuda this time in a fight of the year candidate!