By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Free-swinging veteran Japanese, WBO#11 ex-OPBF champ Ryo Akaho (37-2-2, 25 KOs), 123.5, impressively made short work of active policeman Daisuke Sugita (6-2, 3 KOs), 123.25, finishing him for the count at 1:49 of the third round in a scheduled ten on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

Having failed to win a world 115-pound belt twice from compatriot Yota Sato (L12) here in 2012 and from Pungluang Sor Singyu (KOby 2) in Thailand in 2015, the hard-punching Akaho thus registered eleven victories in a row and demonstrated his latest surge at the age of thirty four. Decking Sugita with a right shot in round one, Ryo finely connected with a vicious right following a solid combo and had him down for the fatal ten.

Akaho, now a full-fledged 122-pounder, is gunning for a shot at any of the regional belts should our boxing scene become more active and sound again.

Unbeaten light-flyweight prospect JBC#4 Shokichi Iwata, 107.75, scored a unanimous decision (78-73 twice, 79-72) over JBC#3 Toshimasa Ouchi over eight. Iwata, victorious over former world champs Takuma Inoue and Kosei Tanaka when amateur, is worth watching.

Promoter: Yokohama Hikari Promotions.

Attendance: 782 (with the JBC’s regulation at the Korakuen Hall)

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