Keeps WBO AP 135lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In the first show of 2024 in Japan, once-beaten southpaw WBO#13 Katsuya Yasuda (13-1, 8 KOs), 134.75, kept his WBO Asia Pacific lightweight belt when he decked #11 compatriot Ruito Saeki (10-6-1, 3 KOs), 134.25, twice, in rounds two and three, and accelerated his attack to halt him at 1:23 of the ninth round in a scheduled twelve on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

For Yasuda, 31, it was his second defense since he acquired the vacant regional belt by outscoring Thailander Apichet Petchmanee this June. The 25-year-old Saeki, however, showed his heart to retaliate well despite his left optic badly puffed and almost closed until the ref Nakamura declared a halt. The loser strongly claimed he could still go on upon the seemingly well-timed stoppage.

Promoter: Ohashi Promotions.

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