By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

WBO#8, WBC#13, IBF#11 Takeshi Inoue (20-2-2, 12 KOs), 154, sent Thai challenger Thiranan Matsali (27-3, 7 KOs), 152.5, to the deck on four occasions to halt him at 2:02 of the sixth round to retain his WBO Asia Pacific junior middleweight belt on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan. Having lost only to such formidable rivals as Jaime Munguia and Tim Tszyu both on points, the granite-chinned Inoue caught up with the physically inferior Thailander and displayed his power in annihilating the less powerful and negative challenger.

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