By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In a highly competitive confrontation, unbeaten WBO#5, WBC#15 Shuichiro Yoshino (15-0, 11 KOs), 134.5, successfully retained his OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific lightweight belts as he was awarded a unanimous technical decision (107-102 twice, 106-103) over former WBO 130-pound titlist Masayuki Ito (27-4-1, 15 KOs), 135, because of Ito’s bad cut caused by an accidental butt at 2:06 of the eleventh round on Saturday in Saitama, Japan.

They exchanged fast jabs and good combinations so evenly that the interim rallies after the fourth showed 38-38 twice and 39-37 for Yoshino. It was the defending champ Yoshino that accelerated his attack and took the initiative in the next four sessions. The open scoring after the eighth read 77-75 twice for Yoshino, 76-76.

Ito (who once acquired the vacant WBO 130-pound belt by beating Christopher Diaz on points in Florida in 2018, though forfeiting it to Jamel Herring there next year) kept nose-bleeding from the second on and absorbed facial damage through mixing it up. An accidental headbutt occurred midway in round eleven to see Ito unable to go on. Yoshino scored an important triumph over the ex-WBO champ before the huge crowd, and is willing to test his fists in the US next.

Promoter: Teiken Promotions.

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