By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten Japanese lightweight champ Shuichiro Yoshino (11-0, 9 KOs), 135, acquired the vacant OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific belts when he scored a one-punch stoppage over Filipino Harmonito Dela Torre (20-3, 12 KOs), 135, at 2:10 of the opening session on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

Yoshino, formerly an excellent amateur with a 104-20 mark including 55 stoppages, withstood Dela Torre’s furious two-fisted attack from all angles in a peek-a-boo guard, and exploded a single solid left hook to the button with precision, flattening him with a thud. The ref Fukuchi promptly called a halt to save the loser.

We know the 135-pound category is a hard division for Asian boxers to climb up to the top, but Yoshino must be a bright prospect with good height, power and skills here in Japan, along with ex-OPBF ruler Masayoshi Nakatani (who lately dropped a decision to Teofimo Lopez in Maryland this July).

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