Report/Photos by Joe Koizumi

Korean 168-pound prospect Deok-No Yun (8-1, 6 KOs), 75.5 kg, impressively acquired the vacant WBO Asia Pacific super middleweight belt as he exchanged hot rallies with Australian Tej Pratap Singh (18-7-3, 8 KOs), 76.15 kg, had the right earlobe profusely bleeding and saw the referee call a halt to the grotesque bleeding at 2:15 of the sixth round in a scheduled twelve on Saturday in Seoul, Korea. From the outset they mixed it up in the close range with Yun overpowering the southpaw rival, who, however, fought back hard with solid body shots in the fourth. Before the stoppage, the Korean six-footer had leading on points: 49-46 twice, 48-47, all for the sturdy Korean Yun. The taller and physically stronger Yun repeatedly landed left hooks to the right earlobe, which began to bleed too profusely and grotesquely to go on. The Thai referee Surat made a well-received halt to have the Korean newly crowned with the crowd roaring to its feet. Korean boxing fraternity is coming back.

In the semi-windup, Yong-Uk Kim (6-0, 5 KOs), a Korean welter prospect, battered Japan’s JBC#3 Yuta Ashina (8-6, no KO) to the punch and halted to the punch en route to a TKO victory at 2:05 of the fourth session in a scheduled ten.

This reporter made a visit to Korea after more than five years because of the coronavirus pandemic, and had a happy reunion with ex-world champion “Korean Hawk” Jung-Koo Chang, ex-WBC feather ruler In-Jin Chi, Korean officials of female judge Kyong-Ha Shin, Jae-Bong Kim and boxing mania judge Jung-Bae Lim and KMB commissioner and boxing-addict John Hwang, etc. They are steadily coming back to the local and international boxing fraternity.

Promoter: The Won Promotions in association with Japan’s Ohashi Promotions.

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