S lick-punching ex-Olympian Setsuo Segawa, 122, retained his Japanese super-bantam title as he gamely responded to hot exchanges of punches with Tetsutora Senrima, 122, and earned a unanimous decision over 10.

Scored: Uchida and Sarasas both 98-95 and Asao 96-95, all for Segawa, 15-2, 6 KOs. Senrima, a year his junior at 31, fell to 19-4, 10 KOs.

WBC #20 ranked Segawa was in command in the first three rounds, outpunching the willing mixer with precision without retreating at all. Senrima, the more powerful infighter, concentrated on punching the breadbasket of the champ, who occasionally countered the aggressive opponent-from the 4th to the 8th.

Segawa, who had dethroned Manabu Fukushima via upset verdict in his previous bout, dominated the last two sessions to confirm his close but unanimous victory. Segawa, once Japanese bantam champ, was forced to renounce his first national title due to his whiplash injury suffered at an auto accident, but made a comeback to win his second Japanese throne in the 122-pound division. He is a slick-punching veteran, though he was often castigated for his lack of stamina in later rounds. His defect of stamina, however, was not revealed in this expectedly tough defense.

Undercard:

Japanese No.8 lightie Makoto Nawa, 135, pinned Yuji Kato, 135, to the corner and battered him with solid combos, prompting the referee to intervene at 2:43 of the 7th in a scheduled 10.

The winner is 12-3-2, 5 KOs. The loser is 9-7-2, 1 KO.

Another ten-round bout saw Nobuyuki Doi, Japanese No.10 super-bantam, 122, exchange a knockdown in the first round with Filipino Roberto Moreno, 119 1/2, and control it thereafter to win a unanimous nod (99-92, 100-92 and 100-93).

Doi is 9-2-3, 4 KOs, and Moreno 10-6-2, 2 KOs.

Promoter: Yonekura Promotions.
(11-7-00)

PS This reporter has entered Las Vegas to serve as TV commentator of the upcoming Lewis vs. Tua title bout on Saturday.