January 8, 2000

TOKYO, JAPAN-In the first card in Japan in the new Millennium, WBA #13 ranked lightie HIROYUKI SAKAMOTO, 140, pounded out a shutout decision over HEUKJIN KWON, Korean #4 ranked super-lighite, 139 1/4, over 10.

It's a very losided affair. The crowd felt that it was a matter of time for Sakamoto to finish him, but the Korean showed his incredible durability and resilience and refused to go down until the end.

Scored: double 100-93 and 100-91, all for Sakamoto, 35-3, 25 KOs. Kwon fell to 5-4, 4 KOs.

After the bout, in the dressing room, Akihiko Honda, very influential promoter of Teiken Promotions, announced that he would stage Sakamoto's crack at the WBA light crown against Venezuelan Gilberto Serrano at Kuramae Sumo Arena in Tokyo on Mar. 12. Serrano, 18-4-2, 15 KOs, dethroned Italian Stefano Zoff via 10th round TKO in Las Vegas last Nov. 14. For the Venezuelan jabber, it will be his first defense.

UNDERCARD:

Hard-hitting lefty JUNICHI WATANABE, 121 3/4, JBC #9 ranked super-bantam, 121 3/4, dropped Philippine bantam champ JOEL JUNIO, 120 1/2, three times and decked an easy KO win at 2:39 of the opening canto in a scheduled 10.

Watanabe's powerful left hurt Junio so much that the Filipino hit the deck time and again with the Japanese southpaw's assault.

Watanabe is 18-3, 15 KOs. He failed to win the vacant Japanese bantam throne via second round KO by Toshiaki Nishioka in Dec. of the previous year.

Kadoebi Jewel Promotions.
Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
(1-8-00)

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Joe Koizumi
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