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The Cyber Boxing Zone Newswire
December 19, 2000

Japanese Year-End Roundup   - by Joe Koizumi 
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WBC #27 BANTAM KANAI DECISIONS WBC #22 CARBAJAL
December 18, 2000
 
 OSAKA-Unbeaten prospect Akihiko Kanai, 121, ran his mark to 12-0, 10 KOs, as he outpunched WBC #22 ranked Mexican Cruz Carabajal, 120 1/2, overcame his  visit to the deck in the 8th and earned a majority decision over 10.
 
  The WBC #27 Kanai, ranked atop by the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC),  dominated the first four rounds by utilizing his superior speed.  Carbajal,  however, took the initiative from the 5th round onward and floored the  Japanese with a left hook in the 8th.  Kanai displayed his fighting spirit  to be in command in the last two sessions.
 

Scored: 96-94, 96-95 and 95-95.  Carabajal reportedly dropped to 19-10-1, 15  KOs.
 Promoter: Kenbun Taiho's Taiho Promotions.
 
 Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
 
 (12-18-00)
 

 UNBEATEN FLY SAKATA FINISHES KOREAN KIM
  December 18, 2000
 
 TOKYO-Unbeaten fly Takefumi Sakata, 112, decked his tune-up bout prior to  his participation in an elimination bout for the Japanese fly title next  March, when he disposed of Korean Seungho Kim, 112, at 1:01 of the third  session.
 
Sakata, 14-0, 6 KOs, floored the Korean with a flurry of punches twice and  had him counted out.  Kim impaired to 5-14-3, 1 KO.
 

 Sakata, a busy-punching prospect, will square off against more experienced  Masaki Kawabata in Tokyo in their quest for the vacant national 112-pound  title recently renounced by Celes Kobayashi.
 
 JBC #7 ranked Tomohiro Ide, 156, was pushed down with his back head bouncing  on the canvas by Yukiharu Shinyasiki, 146 3/4, to be counted out by the ref  at 1:12 of the second round in a scheduled 8.  The third man probably couldn't see Ide's visit to the deck caused by Shinyashiki's push, so he tolled  the fatal ten against the former who barely stood up staggering, and raised  Shinyashiki's hand.  Though problematic, it is registered as Shinyashiki's  KO win.  If so, the winner is 8-5, 5 KOs, and the loser 7-9-2, 6 KOs.
 
 Promoter: Keiichiro Kanehira's Kyoei Promotions.
 
 (12-18-00)
 
 YOKOYAMA SINKS THAILANDER
 December 13, 2000
 
 TOKYO-Ex-national minimum champ Keisuke Yokoyama, 108, demolished Thalander  Singhdam Kaewishanu, 108 1/4, at 1:35 of the second round.  Yokoyama,  15-7-2, 9 KOs, won a couple of fights after losing to Keitaro Hoshino in  their rematch.
 
 Mitsuharu Yamamoto, 154, decisioned Japanese-based Korean Tyson Takei  (previously fighting as Seungchun Lee), 158 1/2, over 10.  Yamamoto is  12-6-4, 5 KOs.
 
 Hiroyuki Kusaka, 130, scored a KO win over Thailand's Songkom  Kiatshkungthai, 129 1/4, at 2:26 of the 6th in the first 10.  Kusaka is  13-2-4, 5 KOs.
 
 Promoter: Hiroshi Saito's Kokubunji Saito Promotions.
 
 (12-13-00)
 
 December 12, 2000
 
 OSAKA-On the undercard of the WBC super-fly title bout between Tokuyama and  Nago, unbeaten Nobuhiro Ishida, OPBF #8 ranked super-welter, 153 3/4,  extended his credentials to 5-0, 2 KOs, when he blasted out Filipino Ramil  Nituda, 147 1/4, at 0:59 of the second session in a scheduled 10.
 
 Ishida will have a crack at the OPBF super-welter title against Korean  Kookyul Song in Osaka on March 1.
 
 Seiji Tanaka, 115, eked out a unanimous decision over Filipino Ricky
 Protacio, 115, over 10.
 
 Promoter: Hideo Kanazawa's Kanazawa Promotions.
 
 Matchmaker: Joe Koizumi.
 
 (12-12-00)
 December 11, 2000
 
 TOKYO-Crafty Filipino veteran Jess Maca, 116 3/4, kept his OPBF bantam  throne, as he proved too ringwise and fast for a hard-hitting Japanese  challenger named Katsushige Kawashima, 118, winning a unanimous decision  over 12.
 
 Scored: referee Masakazu Uchida (Japan) 116-114, Ukrid Sarasas (Thailand)  118-113, and Vicent Rodriguez (Philippines) 118-110, all for Maca, 47-12-4, 22 KOs.  Kawashima, who looked a bit too stiff to cope with the champ's  versatile mobility, fell to 17-2, 12 KOs.
 
 Undercard:
 
 Masaaki Morooka, JBC #4 ranked super-light, 139 1/2, fought to a draw with  elongated footworker Tatsuhisa Kawashima, 140, over 10.  Morooka is slated  to have a crack at the OPBF 140-pound title against Masakazu Satake in the  champ's home-turf Akashi  City on February 12.
 
 Satoshi Kogumazaka, 105 3/4, stopped WBC #17 ranked Masanori Suga, 106, at  2:59 of the 8th round in a scheduled 10.  Kogumazaka, a hard-hitting  southpaw, 14-5-3, 8 KOs.  Suga fell to 5-6-2, 2 KOs.
 
 Promoter: Shichiro Kimura's Shin Nihon Kimura Promotions.
 
 (12-11 over Yasuo Kijima, 120 1/4, at 0:32 of the 5th round in a scheduled
10.
 Ikemori is 14-3-3, 7 KOs.  Kijima fell to 8-6-2, 2 KOs.
 
 Promoter: Kiyoshi Kawashima's Eighteen Promotions.
 
 (12-9-00)
 
 NAKANO UPSETS KAYAMA TO WIN NATIONAL WELTER TITLE
 December 5, 2000
 
 TOKYO-Unorthodox Yoshio Nakano, 147, amazingly scored an upset decision over  Toshiharu Kayama, 147, to capture the Japanese welter title over 10.
 
 Kayama, making his 6th defense, was befuddled by Nakano's persistent  infighting only to lose points steadily.  Scored: 97-95, 100-93 and 99-93,  all for the 31-year-old Nakano, only ranked #7 by the JBC, 15-5-4, 3 KOs.
 
 Kayama, who had failed to win the vacant OPBF welter title via majority  decision to Korean Sukhyun Yun last August, might have lost his confidence,  and showed a poor performance.  He dropped to 16-2-1, 9 KOs.
 
 Undercard:
 
 Unbeaten fly Daisuke Naito (17-0-1, 12 KOs), 111 1/4, outpointed Masamitsu  Ikeda (8-5, 3 KOs), 113 3/4, over 10.  The JBC #7 ranked Naito is not such a  good boxer as his unbeaten ledger indicates, as he lacks finesse and  sharpness despite having beaten mediocre opponents.
 
 Promoter: Watanabe Promotions.
 
 (12-5-00)
 
 WBA #13 KOJI ARISAWA KEEPS JAPANESE 130-LBS TITLE
  December 4, 2000
 
 SOKA-Hard-punching Koji Arisawa, 130, successfully kept his Japanese  super-feather title as he cautiously fought to defend himself well and  scored more accurate punches to earn a majority but well-received decision  over 10.
 

Scored: 98-94 and 97-95 both for Arisawa, and 97-97.  It was their rematch  after the hard-fought draw five months before.
 
 Arisawa, 25-1-1, 19 KOs, is gunning for a shot at the WBA 130-pound title  against Joel Casamayol.  Shinozaki dropped to 13-7-7, 6 KOs.
 

 Koji's twin brother Kazu Arisawa engaged in an exhibition with the current  WBA light champ Takanori Hatakeyama, and then announced his farewell to the  ring following his failure to win the Japanese feather title from Toshikage  Kimura last November.
 
 Promoter: Soka Arisawa Promotions.
 
 (12-4-00)
 
 December 4, 2000
 TOKYO-JBC #10 feather Toshiharu Saotome, 128 1/2, decisioned Thailander  Ballast Sakthavi, 130, over 10.
 
 Saotome is 20-9-2, 9 KOs.
 
 Promoter: Miyata Promotions.
 


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