2012 Olympic bronze medalist Shimizu wins pro debut, knocks out Korean champ Lee in five

By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Sumio Yamada

2012 Olympic bronze medalist in the bantam category, elongated southpaw Satoshi Shimizu, 128, impressively made a fine pro debut when he dropped Korean featherweight champ In-Kyoo Lee (3-3, 1 KO), 127.5, at 2:13 of the fifth round in a scheduled six on Sunday in Zama, Japan. The 5’11” southpaw, 30, floored Lee with a short left in the opening session, decked him again with his trademark right hook in the second and then dispatched him with a southpaw left uppercut to the liver—like Michal Nunn or Khaosai Galaxy–in the fatal fifth. Shimizu wasn’t so tremendously fast, but his puzzling lefty style may prevail to confuse his future opposition in the paid ranks. He will campaign in the feather category.