Australian Brubaker unifies OPBF 147lb belts

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Boxing Beat

Elongated Australian, OPBF welterweight champ Jack Brubaker (11-1-1, 5 KOs), 146.5, successfully unified the regional belts as he defeated OPBF interim titlist Suyon Takayama (24-2, 8 KOs), 147, by a split but well-received decision (116-111, 115-112, 113-115) over twelve see-saw rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. It’s truly Fight of the Month, since both showed all what they had through the grueling combat. Brubaker, four inches taller, took the leadoff with good jabs and faster combinations, while the sturdy-built Takayama, unbeaten since 2011, responded with occasional combinations. Brubaker, in round five, had him at bay with non-stop combos, while Takayama dominated the seventh with a flurry of punches by pinning the Aussie to the ropes. After the eighth, the official tallies read: 78-74, 77-75 for Brubaker, 78-75 for Takayama.

The ninth and tenth saw the Australian turn more aggressive, battering the Japanese from all angles, but he might have consumed too much energy by unsuccessfully attempting to finish the affair. Takayama, in the eleventh, caught Brubaker with a vicious countering right, which dramatically dropped the champ on the deck. It was Takayama that tried to demolish the fading foe then, but the bell came to his rescue. Brubaker displayed his heart as he survived and was admirably in command in the final session, when Takayama looked too exhausted to turn the tide. Brubaker, awkward but well-educated, won the praise of the audience thanks to his diligent and determined performance. Takayama may deserve a rematch.

The semi-windup saw unbeaten Hiroki Okada (13-0, 10 KOs), 140, retain his national 140-pound belt as he was awarded a unanimous technical decision (88-84 twice, 88-85) over Cristiano Aoki (11-5-2, 7 KOs), 140, because of the challenger’s bad bleeding on the forehead caused by an accidental butt at 0:51 of the ninth round.

Okada controlled the contest with his superior speed and skills, but Aoki, whose birth name is Cristiano Aoqui Moreira, furiously swarmed over the champ entirely for three minutes in the fourth and eighth, even though his attack wasn’t so accurate due to Okada’s defensive skills.

Promoter: Kadoebi Jewel Promotions.