By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat
Fightnews.com
Former world challenger, 19-year-old Japanese prospect Riku Kano (11-3, 6 KOs), 104.75, failed to win the vacant WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight belt as he tasted a bitter knockout defeat at the hand of Filipino southpaw Jerry Tomogdan (23-8-4, 11 KOs) 104.25, at 1:56 of the sixth session in a scheduled twelve on Friday in Sanda, Japan. The boyish Kano, who had been pitifully unsuccessful to win the vacant WBO world belt by a technical decision to bloodied veteran compatriot Katsunari Takayama (lately retired) last August, made a good start with fast southpaw jabs and one-two combinations and was in command in the first two rounds. Tomogdan, 23 and taller than his Japanese foe, connected with a vicious body shot, dropping the local favorite midway in round four. The ferocious Filipino lefty turned loose since, dominating the fifth with a flurry of punches to the still aggressive Kano. The sixth witnessed Kano absorb a solid body bombardment and sink on all fours in agony for the count. The newly crowned Tomogdan, despite not a few previous setbacks, displayed his experience and well-timed combinations to effectively hurt the game but less experienced Japanese prospect. Prior to the finish, the official tallies were as follows: 48-46 twice for Tomogdan, and 47-47. The referee was Hisatoshi Miyazaki of Japan.
Unbeaten OPBF#11 super-fly Futa Akizuki scored a nearly shutout decision (80-71, 80-72, 79-73) over Filipino Vicente Bautista over eight.
Promoter: Taikei Promotions.
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