Story and photos by David Finger at ringside

by fightnews.com

It goes without saying that the bigger fighters tend to dominate the spotlight in boxing, despite the fact that smaller fighters tend to produce better fights. Well, in boxing lightest weight class two brawlers showed fight fans that good things do come in smaller packages as Moises Calleros and Tatsuya Fukuhara took part in what already looks to be the fight of the year over twelve rounds today (Sunday, February 26) in Kamiamakusa, Japan.

Fukuhara, who clearly had home court advantage against the Mexican from Monterrey, was able to feed of the electricity of his rabid local fans, and edged Calleros in a twelve round split decision.

In the opening round it seemed that the local boy might not be in the as tough a night as he was. Fukuhara jabbed effectively against a Calleros who was feeling out his opponent. Fukuhara remained more active in the opening round as both fighters wisely attacked the body, but as the round came to a close it became clear that Calleros had figured out how he would proceed and he began to up the pressure considerably. Early in the second round Fukuhara seemed to be in serious trouble as a thudding right cross badly buckled the Japanese boxer. Fukuhara started to drop to a knee but he seemed to have avoided the knockdown by avoiding allowing his knee to actually touch the canvas. Nonetherless Calleros recognized a wounded foe and jumped all over Fukuhara, who seemed to be one or two solid shots from hitting the canvas. But the reckless abandon of Calleros also presented the local boy with opportunities, and he capitalized on those opportunities. Fukuhara threw a series of hard blows to the head, but they seemed to do nothing to derail Calleros. However, moments later a picture perfect counter left cross from the Japanese southpaw stunned the Mexican, although he still refused to take a backward step as the round closed.

From the second round on the fight never slowed down. Fukuhara seemed to outwork his Mexican opponent in the third round, winning the round on the basis of his slight edge in activity, but nonetheless he was unable to slow down the Mexican tank that refused to take a backward step. By round four the relentless pressure from Calleros seemed to start to pay dividends as Fukuhara started to show signs of wilting from the pressure. Although Fukuhara was able to land a pair of solid counter punches that snapped the head of Calleros late in the round, it was apparent that the tide was turning in favor of the Mexican. Round five saw Calleros continue his relentless pressure, as Fukuhara struggled to keep the Mexican off him. All three judges, as well as Fightnews, had Calleros winning the forth, fifth, and sixth rounds convincingly. Round six provided even more drama as a cut inside the left of of Fukuhara prompted referee Danrex Tapdasan to call a halt to the action to allow the doctor to inspect the cut. It seemed that all Calleros had to do was to continue to pressure his Japanese opponent and he would go back to Mexico with the WBO interim mini flyweight title. If the pressure didn’t break Fukuhara, the cut certainly would have. However Fukuhara, sensing danger, exploded in the final minute of the sixth round, landing a looping right hand that told the Mexican, and the local fans, that he was nowhere near finished.

Calleros seemed to pick up where he left off in round seven; although Fukuhara proved more effective at countering then he had in the previous three rounds. But the pressure of Calleros seemed to be enough to edge another close round and by the end of the round it was looking like Fukuhara was entering dangerous territory as it appeared to be the fifth straight round the Mexican edged the local brawler. Fukuhara also seemed stunned in the final twenty seconds of the round, which only added to the drama that was developing in Japan.

But like a warrior, Fukuhara dug deep and turned the tide starting in the eighth round. Fukuhara proved he still had plenty of fight left and he began to bounce back as he fired more jabs and counter left hands against his relentless opponent. Although the Mexican still refused to take a backward step, Fukuhara was clawing his way back from the brink of disaster, and with the round still on the line the Japanese fighter perhaps threw the most important left cross of his career in the final ten seconds of the round. The shot landed perfectly and snapped the Mexican’s head back, giving Fukuhara the round and ending is dangerous slide on the scorecards. Round nine saw the fight descend into a pure Gatti-Ward style war as both men fought inside the phone booth as they both tried desperately to regain control of the fight. It was nonstop action on the inside as both men seemed to recognize that the other fighter was wavering. It became clear to everyone at ringside that the first man to step outside of the phone booth was probably the man who would lose the round…and the fight. Fukuhara and Calleros threw non stop punches for the entire round, but the local fighter again edged out a close round with a picture perfect body shot that seemed to buckle the knees of the Mexican in the closing seconds of the round.

Calleros seemed to get a second wind in round ten, but both men ultimately picked up where they left off as both fought on the inside and threw heavy bombs with reckless abandon. The overhand rights of Calleros also took their toll over ten rounds as the left eye of Fukuhara was completely closed, adding to the difficulty of the cut located inside of his eyelid. Closing out another close round it seemed like Fukuhara was the one on the receving end of a beautiful combination from Calleros. A pair of left hooks landed for Calleros late, and although Fukuhara landed a picture perfect right hook in the final ten seconds of the round Calleros answered in kind. The tenth round seemed to go to Calleros, and Fightnews had each fighter winning five rounds apiece going into the championship rounds. With the fight, and the WBO title, on the line, both men threw caution to the wind in round eleven. A right cross from Calleros backed up Fukuhara but the Japanese warrior refused to fold and fired back with blistering combinations of his own. It would prove to be the first sign of a chink in the armor of the Mexican tank. Calleros stepped back for the first time in the fight and showed signs of being spent as he backed into the ropes in the face of Fukuhara’s offense. Calleros came to life in the final seconds of the round and kept the round close as he traded bombs with Fukuhara as the round closed, but for the first time in the fight Calleros wilted, and there was no question that the local fans saw the pendulum swing back into the corner of their local fighter.

With the fight seemingly on the line in round twelve, and with both men tired and close to their breaking point in round twelve it seemed like the fight was very much on the line for both men as the final round kicked off. But in a scene reminiscent of the Larry Holmes-Ken Norton WBC heavyweight championship fight, Fukuhara captured the fight and the belt when a pair of hard shots landed for Fukuhara and buckled the knees of Calleros in the second half of the round. Fukuhara, sensing blood, jumped on Calleros and electrified the crowd as the round came to a close.

In the end, the heart and counterpunching of Fukuhara edged the aggression and determination of Calleros. Judge Surat Soikrachang had the fight for Calleros by a score of 115-113, but he was overruled by Judges Edward Ligas and Sawaeng Thaweekoon who both scored the fight for Fukuhara by scores of 116-112. Fightnews scored the contest 114-114. With the win Fukuhara captures the interim WBO mini flyweight title and improves to 19-4-6, 7 KOs. Calleros, who should see his stock rise despite coming up short, drops to 25-7-1, 14 KOs.

In the co-main event Kumamoto’s Ryusei Yoshida scored a lopsided eight round decision over Thailand’s Kamol Jatuten. Yoshida had little trouble with the gritty Thai, who nonetheless showed considerable heart in the losing performance. Although there were no knockdowns, and Jauten avoided being staggered in the fight, he ultimately lacked an answer for the pressure of Yoshida and by round four had pretty much stopped throwing combinations, instead choosing to backpedaled and cover up. Fightnews scored the fight 80-72 for Yoshida, who improves to 30-8, 15 KOs.

In the opening fight of the night two local southpaws battled as Yusei Fujikawa scored a second round TKO over Tetsuro Matsunami in a exciting scrap. Fujikawa was rattled early in the first but fired back with a blistering body attack that turned the tide midway through the opening round. In round two a picture perfect counter dropped Matsunami early in the round. The visibly injured Matsunami rose but was unable to clear his head before a second hook dropped him moments later. Although he rose on wobbly legs a towel came in from his corner just as the referee was waving the fight off.

In the knockout of the night Dr. Tomoya Ikeda, a practicing physician who once volunteered in Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders and who idolizes Ike Quartey, crushed undefeated Ryo Nishijima in the opening round. The fighting doctor pulled no punches after getting wobbled early with a counterpunch from Nishijima. A hard counter right dropped Ryo late in the round and although he rose his legs were clearly not under him. Although the fight was allowed to continue it was quickly waved off at 2:52 of the opening round after Ikeda jumped all over his badly dazed opponent. With the win Ikeda improves to 4-1-1, 3 KOs. Nishijima drops to 2-1, 0 KOs.

In a six round fight Yuki Hirashima won a six round decision over Wolf Nakano. There were no knockdowns but Wolf seemed completely frustrated by the jab and defense of Hirashima. Fightnews scored the fight 59-55 for Hirashima, although the judges at ringside had the fight a bit closer at 59-58, 58-57, and 58-57. With the win Hirashima improves to 5-1-1, 1 KO while Nakano drops to 2-3-4, 0 KOs.

Over 2,500 local fight fans came out to support Fukuhara’s first world title fight, and none left disappointed with the exciting main event and solid undercard. Promoter Kenya Honda with Honda Fitness Promotions scored a knockout, and added to his reputation as one of the powerhouses of southern Japan. Honda Fitness Boxing Gym was the first boxing gym in Kumamoto to produce a world champion, and it appears that his latest championship fight will be one fans will continue to talk about for many years to come.