By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat

Unheralded Ryoki Hirai (8-4-1, 3 KOs), 105, decked an upset triumph when he was awarded a unanimous technical decision (49-45, 49-46, 49-47) over WBO#15 ranked 105-pounder Takumi Sakae (14-2-1, 9 KOs), 105, at 1:20 of the fifth round on Sunday in Kobe, Japan. Having tasted his first setback in his career at the hand of national titlist Takuya Fukuhara with his national belt at stake this March, Sakae entered his rival’s home turf Kobe, where he unexpectedly saw a nightmare. The first saw Sakae sustain bleeding from the nostrils and from a gash over the right eyebrow. Sakae turned loose in round four, when Hirai caught him with a solid short right, dropping him that took the crowd by surprise. With his bleeding worsened as the contest progressed, the referee finally decided to take a technical nod at the third examination of Sakae’s cut.

Promoter: Senrima Kobe Promotions.