By Joe Koizumi

Veteran campaigner Kenichi Horikawa (32-14-1, 7 KOs), 108, proved too experienced and ringwise for Koji Itagaki (17-11-2, 7 KOs), 108, winning the vacant WBO Asia Pacific 108-pound belt by a unanimous verdict (116-112 twice, 117-111) over twelve hot rounds on Sunday in Hiroshima, Japan. Horikawa, participating in his seventh title bout—regardless of results, maintained the initiative from the outset to the end to seize the vacant regional belt. Having forfeited his Japanese national light flyweight title to upcoming Shiro Ken, Horikawa, 37, admirably gained his second belt to his credit.