Ito wins over Watanabe in OPBF/WBO ASPAC 130lb unification bout

By Joe Koizumi

It was the very first unification bout of regional champions here in Japan, and OPBF super-feather champ WBC#14 Masayuki Ito (20-1-1, 9 KOs), 129.75, kept his belt and also wrested the WBO Asia Pacific title by defeating WBO#4 Takuya Watanabe (30-7-1, 16 KOs), 130, by a unanimous decision (117-111 twice, 118-110) over twelve heats on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Ito overpowered the defensive Yamamoto from the outset, piling up points with his aggressiveness although there were no knockdowns.