April 30, 2024

Koki, Yap, Ratchasi retain OPBF belts

Fightnews.com

By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat

An OPBF title tripleheader took place on Sunday in Osaka, Japan, , with all the defending champions emerging victorious. OPBF middleweight champ Tyson Koki (13-2-2, 11 KOs), 160, kept his belt when he outscored #9 Brandon Lockhart Shane (8-6-1, 7 KOs), 158.5, a Japan-based New Yorker, by a unanimous nod (115-111, 117-109, 119-109) over twelve. OPBF bantam titlist Mark John Yap (27-11, 13 KOs), 118, a Japan-based Filipino, barely retained his title as he came off the canvas three times in the first round and decked ex-national champ Kentaro Masuda (27-8, 15 KOs), 117.5, twice, halting him at 2:59 of the fourth session in a scheduled twelve. OPBF super-welter ruler Ratchasi Sithsaithong (12-4, 8 KOs), 153.25, Thailand, kept his belt by stopping Jumbo Oda Nobunaga Shoten Petagine (10-5, 8 KOs), 153.25, at 1:42 of the eleventh round. The loser announced to hang up gloves for good after this bitter defeat.

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