By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten bright prospect Tsubasa Koura (11-0, 8 KOs), 105, more than impressively acquired the vacant OPBF minimumweight belt (renounced by Ryuya Yamanaka who will have a WBO title shot against Tatsuya Fukuhara on April 27) when he demolished Filipino southpaw puncher Jaysever Abcede (14-7, 9 KOs), 104.5, with vicious body bombardments at 3:09 of the fourth round on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

It took place underneath the Kuga-Tamura Japanese national 122-pound title bout, and we found a vastly talented prospect in Koura, whose speed and sharpness greatly impressed the ringsiders. The Filipino displayed his raw power from the outset, but Koura, an upright footworker, averted them with ease and occasionally countered with quick rights to the southpaw. In the closing seconds of the fatal fourth, Koura connected with solid and strong body shots to have him fall in agony for the count. We had better watch this 22-year-old prospect’s progress.