By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

By Fightnews.com

Game and gallant Yusaku Kuga (14-2-1, 10 KOs), 121.75, impressively captured the Japanese 122-pound belt when he swarmed over WBO#6 defending titlist Yasutaka Ishimoto (29-9, 8 KOs), 121.75, from the outset, dropped him with an overhand right and halted him with a towel-tossing from the corner at 2:49 of the second round on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Ishimoto, who once upset Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. on points in Macao in 2013, was a prefight favorite due to his previous hairline decision over Kuga in an elimination bout for the vacant national belt thirteen months ago. Ishimoto, making his third defense, absorbed Kuga’s furious opening attack, and hit the deck with an overhand right to the side of the head. It looked like a slip, but the referee Biney Martin took a count and had it go on. The second session witnessed Kuga follow up with a flurry of punches downstairs and upstairs despite the champ’s occasional retaliation. As Kuga accelerated his assault, a towel came in fluttering from the champ’s corner. It looked like a premature stoppage, but since it was thrown by Ishimoto’s chief second, we may have to respect the cornerman’s decision.

Unbeaten hard-puncher, WBC#3 ranked OPBF flyweight champ Daigo Higa (12-0, 12 KOs), 114.75, collected another KO victim by demolishing Filipino Diomel Diocos (9-2-3, 3 KOs), 113.5, at 2:29 of the third round in a scheduled ten. Non-stop punching Higa is gunning for a shot at a winner and new WBC 112-pound champion after a title bout for the vacant throne (renounced by Roman Gonzalez) between Thailand’s WBC#1 Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai and Mexican WBC #2 Juan Hernandez in Thailand on March 4. Higa jubilantly said after the victory, “I’d like to be world champ like my manager Yoko Gushiken when 21 years of age.” Higa’s twenty-second birthday will be this coming August 9, before which Gushiken will endeavor to materialize his pupil’s title crack.