By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda

Japanese prospect, ex-OPBF titlist Hiroto Kyoguchi (8-0, 6 KOs), 105, captured the IBF mini flyweight belt as he dropped defending champ Jose Argumedo (20-4-1, 12 KOs), 105, in the ninth round to pound out a unanimous decision over twelve rounds on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan. Mike Fitzgerald (US) and Carlos Colon (Puerto Rico) both tallied 116-111, and Masahiro Noda (Japan) saw it 115-112, all in favor of the 23-year-old challenger. The referee was Malik Waleed (US).

It wasn’t a technically excellent fight at all as they kept missing the target each other, slipped down many times and repeated clinches time and again. Argumedo, 28, was always aggressive, but his precision was much worse than that of Kyoguchi throughout the contest. The fatal ninth witnessed the left hooker Kyoguchi connect with his trademark lefts to floor the fading champ, which eventually carried him to an upset coronation.

Kyoguchi followed his idol Joichiro Tatsuyoshi’s footstep, having acquired the belt in his eighth pro bout as his senior registered.

Hiroto is the youngest son of a karate teacher Hiroshi, 49, who began to cultivate him since at the age of three. He started amateur boxing when twelve. When he was a high school student, he lost to WBO 108-pound ruler Kosei Tanaka in a tournament and trailed 1-3 to the current WBC 108-pound champ Ken Shiro in four amateur bouts. After graduating from Osaka Commercial Univ., he turned professional from Watanabe gym, where he made a pro debut in April of the previous year. Hiroto acquired the OPBF minimum belt by defeating more experienced Filipino Arman dela Cruz via third round knockout this February.

Hiroto gained the world belt in just fifteen months after his professional debut, surpassing Naoya Inoue and Kosei Tanaka, each of whom won the belt in 18 months.

With Kyoguchi’s coronation, our Japanese world champions amount to twelve, which is the best and most in history.