By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Fightnews.com

Former Japanese flyweight champ, now WBO#12 ranked 115-pounder Suguru Muranaka (25-2-1, 8 KOs), 116.75, had a tough time coping with four-time world challenger Hiroyuki Hisataka (24-16-1, 10 KOs), 117, but finally accelerated his engine down the stretch to earn a majority verdict (77-75, 77-76, 76-76) over eight hard-fought rounds on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. As expected, it became an all-out war with Muranaka throwing fast combinations upstairs and downstairs from the outset and Hisataka cleverly averting them to retaliate with solid counters. Hisataka’s persistent body attack looked effective, while Muranaka responded with lighter but busier combos to the veteran’s face. Hisataka, having lost to Takefumi Sakata, Denkaosen Kaowichit, Hugo Cazares and Omar Narvaez in unsuccessful bids for the world belts, had him on the deck in round five, but it was ruled a slip, though the loser complained of it afterward. Muranaka’s dominance over him in the seventh carried him to a hairline victory. Muranaka, a windmill puncher, has been unbeaten for ten years since his last defeat in a six-rounder in 2006.

Promoter: Flash Akabane Promotions.