Sueyoshi wins vacant Japanese 130lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Once-beaten prospect Masaru Sueyoshi (16-1, 10 KOs), 129.75, acquired the vacant Japanese super-featherweight belt when he earned a unanimous decision (97-93, 98-93, 98-92) over 38-year-old Ribo Takahata (13-8-1, 5 KOs), 129.75, over ten hard-fought rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. The belt had been renounced by world-rated ex-champ Kenichi Ogawa, Sueyoshi’s stablemate, to pave the way for him to win the national title. The 5’11” Takahata’s aggressiveness was a nuisance for Seuyoshi, who, however, was superior in precision, steadily piling up points despite close proceedings.

Unbeaten Shuya Masaki (7-0, 5 KOs), 132, finished Filipino Ciso Morales (19-5-1, 12 KOs), 131.25, with a solid right at 1:56 into the opening session of a scheduled eight.