Tanaka dethrones WBO 112lb champ Kimura, wins third belt in 12th bout

By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Sumio Yamada

Unbeaten enfant terrible Kosei Tanaka (12-0, 7 KOs) 112, impressively seized his third WBO belt in his twelfth bout as he, still 23, positively put on an aggressive performance from the outset, whipped defending champ Sho Kimura (17-2-2, 10 KOs), 111.75, and pounded out a majority but well-received decision (116-112, 115-113, 114-114) over twelve hard-fought rounds on Monday in Nagoya, Japan.

(More to come)

–