By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Fightnews.com

In the first show in Japan, unbeaten welterweight KO sensation Yuki Beppu (14-0-1, 14 KOs), 145.5, failed to extend his unblemished knockout streak as he was held to a split draw (77-76, 74-78, 76-76) by former OPBF and Japanese national super-middle titlist Charles Bellamy (previously fighting as Charlie Ota; 26-3-2, 17 KOs), 146.5, over eight hard-fought rounds on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. It was true that Beppu’s KO record thus stopped, but he finely demonstrated his good talent and future possibility.

Beppu, a rugged hard-puncher, swarmed over the veteran US campaigner residing here long from the outset, lopsidedly battering him from all angles though Bellamy covered himself up well in the first two sessions. Fast and ferocious, Beppu kept on positively punching the defensive foe, but Bellamy began to retaliate with a fewer but more accurate countering shots in the fourth.

The fifth witnessed Beppu pin him to the ropes with a furious fusillade of punches as if it was their last round. The tide, however, seemed to turn in the sixth in favor of Bellamy because of Beppu’s apparent fatigue due to his too high pace in earlier rounds. Had he been what he used to be, Charlie might have caught up with the fading foe and brought home the bacon in the seventh, but he wasn’t sharp and swift enough to show a come-from-behind trick.

The eighth and final round saw a war with Beppu raining blows on the gloves and shoulders of Bellamy, who responded with more accurate and effective shots to the energetic youngster. People would certainly come back to the Hall should their highly-entertaining rematch take place.