By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat

Highly talented, unbeaten Hinata Maruta (5-0, 4 KOs), 117.75, impressively retained his WBC Youth bantamweight belt when he dispatched Indonesian Hamson Tiger Lamandau (8-1, 5 KOs), 115.75, at 1:56 of the sixth round on Sunday in Osaka, Japan.

Making his second defense, the elongated 5’9.5” local favorite caught up with the opponent with an overhand right following an effective combination, which put the Indonesian on the deck for the count. Maruta, still 19, seems a bright prospect.