By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Boxing Beat

By Fightnews.com

OPBF#2 minimum Ryuya Yamanaka (13-2, 3 KOs), 105, acquired the vacant OPBF 105-pound belt as he displayed his career-best performance in defeating ex-WBO world champ and OPBF#1 Merlito Sabillo (5-4-1, 12 KOs), 105, by a very unanimous decision (119-109, 118-110, 117-111) over twelve technical rounds on Friday in Kobe, Japan. Yamanaka made good use of his speed on hand and foot to frustrate the hardupse-punching southpaw all the way, steadily piling up points with ease. Sabillo often lost his equilibrium due to Yamanaka’s quick sidestepping and absorbed his sharp counters in later rounds.

WBC#8 Shun Kubo (11-0, 8 KOs), a sharp-punching southpaw, 121.75, scored a spectacular TKO victory over Korean Jin-Wook Lim (8-5-5, 2 KOs), 121.5, at 2:56 of the fourth session to keep his OPBF super-bantam belt for the second time. Kubo’s straight left dropped Lim with a thud and the champ swarmed over the damaged challenger with a fusillade of punches to have the referee intervene to save the loser from further punishment.

WBC#6/WBA#15 unbeaten Masayoshi Nakatani (13-0, 8 KOs), 134.75, utilized his advantageous height and reach in whipping ex-OPBF 130-pound champ Alan Tanada (14-6-3, 6 KOs), 134.5, into a well-received stoppage at 1:35 of the seventh round. Nakatani successfully retained his OPBF lightweight belt in his sixth defense.

Imported Filipino Mark John Yap (25-11, 11 KOs), 117.75, captured the OPBF bantam title when he upset WBC# ranked defending titlist Takahiro Yamamoto (18-5, 15 KOs), 117.75, by a fine TKO at 2:19 of the fifth round. Yap’s well-timed right counter had the champ badly staggering, and he furiously followed up to floor Yamamoto again. Though they resumed fighting, the third man saw the champ unfit to go on due to his punishment.

Promoter: Shinsei Promotions in association with Ioka Promotions.