YAP RETAINS OPBFF BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE

OPBF bantamweight champion Mark John Yap (right) with Japanese challenger Seizo Kono.

FILIPINO champion Mark John “The Journey Man” Yap retained his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight title by stopping Japanese challenger Seizo Kono in the 10th round last Sunday night at the EDION Arena in Osaka, Japan.
Yap first downed Kono with a right cross in the early same round round. But Kono managed to stand up before the mandatory 8-count. However, a solid body punch by Yap again sent Kono back down on the canvas.
Kono (19W-8L-1D, 12 KOs) tried to stand up again but the referee finally stopped the fight.
“I did everything to win that’s why I was able to KO him in the 10th round,” said Yap.
“But it was not an easy fight for me because my opponent was a veteran,” said Yap.
Kono also fought but lost for the vacant WBC Youth Intercontinental super bantamweight title by a 3rd round TKO to Rey Vargas last 2013 in Mexico City.
It was Yap’s second successful title defense. He won the OPBF title by dethroning Japanese champion Takahiro Yamamoto via a TKO in Round 5 last November 11, 2016 in Kobe.
Yap made his first title defense by a 4th round TKO against another Japanese Kentaro Masuda last July 30 in Osaka.
“Thank God I won the fight and brought honor. I’m really proud to be a Pinoy,” said Yap.
Yap, who is based in Japan and managed by Hiroki Kanaoka was honored as one of the four Filipino OPBF champions in the recent 55th OPBF Convention held last month in Palawan.