Yoshino wins vacant Japanese 135lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten former amateur prospect Shuichiro Yoshino (6-0, 4 KOs), 134.75, impressively acquired the vacant Japanese lightweight belt when he finally halted durable and game Spicy Matsushita (17-10-1, 2 KOs), 134.75, at 1:23 of the seventh round in a scheduled ten on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

Yoshino connected with more accurate combinations, leading on points after the fifth on open scoring system—49-46, 48-47 twice all for him. The taller Matsushita came out fighting in round six, but Yoshino decked the more experienced rival twice prior to the referee’s intervention in the fatal seventh.