Kuroki claims WBA title on all female show!
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Earlier today at Korakuen Hall fight fans had the chance to see the latest show from Shinsei Promotions, and it was a really interesting all female card. Originally the show had been planned to feature 6 title bouts, though one was cancelled shortly before the event due to illness. Despite the cancellation the show still had 5 title bouts on it and saw a number of new champions being crowned.
The first of the 5 title bouts saw a new JBC female Minimumweight champion being crowned, as the unbeaten Sazanami Valu (5-0-1, 1) [岩井リサ] took a narrow decision over Kanae Maehara (4-3-2) [前原香那枝] for the previous vacant title. The 6 round was very competitive with both fighting toe to toe at times, making for some thrilling action and brilliant exchanges. In the end all 3 judges had Valu winning 58-56 to claim the title, and her biggest win to date.
A second new national champion was crowned at 118lbs, as Nana Yamashita (6-2, 3) [山下奈々] overcame Nodoka Furukawa (4-1-1) [古川のどか], with a split decision, to claim another previously vacant title. As with the Minimumweight title bout, this was a really competitive back and forth, and both really looked to have the last word in exchanges. In the end the slightly more polished boxing of Yamashita, who just seemed to be able to vary things a bit more, seemed to be the difference maker, but given how hotly contested this was, the loss could well help Furukawa improve, and win a potential rematch.
OPBF Atomweight champion Honoka Kano (9-1-2, 2) [狩野ほのか] recorded her first defense, as she successfully saw off a spirited challenger from Riho Yoshida (5-2-1, 1) [吉田里穂]. Kano used good, crisp, clean 1-2's early on to create space and try to keep a hungry Yoshida at range. This worked really well in the first 4 rounds as Kano built up a comfortable lead, 40-36 on all 3 cards. With Open Scoring in effect Yoshida knew she had to mix things up in the second half of the fight, and picked up her pace in rounds 5 and 6 as she began to get closer, her pressure paying off. Kano regrouped well however, and let her hands go more freely in round 7, momentarily stopping the momentum of the challenger. To her credit Yoshida came back hard in round 8, but it was too little too late, with Kano taking the decision with scores of 78-74 and 77-75, twice. This was a hard defense for Kano, and credit goes to both, with Yoshida showing that she will almost certainly have title success in the future.
The second champion to retain her title was also at regional level, as WBO Asia Pacific Atomweight champion Nao Ugawa (6-0) [鵜川菜央] dominated Kaho Munetoshi (4-2, 2) [宗利佳歩], potentially setting up a regional unification with Kano. This was very one-sided as Ugawa controlled from early on, using her jab to dictate the tempo in the opening rounds before going through the gears, and winning pretty much all the exchanges. Munetoshi showed hunger and desire, but was out classed, out landed and out gunned throughout. She was also deducted a point for a clash of heads in round 8. Through the contest the offense and defense of Ugawa was too good for the challenger, who gave her all, but wasn’t nearly good enough to test Ugawa. After 8 rounds there was no debating the result here, with the judges scoring it 80-70 and 79-71, twice.
In the main event Yuko Kuroki (24-8-2, 10) [黒木優子] become a world champion yet again, as she claimed the previously vacant WBA female Minimumweight title, becoming a grandslam champion as a result having previously held WBC, WBO and IBF honours. The 33 year old Japanese fighter was however given a serious test as Korean Ye Kyeng Seo (7-1-3, 5) gave a career best performance and pushed Kuroki all the way. Kuroki struggled early on, falling short with her shots and struggled to get her timing early on. As the bout went on however Kuroki began to find her groove, but the two clashed heads at times, and Seo refused to back down. Seo really managed to make the most of her own style, which seemed to confuse Kuroki at times, and neutralised the locals jab whilst frustrating her. Sadly for Seo despite frustrating Kuroki, she let the Japanese fighter out worked at times, and this proved to be the problem overall, with Kuroki taking the decision 96-94m and really winning the contest due the middle rounds. Despite that Seo stated she felt she had done enough to win, suggested she’d like a rematch.
The first of the 5 title bouts saw a new JBC female Minimumweight champion being crowned, as the unbeaten Sazanami Valu (5-0-1, 1) [岩井リサ] took a narrow decision over Kanae Maehara (4-3-2) [前原香那枝] for the previous vacant title. The 6 round was very competitive with both fighting toe to toe at times, making for some thrilling action and brilliant exchanges. In the end all 3 judges had Valu winning 58-56 to claim the title, and her biggest win to date.
A second new national champion was crowned at 118lbs, as Nana Yamashita (6-2, 3) [山下奈々] overcame Nodoka Furukawa (4-1-1) [古川のどか], with a split decision, to claim another previously vacant title. As with the Minimumweight title bout, this was a really competitive back and forth, and both really looked to have the last word in exchanges. In the end the slightly more polished boxing of Yamashita, who just seemed to be able to vary things a bit more, seemed to be the difference maker, but given how hotly contested this was, the loss could well help Furukawa improve, and win a potential rematch.
OPBF Atomweight champion Honoka Kano (9-1-2, 2) [狩野ほのか] recorded her first defense, as she successfully saw off a spirited challenger from Riho Yoshida (5-2-1, 1) [吉田里穂]. Kano used good, crisp, clean 1-2's early on to create space and try to keep a hungry Yoshida at range. This worked really well in the first 4 rounds as Kano built up a comfortable lead, 40-36 on all 3 cards. With Open Scoring in effect Yoshida knew she had to mix things up in the second half of the fight, and picked up her pace in rounds 5 and 6 as she began to get closer, her pressure paying off. Kano regrouped well however, and let her hands go more freely in round 7, momentarily stopping the momentum of the challenger. To her credit Yoshida came back hard in round 8, but it was too little too late, with Kano taking the decision with scores of 78-74 and 77-75, twice. This was a hard defense for Kano, and credit goes to both, with Yoshida showing that she will almost certainly have title success in the future.
The second champion to retain her title was also at regional level, as WBO Asia Pacific Atomweight champion Nao Ugawa (6-0) [鵜川菜央] dominated Kaho Munetoshi (4-2, 2) [宗利佳歩], potentially setting up a regional unification with Kano. This was very one-sided as Ugawa controlled from early on, using her jab to dictate the tempo in the opening rounds before going through the gears, and winning pretty much all the exchanges. Munetoshi showed hunger and desire, but was out classed, out landed and out gunned throughout. She was also deducted a point for a clash of heads in round 8. Through the contest the offense and defense of Ugawa was too good for the challenger, who gave her all, but wasn’t nearly good enough to test Ugawa. After 8 rounds there was no debating the result here, with the judges scoring it 80-70 and 79-71, twice.
In the main event Yuko Kuroki (24-8-2, 10) [黒木優子] become a world champion yet again, as she claimed the previously vacant WBA female Minimumweight title, becoming a grandslam champion as a result having previously held WBC, WBO and IBF honours. The 33 year old Japanese fighter was however given a serious test as Korean Ye Kyeng Seo (7-1-3, 5) gave a career best performance and pushed Kuroki all the way. Kuroki struggled early on, falling short with her shots and struggled to get her timing early on. As the bout went on however Kuroki began to find her groove, but the two clashed heads at times, and Seo refused to back down. Seo really managed to make the most of her own style, which seemed to confuse Kuroki at times, and neutralised the locals jab whilst frustrating her. Sadly for Seo despite frustrating Kuroki, she let the Japanese fighter out worked at times, and this proved to be the problem overall, with Kuroki taking the decision 96-94m and really winning the contest due the middle rounds. Despite that Seo stated she felt she had done enough to win, suggested she’d like a rematch.