Yabuki dethrones IBF 108lb champ Nontshinga

By Joe Koizumi

Another new champion was born in Japan. Former WBC 108-pound champ Masamichi Yabuki (17-4, 16 KOs), 107.5, very impressively wrested the IBF junior flyweight belt when he took the initiative, dropped defending titlist Sivenathi Nontshinga (13-2, 10 KOs), 107.5, from South Africa, three times and finally halted him at 1:50 of the ninth round in a scheduled twelve on Saturday in Tokoname, Japan.

Yabuki, 32, controlled the fight with sharp jabs and left-right combinations from the outset, though Nontshinga, 25, responded with fewer jabs and occasional rights. Steadily piling up points, Masamichi exploded a vicious right to the head of the champ, who fell down in the closing seconds of the eighth to have a narrow escape. The eighth saw Yabuki turn very pugnacious with a fusillade of punches, badly decking the champ twice more. The ref Mark Calo-oy, US, then called a well-timed halt over the crestfallen ex-champ who couldn’t show any of his usual zip this night.

Promoter: Kameda Promotions.
IBF supervisor: Ben Keilty (Australia).

The post Yabuki dethrones IBF 108lb champ Nontshinga appeared first on fightnews.com.