Full Report With Photos: Tsutsumi Barely Edges Donaire, Keeps WBA 118lb Belt

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten Japanese Seiya Tsutsumi (13-0-3, 8 KOs), 117.75, barely kept his WBA bantamweight belt as he eked out a hairline split decision over veteran Filipino, WBA interim ruler Nonito Donaire (43-9, 28 KOs), 117.75. over twelve hard-fought heats on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan. The official tallies were as follows: Pinit Prayadsab (Thailand) 115-113, Leszek Jankowiak (Poland) 117-111, both in favor of Tsutsumi, and Robert Hoyle (US) 116-112 for Donaire.

Formerly five-division champ, Nonito, fourteen years his senior at 43, started with sharp jabs and left hooks to take the leadoff against the cautious and stiff titlist Seiya. Winning the first three rounds, Donaire badly shook up Tsutsumi with strong rights in round four. He almost hit the deck but was saved by the bell. The Japanese took such a heavy punishment that people thought it would be over in the next session, but Donaire didn’t try to finish it to bring home the bacon early.

It was Seiya, a Gene Fulmer stylist, showed his amazing resilience from the sixth onward, while Nonito fought rather cautiously probably because he intended to distribute his fading stamina for later rounds. Tsutsumi fought back hard from then on, scoring some important points down the stretch.

His nose bone having been broken early in the contest, Tsutsumi who had dethroned Takuma Inoue fourteen months ago said after the grueling battle, “I was losing in earlier rounds, but I encouraged myself so that I would regain the initiative and go to win this bout. I wish to fight current WBC champ Takuma Inoue in a rematch, and also hope to exchange gloves with the legendary Kazuto Ioka who has moved up to the bantamweight division.”

The loser Donaire proudly said, “I congratulate Tsutsumi for this victory though it was such a close fight. I displayed everything I had.” But his chief trainer and wife Rachel repented of a judge’s too wide margin 117-111 against Nonito. “His jabs were effective throughout the fight, but he ignored the effect of Nonito’s solid left hand.” Anyway, it was truly a crowd-pleasing fight without doubt.

Promoter: Akihiko Honda’s Teiken Promotions.

Attendance: 7,500 at Ryogoku Sumo Arena (Kokugikan)

https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/829718

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