-=( JAPANESE BOXING )=- Kosei, Inoue, Murata, Yaegashi all in action this weekend!

Ioka unifies WBC/WBA Minimumweight belts in WAR!

Kazuto Ioka won the historical unification bout in Japan on June 20 following 12 rounds of great action that so a very close, competitive fight. Akira Yaegashi had to fight through two swollen eyes and he did it with great success, it just wasn't enough in the end according to the judges. Could've gone either way and as good as it was, the rematch is surely in the works. I'll post the video if I find it.

No HD video yet, but the Japanese usually put it up on youtube so I'll post it when they do, you'll have to settle for SD for now
[video=dailymotion;xrpa3m]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrpa3m_kazuto-ioka-vs-akira-yaegashi-high-quality_sport[/video]

The Japanese boxing scene offers a lot of quality, skills, excitement, solid fights, it is worthy of it's own thread, especially as a rare unification is coming up on June 20! A short overlook of the current scene:

Takahiro Ao defended his WBC SFW title via very close decision vs. Terdsak Kokietgym

Takashi Uchiyama knocked out interim champ Jorge Solis, fights Michael Farenas on July 16

Toshiaki Nishioka punished ring legend Rafael Marquez in Las Vegas, nothing scheduled at the moment

Shinsuke Yamanaka retained the WBC BW title vs. Vic Darchinyan in a close but clear decision

Koki Kameda defended the WBA BW but not looking good vs Nouldy Manakane

Tamonobu Shimizu lost the WBA SFlyW to talented Thai Tepparith Singwancha

Yota Sato upset WBC SFlyW champ Suriyan Sor Rungvisai, fights Sylvester Lopez on July 7

Kazuto Ioka unified the WBC & WBA minimumweight titles vs. Akira Yaegashi in a war to write Japanese boxing history. they should have a rematch it was so good and competitive

& Hozumi Hasegawa came back with a vengeange, and brutalized unbeaten Felipe Carlos Felix for a mercy 7th round KO