By: Hideaki Fukada

Wednesday, September 2nd, Yokohama Buntai, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan: In the main event of a Hideyuki Ohashi, Ohashi Promotion, Yokohama, Japan’s, Daiya “The Shining Diamond” Kira to captured the vacant WBA World Light Flyweight title with a spectacular seventh round TKO stoppage of former two-time light-flyweight champion, Carlos “CCC” Cañizales.

Kira wasted little time showing that the enormous experience gap would not dictate the fight. Both men opened cautiously, but the undefeated Japanese challenger gradually established his range with an active jab, quick footwork and sharp counters.

By the end of the opening round, “The Shining Diamond” repeatedly making Cañizales miss stepping out of range and returning fire with rapid compact combinations the speed and accuracy of the ten-year younger emerging talent began to separate himself from the veteran.

Attempting to thwart Kira’s growing momentum in the third round, Cañizales marched forward struggling to force Kira into exchanges, only to be caught by a beautifully timed and placed counter left hook sending the Venezuelan to the canvas. Cañizales immediately regained his feet, but Kira remained composed, refusing to rush the finish continued to use his legs, maintaining control of the distance drawing punches from the former champion and answering with clean, accurate counter shots.

Kira demonstrating the poise and discipline of a cagey veteran continued to work the body in the fourth and fifth rounds, opening his capable arsenal mixing his attacks up and down frustrating Cañizales’ attempts to close the gap.

“CCC” finally finding some success in the sixth, pressed forward behind increased volume gaining Kira’s attention with a clean right hand. Ready, willing and increasingly showing his ability, Kira stood his ground and answered with his own combinations, setting the stage for what would be the decisive and final round.

Just seconds into round seven, Kira allowing the gap to close stepped back opening the space for perfectly timed counter left hook catching and dropping Cañizales who gallantly returned to his feet but visibly unsteady referee Raul Caiz Jr. stepped in and stopped the contest at 0:38 of round seven. Kira with back-to-back inside the distance victories moves to 5-0, 4Ko’s as the on again, off again Cañizales 3-3 in his last six outings falls to 28-4-1, 20Ko’s.

Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan’s, Takeshi Ishii produced a sensational breakthrough on the world stage, flattening Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, former WBO minimumweight champion, Wilfredo “Bimbito” Mendez in one round to capture the vacant WBA World Minimumweight title.

In his first world-title fight and only his 13th professional bout, Ishii refusing to give the experienced Puerto Rican southpaw time to settle into his boxing rhythm exploded from the opening bell, immediately assumed the role of aggressor stalking Mendez who attempted to neutralize the attack with movement and clinching.

The 26-year-old Japanese fighter kept closing the distance, probing and forcing the former champion backward before finding an opening for a drilling left hand into Mendez’s body, visibly hurting “Bimbito”, instantly following up with a vicious right hand sending Mendez crashing to the canvas

For referee Jean-Robert Laine full count at 1:05 of the opening round. The former professional kickboxer, all-Japan 2022 Minimumweight Rookie of the Year Ishii improves to 12-1, 9Ko’s. Sugiura unbeaten since an April 2014, seventh round knockout at the hands of Tokyo’s, then unbeaten Yudai Shigeoka falls to 20-3-2, 6Ko's.

In all Japanese, ten round action, Yokohama’s, Katsuki Mori retained his Japan Boxing Commission Japanese Minimumweight title with a tightly contested majority draw with Tokyo, challenger, Yoshi Sugiura.

Sugiura immediately trying to keep Mori off balance and from gaining any rhythm came out aggressively with pressure and busy combination punching. The champion, responded with sharp movement, a steady jab and quick combinations. The champion refusing to stand still long enough for the challenger to establish complete control went on the move changing angles and bring his right hand into the equation repeatedly forcing Sugiura to reset.

Sugiura continued his high output pressure attack and force exchanges at close quarters, Mori staying patient began finding greater success with clean counters and solid body shots helping the champion bank several close rounds.

Sugiura’s relentless pressure kept the action competitive but by the championship rounds, both men were still throwing with urgency. Mori tried to maintain distance and pick his moments with accurate counters as Sugiura continued marching forward and forcing the champion into extended exchanges. Neither fighter down or able to seize decisive control sending the tightly contested affair to the judges whose scores were announced a 96-94 Mori, 95-95, 95-95 let’s do it again, majority draw. The draw moves Mori to 14-4-2, 3Ko's and Sugiura to 9-1-2, 3Ko's.

Tokyo, Junya Shimada made a powerful statement in his return to the ring, blasting out Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand’s, Sathaporn “Sathaporn NKL” Saart in the second round of their scheduled eight-round super featherweight clash.

Saart, started aggressively, firing a heavy three-piece combo’s and digging shots to the body as he attempting to back Shimada up. The Japanese fighter remained composed behind a tight guard, looking for openings and repeatedly finding the target with his right uppercut. When Saart increased the pressure in the second round, Shimada answered with sharp counterpunching rather than being drawn into a reckless exchange.

The finish came suddenly and violently. Shimada hiding and landing a jab led crushing right hand on Saart’s chin, dropping the rugged Thai fighter to the canvas, “Sathaporn NKL” clearly unable to safely continue taking a referee ten count the bout was called at 2:32 of round two.

Shimada rebounding from a March vacant Japan Boxing Commission Japanese Featherweight title ten round unanimous decision points loss to Kyosuke Okamoto improves to 10-1-1, 4Ko’s while Saart, 2-2 in his last four bouts drops to drops to 18-4, 9Ko’s.

In an eagerly anticipated eight round pairing of unbeaten Japanese featherweights, Yokohama’s, Ren Ohashi and Tokyo’s, Keigo Kitamoto battled to a frustrating second round technical draw.

The opening round was a tense tactical battle between Ohashi’s speed and southpaw left hand and Kitamoto’s orthodox stance, reach and jab. Ohashi, looked to close the distance and fire his straight left, while the taller Kitamoto, worked to establish range and disrupt his opponent’s attacks with the jab and right hand. The matchup had all the ingredients of a compelling battle between two unbeaten prospects, with neither man willing to give away much ground.

Then, just seconds into the second round, the fight suddenly unraveled. As the two unbeaten featherweights moved into range an accidental clash of heads opening a deep cut on Ohashi’s forehead following an inspection by the ringside physician the referee determined that Ohashi could not safely continue calling the bout at 0:28 of round two. With the contest ending before the required four round distance for a decision, the bout was recorded as a technical draw leaving Ohashi at 5-0-1, 5Ko's and Kitamoto 7-0-1, 5Ko's.

In a scheduled eight round lightweight match, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan’s, Yuga “The King” Fujiki continued his rapid rise dominating and stopping Bangar, La Union, Philippines, Jufel “Iron” Salina in five rounds.

Fujiki established control immediately with a sharp, authoritative left jab, repeatedly beating Salina to the punch and dictating the distance. The Filipino veteran tried to pressure forward behind heavy hooks in the second round, but Fujiki's speed, balance and counterpunching kept him out of danger. By the third, Fujiki was confidently mixing right hands with punishing body shots, repeatedly catching Salina as he attempted to close the gap.

The pressure became overwhelming in the fifth. Fujiki trapped Salina near the ropes and unleashed a sustained attack before a right hand landed cleanly, sending Salina collapsing toward the ropes prompting referee Tetsuya Iida to immediately waved off the contest, ending the fight at 1:24 of Round five. The 18-year-old Ohashi Gym prospect, a former 49-0 amateur and nine-time champion strengthening his reputation as one of Japan's most intriguing young prospects improves to 2-0, 2Ko’s while Salina falls to 11-8-1, 8Ko’s.

The highly anticipated vacant OPBF Featherweight Title showdown between Yokohama, hard-punching southpaw, Kazuki Nakajima and Tokyo’s, Ryuto Owan was scratched from the card after Nakajima suffered an injury in training.