July 29
Las Vegas, USA: Light Heavy: Beibut Shumenov (12-1) W TKO 9 Danny Santiago (31-4-1). Kazakhstan’s Shumenov, 27, just too strong for Santiago.
Santiago tries to stay with Shumenov throughout the fight, scoring well with counters in the middle rounds, but WBA champion wears Santiago down with hard shots from both hands. Shumenov applying a steady beating and Santiago heavily bruised under both eyes from punishment. Sustained attack at the start of ninth sees Santiago covering up but not punching back and fight stopped. Fourth defence for Shumenov, but only the second fight in two years for Santiago who had no right to be rated. Shumenov needs better opposition than William Joppy and Santiago.
Homebush, Australia: Feather: Billy Dib (32-1,1ND) W PTS 12 Jorge Lacierva (39-8-6). Super Middle: Zac Awad (17-1-1) W PTS 12 Junior Talipeau (17-2-1). Feather: Paul Fleming (11-0) W TKO 2 Quinton Donohue (7-13-1). Back where he first launched his professional career, and with Kostya Tszyu watching, Billy “The Kid” Dib wins vacant IBF title with unanimous verdict over Mexican veteran Lacierva. Dib’s reach advantage, footwork and head and body movement take Lacierva out of his stride and with his own crouching style, it was difficult for the Mexican to get any rhythm going. Some of the inside work was rough and messy, and Lacierva lost a point in the fourth for hitting on the break. A low shot from 25-year-old Dib in the ninth saw Lacierva given time to recover, but Lacierva also suffered a cut in a clash of heads in the same round. Lacierva scored some good shots on the inside but not enough to make any difference. Scores 119-109, 118-109 and 115-112. Dib had lost on points to Steve Luevano for the WBO title in 2008. Lacierva, 33, who started out as a light fly, had lost to Mark Johnson for the IBF super fly title in 1999 and to Celestino Caballero for the WBA super bantam title in 2007. He had won his last seven including Leon Bobo, Feider Viloria, Joksan Hernandez and Fernando Beltran Jr, so he was in good form.
Minor upset as “Shaker” Awad, 30, outpoints New Zealander Talipeau, 27, on controversial split decision. Phone-booth fight with both fighters going toe-to-toe in a brawling scrap. Awad wins IBF Pan Pacific title in big step-up in class. Talipeau has recent wins over Nader Hamdan and Shannan Taylor. Scores 116-114, 116-115 and 113-116. Southpaw Fleming, 23, a real prospect, makes it eight by KO/TKO as floors poor Donohue in first and towel thrown in by Donohue’s corner in second. Five losses in a row for Donohue. Fleming, a World Junior bronze medalist, represented Australia at the 2007 World Championships and the 2008 Olympics.
Las Vegas, USA: Light Welter: Lamont Peterson (29-1-1) W KO 12 Victor Cayo (26-2,1ND). Light Heavy: Yordanis Despaigne (9-1) W DIS 5 Edison Miranda (34-6). Light Heavy: Sergey Kovalev (16-0) W KO 2 Douglas Otieno (23-7). Peterson finally living up to the promise he showed as an amateur, and wins IBF eliminator. Peterson looks to score a legit knockdown in the first only to have it ruled a slip. Next five rounds pretty even with Cayo busier, but Peterson scoring well with lefts to the body. Peterson looks to take 7th and 8th rounds but Dominican Cayo bounces back to take 9th and 10th on work rate. Cayo badly hurt by body shot in the eleventh. Both tired in last round. A right from Peterson drives Cayo back into the ropes and a volley sends him down. Beats the count but is floored again and counted out. Peterson now mandatory challenger for Amir Khan’s WBA title. His only loss was to Tim Bradley, and the draw was with Victor Ortiz. Cayo’s only other loss was a sixth round kayo, from a body shot, by Marcos Maidana for the interim WBA title in March 2010.
Cuban Despaigne, 31, bounces back from loss to Ismayl Sillakh as he rocks Miranda with a right in the first. Miranda gets back into the fight as he roughs up Cuban in second. Both exchange heavy shots, but 30-year-old Colombian Miranda spoiling his work as he is warned twice for low blows, and loses a point for a punch landed after the bell. Miranda has a good third, but again loses a point, this time for a low blow, although they were all borderline. More trouble again for Miranda in the fourth. He scores some good head shots, but gets another warning for low blows, and foolishly drops his hands and lets Despaigne take a volley of pot shots. Former IBF middle and super middle challenger Miranda finally gets disqualified for more low shots early in the fifth. Kovalev dominates from the start with strong jabs that Otieno has no answer to. Kovalev ends it in the second with a left that puts Otieno down and out. Now 14 wins by KO/TKO as Russian lifts vacant NABA USA title. Fourth loss in his last six fights for Kenyan.
Uncasville, USA: Heavy: Mariusz Wach (25-0) W KO 4 Kevin McBride (35-10-1). Middle: Elvin Ayala (24-5-1) W PTS 10 Derrick Findley (18-6). Light Middle: Jose Antonio Rivera (41-6-1) W PTS 8 Mpendo (7-8-4). Too easy for big Pole against a hugely overweight McBride. With his height and reach advantages “The Viking” Wach, 31, lands at will with left jab and rights through first three rounds. Only damage he suffers is when an elbow from McBride brings blood from his ear. Wach finishes it in style, as he catches McBride coming off ropes with a right hook and McBride is out flat, and taken from the ring on a stretcher as a precaution. Wach wins vacant WBC International title and makes it five wins in a row by KO/TKO. McBride, 38, best known for beating Mike Tyson in Tyson’s last fight in 2005, has lost six of his last seven, but had gone the distance with Tomasz Adamek in April.
Ayala, 30, has to climb off the floor in the first and stage a strong late finish to take a controversial decision over Findley. For the first four rounds Ayala boxing cleverly to keep Findley at bay, but Findley, working the body, getting through and scoring well. Ayala bounces back to take fifth, but Findley gets the better of some furious exchanges in sixth. Ayala then cuts Findley and makes a strong effort sweeping the closing rounds and is scored the winner by 96-93 twice and 97-92 to lift WBC USNBC title. Four wins in a row for former IBF title challenger Ayala since one round blast out loss to David Lemieux in June 2010. Findley has been matched tough with Andre Ward, Andre Dirrell, Matt Korobov and Fernando Guerrero all faced, and Dirrell is the only one to have beaten him inside the distance. Former WBA welter and light middle champ Rivera, 38, has too much experience and skill for game 37-year-old Mpendo. Rivera counter punching cleverly over the early rounds, and turns up the heat in the last three to get a good work out. Wins wide unanimous verdict on scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73. Second win for Rivera after almost three years out of the ring. Mpendo has always lasted the distance.
Port-Of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago: Welter: Ionut Dan Ion (29-1) W TKO 3 Iwan Azore (13-4-3). Light Heavy: Kirt Sinnette (20-1) W TKO 8 Howard Eastman (46-8). Heavy: Kertson Manswell (21-3) W TKO 1 Curtis Murray (6-9-1). Just a work out for Romanian. “Jo Jo Dan”, WBC No 5, has too much skill for game but limited Azore in all-southpaw battle. Slowly walks down local and catches up with him in third. A left hook to the body hurts Azore. Dan, 29, takes him to the ropes and batters away with volley of unanswered punches until, the referee stops the fight. Former Commonwealth champion and WBA title challenger Eastman, 40, shows his age. Sinnette too fast and hits too hard for veteran. End comes in eighth as Eastman’s gum shield knocked out and he goes down, with the fight mercifully being stopped. Win No 16 by KO/TKO for 37-year-old Sinnette. Eastman, a former Commonwealth, British and European champion, who had a shot at the vacant WBA title, and lost to Bernard Hopkins for the world title in 2005, should walk away. Gift for Manswell as he ends three bout losing streak with a first round stoppage of late substitute Murray.
Uthai, Bangkok: Light Fly: Oleydong (37-1-1) W PTS 12 Mark Geraldo (19-4-3). All-southpaw battle sees former WBC straw champion Oleydong move up a division to take unanimous verdict over 20-year-old Filipino for vacant WBC Silver title. Scores 116-112 twice and 117-111.
Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines: James Bacon (17-2) W KO 1 Elmer Legaria (12-4). Larry Canillas (16-3) W TEC DEC 6 Jaime Barcelona (38-55-1). Bacon wins Philippines title at second attempt. Drives Legaria back with jabs then a left hook to the body ends the fight. Now twelve wins by KO/TKO for 21-year-old. “Bon Jovi” Canillas, 22, and Barcelona in good scrap for three rounds. Canillas takes control in fifth and looks to have Barcelona ready to go, but veteran survives. Fight becomes messy and clash of heads in sixth sees Canillas cut on left eyelid. Doctor recommends stoppage, so it goes to the cards, and Canillas wins on scores of 58-56 twice and 59-55. Only one win in his last 13 for 33-year-old Barcelona who is closing in on 100 fights.
Polanco, Mexico: Super Feather: Dante Jardon (18-1) W KO 2 Adrian Tellez (11-8-1). Jardon, 23, does it again. Rapidly becoming a big name in Mexico, “Crazy” Jardon floors Tellez with a body shot in first and puts him down twice in the second for kayo. Now 16 wins by KO/TKO for WBC No 4.
Rome, Italy: Feather: Davide Dieli (9-2) W PTS 10 Simone Califano (15-4). Welter: Sven Paris (30-5) W TKO 4 Jozsef Gerebecz (5-5-2). Dieli regains Italian title as he wins majority verdict over another former National champion in a great little fight between two friends for vacant crown. Dieli in trouble in third, and he injures his right hand in fourth. However, scores well throughout, and despite being the shorter in height and reach, his superior hand speed and skill allows him to outbox the aggressive Califano who tires over the late rounds. Scores 96-94 twice and 95-95, but Dieli looked a clear if close winner. Easy for “White Warrior” Paris, 30, as he halts poor Hungarian on an injury pull out in the fourth.
Georgetown, Guyana: Super Middle: Edmund DeClou (7-1-1) W PTS 10 Joel McRae (8-2-1). DeClou wins this return widely to repeat a December victory. After slow first round he puts Trinidad & Tobago-based McRea under pressure with body attack and is in control the rest of the way. Wins interim Guyanese title. Scores 99-91 twice and 98-92. DeClou, who has won and lost in two fights with Kwesi Jones, now looking for a fight with Lennox Allen.
La Tour de Salvagny, France: Light Middle: Michel Soro (16-0) W PTS 12 David Makaradze (17-6). Super Middle: Rachid Jkitou (19-0) W KO 5 Adel Belhachemi (5-6-1). Light Welter: Willie Blain (24-1) W PTS 8 Beka Sadjaia (26-14-1). Soro, 21, given a tough time by Georgian but wins convincingly and collects vacant WBO European title. Soro boxes well against aggressive 32-year-old Georgian but suffers cut by his left eye in third. Frenchman gets on top and has Makaradze hurt in ninth but has to settle for points win. Scores 118-110 from all three judges. Makaradze, with just three wins in his last nine fights, had lost also for the WBA version of the European title to Frenchman Salim Larbi in March. French champion Jkitou, 25, makes it 13 wins by KO/TKO in poor match. Former amateur star “Little Leonard” Blain, 33, has a work out against modest Georgian and wins on scores of 80-71. Blain’s only loss was against Lamont Peterson, when he retired with a hand injury in April 2009, but then he had only two fights in almost two years. Twenty-six wins for Sadjaia, and not one of them outside Georgia.
Berisso, Argentina: Sergio Sanders (18-6-2) W PTS 10 Alejandro Falliga (20-8-4,
1ND). Sanders, 32, has to get off the canvas to win unanimous verdict and interim WBO Latino title. Fighters share first two rounds but after quiet third a right to the temple puts Sanders down. He survives and then takes control of the fight scoring repeatedly and heavily with his right crosses. Falliga rallies in eighth, but that is it. In the last Falliga under pressure and spits out mouthpiece for a rest. Scores 96-93 twice and 98-92. “Super” Sanders had won only one of his last eight going in, and these two had fought a draw in August last year. Falliga, 29 had scored an upset kayo win over Ulises David Lopez for the interim title in September.
July 30
Denver, USA: Light Welter: Mike Alvarado (31-0) W PTS 10 Gabriel Martinez (27-3-1,1ND). Feather: Robert Marroquin (20-1) W PTS 8 Jose Beranza (33-21-2). Alvarado just too strong for clever Mexican. Alvarado scores flash knockdown in first but Martinez, 24, not hurt. From then on the strength and aggression of Alvarado has Martinez on the back foot. Mexican has some success with counters but not much, and Alvarado in control. Scores 100-89,100-90 and 99-90. With his strength and aggression Alvarado could be a threat-if he can stay out of jail. Wins vacant IBF Latino title. Martinez loses for second time in a row. Marroquin gets back on the winning trail with unanimous verdict over tough test Beranza. Floors Mexican in third and sixth, and knocks his mouthpiece out on other occasions (once accompanied by one of Beranza’s teeth). Marroquin, 21, still a work in progress, and had swelling by his right eye which also trouble him in loss to Francisco Leal in April. Scores 78-71 twice and 79-70.
Odessa, Ukraine: Light Middle: Zaurbek Baysangurov (26-1) W KO 1 Mike Miranda (34-4). Heavy: Alex 'Peter' Ustinov (24-0) W TKO 2 Akmal Aslanov (11-5-1). Alex Spirko (13-0) W PTS 10 Selemani Said (10-4-2). Predictable farce as Baysangurov wins interim WBO light middle title in just 51 seconds. Inept Brazilian southpaw Miranda came forward for about 30 seconds, then backed up. Baysangurov just brushed his chin with a short right hook and Miranda went down and sat out the count. I drew attention to this stupid “fight” in my last Snips and Snipes, and was proved right. Chechen Baysangurov, 26, now waits to challenge the winner of the real WBO title between champion Sergey Dzinziruk and Lukas Konecny.
Another poor match sees Ustinov too good for tubby Uzbek Aslanov. Scores two knockdowns on the way to stoppage win. Not as easy as expected for Spirko. He sets too fast a pace trying to take Said out and then has to settle down and pick his punches. Has Tanzanian Said down briefly with right in fifth, but Said gets through in the eighth. Spirko badly shaken and given a standing eight count. Said lands another bomb which floors Spirko badly. Local fighter somehow beats the count and survives the round. Spriko finishes strongly and Said loses a point in the last for hitting on the break. Spirko wins unanimous verdict on scores of 94-91, 96-92 and 95-92. Wins vacant IBO Youth title, but looked very vulnerable. The last two fights took place after midnight so date should be August 1 for them.
Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines: Bantam: AJ Banal (25-1-1) W TEC DEC 8 Tyson Cave (15-2). Super Bantam: Mike Domingo (41-15-2) W TKO 6 Richard Samosir (18-4-3). Super Feather: Lorenzo Villaneuva (21-0,1ND) W KO 1 Eddy Comaro (24-11-4). Light Welter: Romeo Jakosalem (13-4-1) W TKO 1 Eusebio Baluarte (18-4). In all-southpaw match Banal, 22, comes to fight, Cave comes to box and frustrate the Filipino. Banal hurts Cave in first, but then Canadian boxes on defensive content to counter the local star. Banal forcing, but Cave moving, but perhaps not really doing enough himself. Banal badly cut above right eye in clash of heads in fifth. Cave, again in the sixth and seventh, smothering Banal’s attacks, but not landing his own shots. In the eighth cut much too bad for Banal to continue so it goes to the scorecards and Banal wins 78-74 twice and 79-73 and retains WBO Asia Pacific title. Cave’s team angry, as from their view the cut was caused by a punch, and in their opinion Cave well ahead at the finish, but crowd and press condemned Cave for his defensive tactics.
Domingo too strong for Indonesian. Samosir tries to use his height to keep fight on the outside, but Domingo works him over. At the end of the sixth Samosir decides he has had enough and retires. His corner men disagree and walk back to the dressing room leaving him to find his own way there. “Bruce Lee” Domingo has won ten of his last eleven. Four losses by KO/TKO for Samosir in his last five fights. Southpaw sensation Villanueva, 25, blows away Indonesian in just 62 seconds. “Thunder Volt” hurts Comaro with a right, takes him to the ropes and then finishes the job with a three punch combination. Now 20 by KO/TKO for raw talent Villanueva. Jakosalem scores two knockdowns and is battering Baluarte when the referee stops the fight. Jakosalem, 23, wins Philippines title. The last nine of former champion Baluarte’s fights have ended by KO/TKO, but he lost three of those.
Guadalajara, Mexico: Light Fly: Sammy Gutierrez (29-6-2) W KO 3 Rafael Orozco (22-30-2). Former interim WBA champion Gutierrez, 25, walks down veteran Orozco. Almost finishes it in second then ends it with a left hook in third. Now 20 by KO/TKO for “Guty”. Now 40, Orozco has fought in 13 fights for various national and international titles, and lost them all.
Iztacalco, Mexico: Super Feather: Gamaliel Diaz (33-9-2) W PTS 10 Abraham Gomez (13-18-5). “El Platano” finds Gomez an easy target over the first four rounds and scores well inside and out. From the fourth Gomez brought his head into play cutting Diaz on the right eyebrow. Diaz then boxed more cautiously. Gomez finally loses a point in the ninth for butting. Scores 99-90, 98-91 and 97-93. Ten wins in a row for WBC No 7.
Osaka, Japan: Bantam: Nobuo Nashiro (15-3-1) W PTS 10 Rey Perez (11-1). Former WBA super fly champion Nashiro, 29, returns in first fight since loss to Tomas Rojas for WBC title in February, and gets good ten rounds against previously unbeaten Filipino champion Perez. Nashiro’s speedy combinations and superior skills give him the edge, but young Perez, just 20, also scored well with his jabs and combinations to stay in the fight. Scores 97-94 twice and 99-92. Nashiro has appeared in almost as many world title fights (8) than Perez had in total fights (11). At only 20, Perez can come again.
Mazatlan, Mexico: Bantam: Leo Santa Cruz (17-0-1) W TKO 11 Everth Briceno (33-7-1). Big win for prospect Santa Cruz against experienced Nicaraguan. Santa Cruz, 22, on top all the way. In the eleventh he floors Briceno with a body shot and has him badly hurt. Briceno’s corner stops the fight. Californian-based Mexican Santa Cruz is 22-year-old. Briceno, 33, has had two shots at the WBO super fly title.
Jakarta, Indonesia: Straw: Pornsawan (23-3-1) W PTS 12 Muhammad Rachman (64-11-5). Thai Pornsawan finally wins a world title at fourth attempt. Definitely a fight of two halves. Rachman was in control early, and hurt the Thai challenger with hard rights. However, from the seventh, Pornsawan, 33, takes over as the 39-year-old Rachman tires and is under pressure on the ropes. Both exhausted by the end and two judges decide that Pornsawan’s stronger finish gets the decision. Scores 115-113 and 115-114 to Pornsawan and 114-114 as Pornsawan lifts WBA title. Decision not popular with home crowd. Plastic bottles and debris thrown into the ring, judges and new champion getting a security escort out. “The Tank” Pornsawan had previously lost to Donnie Nietes for the WBO title and lost then drawn with Olyedong for the WBC title. Former IBF champion Rachman loses WBA title in first defence.
Piove di Sacco, Italy: Super Feather: Devis Boschiero (29-0-1) W KO 4 Karoly Lakatos (10-30-1). Mark time fight for the Italian champion and EBU No 8 Boschiero, 30, whilst he awaits a trial. Scoring easily to head and body over the first three rounds he puts away Hungarian in fourth with a body punch. Now six losses in his last seven for Lakatos.
San Jose, Costa Rica: Super Middle: Brian Magee (35-4-1) W PTS 12 Jaime Barboza (17-5). Super Feather: Bryan Vazquez (27-0) W PTS 11 Alan Herrera (25-3). Light: Richard Abril (15-2-1) W PTS 11 Julio Camano (8-6,1ND). Heavy: Luis Ortiz (12-0) W TKO 3 Henry Saenz (22-9-1). Light Welter: Walter Castillo (15-1) W PTS 9 Elvin Perez (21-5-3). Super Bantam: Yoandris Salinas (11-0) W Carlos Rivas (9-18,1ND). Magee easily outboxes tough but crude local to win meaningless interim WBA title. Magee starts slowly then takes complete control as Barboza’s lunging attacks give him no trouble. Puts Barboza, 31, down on his knees on the way to unanimous verdict on scores of 118-110, 117-111 and a generous (to Barboza) 116-112. First fight for Magee since stoppage loss to Lucian Bute in March. Barboza getting the “title” fight was a typical WBA joke - on boxing.
Local hero “Tiquito” Vazquez, 23, survives a scare to win clearly on points over Mexican. Floors Herrera with a right hook in first, but Herrera fights back strongly. Good skills switching guards and fast hands give Vazquez the edge, but a bad cut by his left eye hampers him. Scores 109 ½ -100 ½, 108 ½ -103 ½, 109-101. Herrera’s record deceptive as this was only his second fight outside his home town-and he lost the other one as well. Cuban Abril, 28, easily retains WBA Fedlatin title winning every round against poor Panamanian. Scores 110-99 from all three judges. “Big Thing” Ortiz also retains WBA Fedlatin title in poor match as he halts 40lbs overweight cruiser Saenz in three. Ten wins by KO/TKO for 32-year-old, 6’4” tall former Cuban amateur star. Nicaraguan Castillo retains WBA Fedcentro. He comes close to stopping a bloodied Perez, a Nicaraguan based in Costa Rica, but has to go the distance. Cuban prospect Salinas, 25, wins vacant WBA Fedebol title with unanimous verdict over 37-year-old Nicaraguan.
Buenos Aires, Argentina: Welter: Diego Chaves (19-0) W TKO 9 Eduardo Flores (10-4-1). Light Middle: Javier Maciel (19-2) W KO 1 Jonata Daniel De Oliveira (10-1). “La Joya” Chaves, 25, rated No 4 by both the WBA and WBO, hands out a one-sided beating to Ecuadorian Flores in a poor match. From the first round Chaves scoring at will with left hooks to body and right crosses to the chin. Flores game but outclassed, and at the end of the eighth the Doctor recommends that his corner pull him out, but they refused. In the ninth Chaves has an open target as Flores cannot even defend himself and the referee stops the fight, a couple of rounds later than it should have been stopped. Fourth defence of WBO Latino title for Chaves and win No 15 by KO/TKO. Flores lasted the full ten against Carlos Baldomir in June. Another poor match sees “The Beast” Maciel slaughter Brazilian De Oliveira. A left hook to the body has the Brazilian on the retreat, and another puts him down. He beats the count, but another left to the body sees him taking the full count. First fight for Maciel since losing on points to Dmitry Pirog for WBO title in March, and wins vacant WBO Latino title. Brazilian, 21, had six first round wins, so there must be some really bad fighters in Brazil.
Suva, Fiji: Welter: Junior Farzan Ali( 25-5-2) W PTS 12 Allan Jay Tuniacao (2-4-6). Cruiser: Pat Brennan (8-16-4) W TKO 5 Fatu Tuimanono (9-11-1). Ali looks a bit fortunate to get the decision over 23-year-old Australian-based Filipino southpaw. Tuniacao gets the faster start but Ali claws back the points. Tuniacao busier and landing more, but Ali picking his punches and cleaner hits. Scores 115-113 twice and 115-114. Ali, unbeaten in his last twelve wins vacant WBFoundation Intercontinental title. Aussie Brennan wins vacant WBFoundation title with stoppage of late substitute Tuimanono. Brennan was to have fought a return with previous conqueror Moses Sorovi, but Sorovi pulled out on the day of the fight. Tenth loss by KO/TKO for Fijian.
New York, USA: Light Welter: Gabriel Bracero (17-0) W TKO 3 Danie van Staden (8-7). Puerto Rican Bracero, 30, gets only his third win by KO/TKO as he puts van Staden away in third. van Staden badly cut in clash of heads in first and in trouble from then. Bracero floors him late in second. In the third he floors van Staden with a left hook to the body. van Staden gets up, but is down again from a right, and the referee stops the fight without completing his count.
July 31
East London, South Africa: Super Feather: Godfrey Nzimande (22-3-3) W TKO 8 Ayanda Yaphi (9-2-1). Nzimande takes a while to settle against novice Yaphi. Cuts home town fighter Yaphi over left eye in the second and scores a knockdown with a straight right in third. The fight became messy with lots of wrestling and holding. Nzimande on top but tiring and letting the challenger back into the fight. In the eighth Nzimande fires volley of punches and, although Yaphi under pressure, does not look to be in trouble as fight is stopped. Minor riot erupts as Yaphi’s promoter pushes referee and various objects are thrown into the ring. First defence in his second spell as South African champion for Nzimande.
Kobe, Japan: Bantam: Rolly (Lunas) Matsushita (29-8-1) W KO 8 Zerofit Jerope Zuiya (23-2-3). Two Japanese-based Filipinos clash and Matsushita shows his class and wins vacant OPBF title. Hands out a one-sided battering as he floors Zuiya twice in first with rights, puts him down again with a right in sixth, and when he puts 31-year-old Zuiya down again in eighth, the towel is thrown in by his corner. Throwing in the towel counts as a kayo in Japan. Matsushita, 27, lost to Anselmo Moreno in a challenge for the WBA title in 2008 and had been OPBF champion at both this weight and super bantam.
