In the main event of “Lemino BOXING Phoenix Battle 158” held at Korakuen Hall on 14 July, WBA super-featherweight number 4-ranked Hayato Tsutsumi (Shisei) secured a second-round TKO victory over number 11-ranked Felix Batista (Dominican Republic) at 1 minute and 25 seconds of the round. The contest served as a WBA official eliminator. Attendance: 1,250.
２回、バティスタをダウンさせた堤
Tsutsumi established a sharp lead left jab and actively integrated his right hand by the midway point of the opening round. While he appeared to be in control of the action, a right overhand from Batista caught him just before the bell, momentarily freezing the Japanese contender. Batista followed up with a flurry, and Tsutsumi appeared to carry some damage back to his corner.
As anticipated, Batista came forward aggressively at the start of the second round. Tsutsumi blocked the initial onslaught and countered with a sharp left hook to score the first knockdown. Although Batista beat the count, Tsutsumi immediately pressed his advantage to floor the Dominican a second time. Despite swelling around his right eye, Tsutsumi relentlessly pursued the finish. A visibly shaken Batista attempted to resist on unsteady legs but was overwhelmed by the pressure, prompting referee Nakamura to halt the contest as another left hook sent the visitor reeling.
エキサイティングな試合だった
Although it was a spectacular victory, Tsutsumi spoke critically of his performance: “I got caught in the first round when I let my guard down. I had not prepared to finish the fight in this manner, so in that sense, I feel a bit unsatisfied. However, this is not a sport where you can afford to drag a fight out unnecessarily. I was determined to take the finish when the opportunity presented itself.” He then made his world title ambitions clear, stating, “I am training with the expectation of challenging the WBA champion, Cacace, by the end of the year.”
With the win, Tsutsumi improves to 9-0 (6 KOs). Batista falls to 14-1 (10 KOs).
