The third match of “Lemino BOXING Phoenix Battle 152” at Korakuen Hall on the 24th featured a Japanese super-featherweight title bout. Champion Tsubasa Narai (RK Kamata) and No. 1 challenger Ryusuke Sunagawa (Okinawa WR) engaged in a thrilling back-and-forth battle where both fighters scored knockdowns. In the end, Narai won by a 3-0 unanimous decision with scores of 96–94, 97–93, and 97–93, successfully completing his fourth title defense.
８回、ダウンを奪い返した奈良井
Narai looked to counter with left hooks off his right, while Sunagawa aimed for the head with right hands after feinting low. Sunagawa frequently missed with sudden lead left hooks, whereas Narai controlled the early rounds by landing compact combinations. The open scoring after five rounds reflected Narai’s dominant lead, with one judge scoring it 49–46 and two seeing it as 50–45.
However, Sunagawa’s heavy blows had already caused Narai’s cheeks to flush and swell from the start, hinting at the drama to come. That explosion occurred in the eighth round. Sunagawa countered Narai’s left with a return right straight, sending Narai to the canvas on his backside. After the champion stood up, Sunagawa dropped him a second time with a short right, filling the hall with the atmosphere of an impending comeback KO victory.
Yet, Narai—accustomed to grueling battles—showed his mettle here. After hurting Sunagawa with a left hook to the body, he sent the challenger sprawling to the canvas with a rapid-fire flurry of short punches. With the venue’s excitement at its peak, the crowd anticipated a knockout from either side as Sunagawa pressed with heavy rights while Narai met him with counter left hooks.
In the end, Narai, superior in boxing versatility and professional experience, used his footwork effectively to control Sunagawa both offensively and defensively until the final bell. Narai (26) moves to 18-2 (12 KOs). Sunagawa (26), who failed to bring the belt into the ongoing “10-Million Yen Prize Tournament,” suffered his first professional defeat, bringing his record to 5-1-1 (4 KOs). Sunagawa’s next match is already set for June 28, where he will face Rentaro Kimura (Suruga Danji) in the super-featherweight prize tournament quarterfinals.
