The Japan Super Lightweight title bout held at Korakuen Hall on the 4th saw No. 1 ranked Eikichi Kawamura (Kadoebi Jewel) defeat No. 2 ranked Homura Fujita (Yokohama Hikari) via a 2-1 split decision (97–92, 94–95, 96–93) to become the new champion. The title had been vacated by former champion Lee Kenta (Teiken).
元王者藤田との再戦を制しタイトル奪取の川村㊧
The rematch between the two—who first met in a non-title bout last May where Kawamura won by 3rd-round TKO—defied pre-fight expectations of a guaranteed knockout, instead stretching into a full 10-round tactical battle.
Fujita was the first to create an opening in the second round. Exploiting a gap in Kawamura’s offense, he landed a right hook that momentarily froze Kawamura’s legs. Fujita immediately switched to southpaw to press for a finish, but Kawamura maintained a tight guard to weather the storm. In the fourth, Kawamura turned the tide, landing a sharp one-two to score a clean knockdown.
The open scoring at the end of the fifth round showed Kawamura leading on all cards: 48–46 (twice) and 49–45. From that point, the fight followed a consistent pattern: Fujita attacked diligently with rhythmic combinations to the head and body, while Kawamura neutralized the pressure with solid defense before countering with precise left hooks and short rights.
Both men are known power punchers, and having felt each other’s strength in their first encounter, they remained disciplined. They seamlessly integrated defensive maneuvers—head slips, blocking, and weaving—into their offense. While the bout remained thrilling, they avoided a reckless, defenseless brawl.
“My heart almost broke at times, but the support from the fans kept me going. I want to win my first defense convincingly and keep the momentum going,” said Kawamura, who looked toward the future after successfully fending off Fujita to claim the belt. Kawamura (26) improves to 7-0-1 (4 KOs). Fujita (31), who failed in his bid to reclaim the throne, now stands at 13-4 (11 KOs).
