Second-ranked Japanese lightweight Hironori Mishiro of Yokohama Hikari Boxing Gym earned an eight-round unanimous decision over the previously undefeated China’s Sheng Yongchao in a lightweight nontitle fight on Aug. 17 in Tokyo.

  With the victory, the 28-year-old Mishiro, touted as a promising boxer, returned to the ring after suffering a fifth-round technical decision loss to South Korea’s Jung Min Ho in a lightweight eight-rounder in South Korea last April.　

  Fighting at Korakuen Hall, both Mishiro and Sheng fought carefully in the first seven rounds with Mishiro sticking out left jabs while Sheng occasionally landing overhand rights. But in the eighth and the final round, the two boxers exchanged fierce blows. There were no knockdowns in the fight.

  All three judges scored the fight in favor of Mishiro by 2 to 6 points.

  After the fight, Mishiro said, ‘’Since it was an absolute requirement for mi to win, I can now heave a sigh of relief. My opponent today had a punching power. So, I had to be careful all the way. The reason I got inside midway through, I thought it would be safer for me. I wanted to be mentally tough in this fight, and it worked out well. I think I will be satisfied if I can come out a winner in my every fight even by a narrow margin.’’

  With the victory, Mishiro, a former Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super featherweight champion, improved his record to 13 wins, including four knockouts, against a loss and a draw, while the 30-year-old Sheng fell to an 8-1-2 win-loss-draw tally with five KOs.

  The fight was held as the main event of DANGAN professional boxing event and organizing entity’s Japan-vs-China boxing bouts