The World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific lightweight champion Katsuya Yasuda of Ohashi Boxing Gym, scoring two knockdowns, stopped 11^th-ranked Ruito Saeki of Gifu Yokozeki Boxing Gym in the ninth round to retain the title on Jan. 9 in Tokyo.

  It was the 31-year-old Yasuda’s second successful defense of the title he captured last June.

  The technical knockout of the scheduled 12-rounder at Korakuen Hall came 1 minute and 23 seconds into the round when the referee stopped the bout as Saeki suffered a swelled left eyelid due to the left-handed Yasuda’s assault.

  Yasuda floored Saeki in the second round with a right hook to the head and added another knockdown in the third round with a counter left.

  While the 25-year-old Saeki hung tough by fighting at close range, he suffered a cut above his left eyelid in the eighth round, which led to Yasuda’s onslaught in the following round.

  With the victory, Yauda improved his record to 13 wins, including eight KOs, against a loss. For his part, Saeki fell to a 10-6-1 win-loss-draw tally with three KOs.