Yuni Takada of Lions’ Boxing Gym, overcoming a knockdown immediately before the end of the 10^th and final round, hammered out a unanimous decision over top-ranked challenger Shunsuke Isa of Kawasaki Nitta Boxing Gym and retained his Japanese minimumweight title on March 8 in Tokyo.

  It was the 25-year-old Takada’s third successful defense of the title he captured last April. It was also Takada’s third victory over Isa, who decisioned Takada in 2021.

  Fighting at Korakuen Hall, Takada was ahead on points by landing effective punches to the head and body and dropped Isa late in the sixth round with a straight right for a mandatory eight count.

  The tenacious Isa hung tough and decked Takada with a counter right about seconds before the end of the fight. Takada managed to stand up.

  With the victory, Takada, ranked fourth in the division by the World Boxing Association, improved his record to 14 wins, including six knockouts, against eight losses and three draws. For his part, Isa, also 25, fell to a 13-6-1 win-loss-draw tally with two KOs.

  After the fight, Takada said, ‘’I am happy that I was able to take a step close to my world title challenge.’’