Top-ranked challenger Hironori Mishiro of Yokohama Hikari Boxing Gym pounded out a 10-round unanimous decision over Shuma Nakazato of Boxing Club Okinawa to wrest the Japanese lightweight title on Apr. 9 in Tokyo.

  There were no knockdowns in the fight held at Korakuen Hall.

  While the 27-year-old Nakazato was slightly ahead on points in the first five rounds by landing overhand rights, the 29-year-old Mishiro, a former Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super featherweight champion, began to rally from the sixth round with his accurate labs and combination blows to pile up points.

  In the last minute of the 10^th and final round, both exchanged fierce blows.

  It was Mishiro’s second straight victory over Nakazato as he decisioned him in a six-rounder in 2017.

  After the fight, Mishiro said, ‘’I thought I had won the title. Since Nakazato got a hard punch, I had to be extremely careful about my guard.’’

  With the victory, Mishiro improved his record to 15 wins, including four knockouts against a loss and a draw. For his part, Nakazato, who failed in his second defense of the title he captured a year ago, fell to a 14-3-3 win-loss-draw tally with eight KOs.

  The fight was held as the chief supporting card for the Japanese super lightweight championship bout.