Top-ranked challenger Tsubasa Narai of RK Kamata Boxing Family Gym scored three knockdowns en route to a fifth-round stoppage of Yuna Hara of Shinsei Boxing Gym in the Japanese super featherweight title match on Apr. 20 in Osaka.

  The technical knockout of the scheduled 10-rounder at EDION Arena Osaka’s annex came 2 minutes and 10 seconds into the fifth round when Narai scored the second knockdown in the round with an overhand right to the head, prompting the referee to call off the fight without bothering to count.

Narai, who threw sharp left jabs, sent Hara tottering down with a straight right to the head for the first knockdown in the round. Narai also dropped Hara with a sizzling left hook to the head in the fourth round.

It was the 24-year-old Narai’s second crack at the Japanese super featherweight title following his technical knockout loss to Kosuke Saka of Nakazato Boxing Gym for the latter’s title in September 2022.

With the defeat, the 29-year-old Hara failed in his second defense of the title he captured a year ago.

With the victory, Narai improved his record to 13 wins, including 10 KOs, against two losses, while Hara fell to a 14-3-1 win-loss-draw tally with eight KOs.