Top-ranked challenger Ryota Toyoshima of Teiken Boxing Gym eked out a 10-round split decision over Shoki Sakai of Yokohama Hikari Boxing Gym and wrested the Japanese welterweight title on May 4 in Tokyo.

  There were no knockdowns in the fight held at Korakuen Hall. With the loss, Sakai failed in his third defense of the title he captured in April last year.

  It was the 33-year-old Sakai’s second straight loss to Toyoshima, 28, as he dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to him in the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific welterweight titles in December 2021.

  In the day’s fight, Sakai was slightly ahead on points in the first five rounds with his variety of right blows. But Toyoshima began to press forward from the sixth round by working Sakai’s body at close quarters. But both failed to land decisive punches in the fight.

  With the win, Toyoshima improved his record to 19 wins, including 11 knockouts, against three losses and a draw, while Sakai, who made his professional debut in Mexico, impaired to a 29-14-3 win-loss-draw tally.