Ryo Sagawa, unleashing devastating left-right combinations, knocked out challenger Yuri Takemoto in the sixth round to retain his Japanese featherweight title for the second time on Aug. 13 at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall, the first paid action at the hall known as the mecca of boxing in a little less than six months.

Various measures such as maintaining social distancing against the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 were taken.

The end of the scheduled 10-rounder came 3 minutes and 9 seconds into the sixth round as Sagawa landed right hook to the body for the count. Sagawa improved his record to 10 wins, including five KOs, against a loss, while Takemoto sagged to 8-2-1 win-loss-draw record with 4 KO.

On July 16, Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation featherweight champion Satoshi Shimizu beat fellow Japanese Kyohei Tonomoto to retain his title at the hall. But it was held as a closed-door event.