Etsuko Tada of Shinsei Boxing Gym, unleashing a devastating counter left, stopped Ayaka Miyao of Watanabe Boxing Gym in the ninth round to win the vacant World Boxing Organization’s world female minimumweight title at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall on Dec. 3.

The end of the scheduled 10-rounder came 8 seconds into the round when southpaw Tada landed a short straight left to the head, sending Miyao to the canvas face first. The referee immediately called a halt to the bout.

It was the 38-year-old Tada’s fourth world title as she had previously held World Boxing Association minimumweight, International Boxing Federation minimumweight and WBO minimumweight crowns.
Both fighters fought to a draw in the vacant WBO minimumweight title fight last January.

While the 37-year-old Miyao got off to a good start by landing her vaunted right, Tada countered by connecting with straight lefts and slightly controlled the fight. Miyao was former WBA atomweight champion and the organization’s interim ruler.

With the victory, Tada improved her record to 20 wins, including seven KOs, against three losses and as many draws. For her part, Miyao impaired to a 19-5-1 win-loss-draw record with six KOs.

After the fight, Tada said, ‘’I was honing that short left in the decisive round. I think it is difficult to see this kind of knockout scene in a female boxing. The name of the game is timing, and I have proved that. I knew Ms. Miyao would come out strongly in the final two rounds.

My aim is to become world champions in the four sanctioning bodies in the world. To that end, I will take one bout at a time with enthusiasm.’’