Top-ranked Japanese bantamweight Kyosuke Sawada of JB SPORTS, bleeding profusely from his head, pounded out a 2-1 technical decision over second-ranked Kenshin Oshima of Teiken Boxing Gym in the fifth round and won the vacant Japanese bantamweight title on Feb. 5 in Tokyo.

When the scheduled 10-rounder was stopped 27 seconds into the round, two of the three judges scored the fight 48-47 for Sawada while the remaining judge had it 48-46 for Oshima.

Fighting at Korakuen Hall, both fighters started out aggressively with Oshima, 26, staggering Sawada with a counter right in the second round.

After getting out of a pinch, Sawada, 33, rallied with a barrage of left and right combinations to the head and body in the same round by putting Oshima against the ropes, in which the referee stepped in to issue a standing eight count for Oshima.

In the third round, Sawada started bleeding from the side of the head due to an accidental head-butt. While Oshima tried to attack in the fourth stanza, a ringside doctor was called in to check Sawada’s injured part.

The referee stopped the fight soon into the fifth round after the doctor was again called in to examine the injured part.

After the fight, Sawada said, ‘’I am really happy because I was able to achieve a favorable outcome. I am very impressed by the (championship) belt. But I could not do myself justice in today’s fight. I will practice more so that I can continue to keep my belt.’’

With the victory, Sawada improved his record to 15 wins, including six knockouts, against two losses and as many draws. Oshima fell to a 7-2-1 win-loss-draw tally with three KOs. It was Oshima’s first fight in two years and three months.

The title was left vacant following the retirement of Yusuke Suzuki of Misako Boxing Gym in January last year due to a detached retina in his right eye without defending the title he captured in July 2019.