World Boxing Organization minimumweight champion Masataka Taniguchi of Watanabe Boxing Gym stopped second-ranked challenger Kai Ishizawa of M.T Boxing Gym in the 11th round and retained his title for the first time at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall on Apr. 22.

The technical knockout of the scheduled 12-rounder came 2 minutes and 29 seconds into the round when southpaw Taniguchi, 28, severely staggered Ishizawa with a left hook, prompting referee Michiaki Someya to step in to call off the fight.

With the victory, Taniguchi improved his record to 16 wins, including 11 KOs, against three losses, while Ishizawa fell to a 9-2 win-loss tally with eight KOs.

The 25-year-old Ishizawa was disqualified for the title match as he failed to meet the division’s weight limit of 47.6 kg (105 lbs.) in an official weigh-in held the previous day. He tipped the scales at 50.1 kg, as much as 2.5 kg over the class limit of the boxing’s lightest weight division in his first attempt. Taniguchi, 28, weighed in at 47.6 kg. While Ishizawa was given a two-hour period of grace for making the weight, he managed to reduce his weight only by 0.2 kg and was disqualified.

The parties concerned made a decision that if Ishizawa can contain the weight within 3 kg above the minimumweight limit or 50.6 kg at 5:30 p.m. on Apr. 22, the fight itself can be held. and Ishizawa managed to weigh in at 50.6 kg.

In the day’s fight, while both got off to a quiet start, Taniguchi moved side to side to avert Ishizawa’s forward move while landing left hooks to the body.

Though Ishizawa unleashed a combination blows in the third round, Taniguchi fought back with his punches led by left hooks. Ishizawa did not appear to be affected by ill effects of his failure to lose weight.
Taniguchi gradually forced Ishizawa move backward as the rounds went by with his right uppercuts and straight lefts, gradually sapping the strength of Ishizawa.

While Ishizawa moved forward by throwing punches in the 10th round, Taniguchi looked nothing daunted and attacked Ishizawa with straight lefts.

In the 11th round, Taniguchi wobbled Ishizawa by landing a left hook, wherein referee Someya stopped the fight.

They fought in September 2019 to decide the challenger to then Japanese minimumweight champion, in which Taniguchi won by overcoming a knockdown.

After the Apr. 22 fight, Taniguchi said, ‘’I think Mr. Ishizawa will reflect on himself by receiving a penalty. I hope fans out there will warmly watch over the growth of him. I had thought Mr. Ishizawa would have improved a lot, and I was right. Since I was able to retain my title by beating the strong challenger. I think I will have a lot of opportunities in my future (fighting abroad etc.).’’