Undefeated World Boxing Association light flyweight ‘’super’’ champion Hiroto Kyoguchi of Watanabe Boxing Gym, unleashing a barrage of left and right combinations from various angles, stopped ‘’regular’’ champion Esteban Bermudez of Mexico in the eighth round in their title unification fight in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 10 (11 Japan time).

The technical knockout of the scheduled 12-rounder at the Alcalde Domo came 24 seconds into the round when the 28-year-old Kyoguchi landed an overhand right followed by rapid combination blows by putting his defenseless opponent against the ropes, prompting the referee to step in to stop the contest.

It was Kyoguchi’s fourth successful defense of the title he won from Hekkie Budler of South Africa with TKO in Macao on Dec. 31 of 2018. It was the second straight time for Kyoguchi to defend his title overseas following his technical knockout win over Axel Aragon Vega of Mexico in Dallas in the U.S. state of Texas in March last year.

Kyoguchi, a former International Boxing Federation minimumweight champion, said after the fight, ‘’I am proud of the fact that I was able to stop my superb opponent who was tough. I apologized to him for my foul. I hope my status would increase by being able to achieve the clear-cut victory before energetic Mexican fans.’’

Asked about his future, Kyoguchi replied, ‘’I wan to fight with the champions of the other sanctioning bodies because they are excellent boxers.’’

In the day’s fight, Kyoguchi got off to a good start by sticking out left jabs, one-two combinations blows and left uppercuts to his taller opponent.

While Bermudez, 26, who won the title by stopping Carlos Canizale s of Venezuela in May last year, began to fight at close range from the second round, Kyoguchi was nothing daunted and exchanged blows with Bermudez.

Bermudez bled from his forehead in the third round due to an accidental head butting. Both boxers continued to exchange blows at close hand with the Mexican boxer bleeding profusely. Kyoguchi was deducted a point for ‘’his head butting’’ in the sixth stanza.

Kyoguchi was also deducted a point in the seventh round for a rabbit punch although he was more aggressive by landing his crisp combination punches to the blood-soaked Bermudez, which led to Kyoguchi’s fight-ending onslaught in the next round.

With the victory, Kyoguchi extended his unbeaten streak to 16, including 11 KOs, while Bermudez fell to a14-4-2 win-loss-draw tally with 10 KOs.  Photo by SUMIO YAMADA