Ex-world champ Tanaka wrests WBO Asia-Pacific super flyweight title with TKO
Jun 30, 2022 8:24 am
Jun 30, 2022 8:23 am
Former amateur star Taiga Imanaga of Ohashi Boxing Gym made a brilliant professional debut as he stopped Takahiro Hamazaki of Nakazato Boxing Gym in the second round in a super lightweight fight at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall on June 29.
The technical knockout of the scheduled six-rounder came 2 minutes and 49 seconds into the round when the 22-year-old Imanaga sent his 36-year-old opponent to the canvas with a right hook for the second knockdown of the round, which prompted Hamazaki’s cornerman to appeal for his retirement by waving a towel.
Earlier in the same round, Imanaga, a southpaw, put Hamazaki on the seat of his pants with a straight left. Imanaga controlled the first round by landing rapid right jabs followed by variety of punches.
Imanaga, who stands 1. 77-meter tall, captured a total of 10 amateur titles, including a record eight titles when he was a high-school student.
After the fight, Imanaga said, ‘I got uptight very much. I have been trying not to think about my having won 10 amateur titles. I will address myself to the professional boxing so that I can become a boxer capable of fighting strong boxers in the world.’’
With the loss, Hamazaki fell to a 3-10-3 win-loss-draw tally with one KO.
The fight was held as one of the undercards of the World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific super flyweight title match between champion Masayoshi Hashizume of Kadoebi Boxing Gym and WBO’s third-ranked world super flyweight contender Kosei Tanaka of Soul Box Hatanaka Boxing Gym.
Jun 30, 2022 8:24 am
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