Top-ranked World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific super featherweight Yoshimitsu Kimura of Shisei Boxing Gym battered into submission fourth-ranked Kanehiro Nakagawa of Kadoebi Boxing Gym in the 12th and final round and won the vacant WBO crown in an exciting fight on Aug. 30 at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.

The end of the hard-fought battle came 2 minutes and 29 seconds into the round when the 26-year-old Kimura floored Nakagawa, 27, with a devastating punch to the head, which prompted the referee to declare a technical knockout for Kimura.

It was Kimura’s second regional title as he won the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super featherweight title by stopping Kosuke Saka of Nakazato Boxing Gym last December. Kimura, however, vacated the title without defending it.

After the day’s battle, Kimura said, ‘’Though I once decisioned Mr. Nakagawa five years ago, he came forward even though I hit him various punches. I felt Mr. Nakagawa’s strength of emption. I learned a lot from the fight with him.’’

While Kimura started fast by landing sharp jabs, Nakagawa retaliated with left jabs and hard rights. In the fifth stanza, Kimura scored a knockdown by connecting with a right uppercut after unleashing a barrage of punches.

But Nakagawa stood up and exchanged fierce blows with Kimura. Nakagawa’s offense continued in the sixth as he landed overhand rights to the head several times, which made Kimura appeared damaged.
While Kimura was slightly ahead of points by landing his favorite punches to the head and body, including a series of left uppercuts in the eighth, Nakagawa moved forward and forced Kimura against the ropes with his right punches to the body.

Kimura landed right and left hooks to Nakagawa in the ninth round. But Nakagawa, who was continuing victories in his six straight bouts until the day’s fight, moved forward by throwing punches but was put on the seat of his trunks with Kimura’s right hook for his second knockdown in the fight.

Nakagawa, however, stood up nothing daunted and moved forward by throwing punches. In the 12th and final round, both exchanged fierce blows until Kimura’s hard punch decked Nakagawa for his third knockdown in the fight. The referee had seen enough and stepped in to call off the exciting battle.
With the win, Kimura improved his record to 14 wins, including nine KOs, against two defeats and a draw. For his part, Nakagawa fell to an 11-7 win-loss tally with five KOs.