Former International Boxing Federation super bantamweight champion Ryosuke Iwasa of Celes Boxing Sports Gym, unleashing a barrage of right and left combinations, knocked out former World Boxing Organization’s top-ranked featherweight Genesis ‘’Kashimi’’ Servania of the Philippines in Tokyo on Oct. 25.

It was the 32-year-old Iwasa’s first fight since losing to IBF super bantamweight and World Boxing Association ‘’super’’ champion in the division Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan with a fifth-round technical knockout in April last year.

The KO of the scheduled 10-rounder at Korakuen Hall came 1 minute and 46 seconds into the round when Iwasa landed a left hook to the body followed by a left uppercut, putting Servania on the seat of his pants. While Servania, who now fights out of Japan’s Kashimi Boxing Gym, tried to struggle to his feet, the referee counted him out.

While the initial contract weight was the featherweight limit (57.15 kg or 126 lbs), Servania could not make the weight by considerable amount, and it was decided that the fight would be held at the catchweight of 62 kg (136.7 lbs). Though Iwasa tipped the scales at 61.8 kg, Servania weighed in at 62.6 kg and gave up reducing his weight further although he could have tried one more time within two hours.

After the fight, Iwasa said, ‘’Though I fought several times overseas, sometimes winning and sometimes losing, I am happy that I was able to fight before my Japanese fans for the first time in four years and a half. I briefly thought I might quit boxing irrespective of the result of today’s fight.’’

‘’Since I have nothing to lose, I think I can challenge to a strong boxer. True I felt fear of fighting at the 62-kg limit. We have to observe the rule. But considering the time of being an active boxer is short, I wanted to have a fight by any means. In this respect. I have to thank Servania for climbing through the ropes.’’ Iwasa continued.

With the win, Iwasa now has a record of 27 wins, including 17 KOs, against four losses, while the 31-year-old Servania has a 34-4 win-loss tally with 16 KOs.