World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific super welterweight champion Takeshi Inoue of World Sports Boxing Gym fought to a 12-round split draw with hard-hitting Weljon Mindoro of the Philippines at Okada Manila Hotel and Casino, Paranaque City of the Philippines to retain the title on May 13.

It was the 33-year-old Inoue’s first successful defense of the title he captured last November by stopping Ryosuke ‘’Tenyu’’ Maruki of Tenyu Maruki Gym for the vacant time.

While Inoue, who also holds the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super welterweight title, was severely staggered late in the first round with the 23-year-old Mindoro’s hard right to the head, Inoue hung tough as he moved forward from the second round based on his active boxing, highlighted by overhand rights, and put his opponent against the ropes many times.

But neither fighter was able to land decisive blows throughout the fight as there were no knockdowns in the fight. While one of the three judges scored the fight even at 114-114, the remaining tow were split in their judges—one for Inoue by six points and the other for Mindoro by two points.

After the fight, Inoue, ranked eighth in the WBO’s world rankings in the division, said, ‘’I didn’t know my opponent was that strong. He was tough as he took my punches well. With today’s fight as a benchmark for my pursuit of my career, I hope I can take a crack at a world title.’’

Inoue now has a record of 19 win, including an 11 KOs, against two losses and two draws, while the undefeated Mindoro now stands at 10 wins, all by KO, and a draw.

The fight was the chief supporting card for the day’s WBO global super bantamweight title match in which local favorite John Riel Casimero won the 12-round unanimous decision over
Champion Fillipus Nghitumbwa of Namibia to wrest the title (although Japan does not recognize the title).

In a flyweight eight-round nontitle bout, the International Boxing Federation’s 14th-randked Ayumu Hanada of Japan, who had mostly fought in Mexico previously, dropped a close but unanimous decision to the IBF’s 15th-ranked Vince Paras of the Philippines in one of the undercards.

With the win, Paras improved his record to 19 wins, including 15 KOs, against two losses and a draw, while Hanada fell to a 10-2-1 win-loss-draw tally with eight KOs.  Photo by TB PROMOTION