Top-ranked Katsuya Yasuda of Ohashi Boxing Gym, surviving a fourth-round knockdown, earned a 12-round unanimous decision over second-ranked Apichet Petchmanee of Thailand to win the vacant World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific lightweight title on June 3 at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.

  The title was left vacant by Shuichiro Yoshino of Misako Boxing Gym.

  While both got off to a quiet start, the left-handed Yasuda scored a knockdown with a right hook in the fourth round. But the 33-year-old Apichet got up quickly and retaliated with a counter right which dropped Yasuda for a mandatory eight count.

  From the fifth round on, neither fighter was able to land clear punches as they frequently struggled with each other by pushing and clinching and ended the fight that way.

  After the fight, the 31-year-old Yasuda said, ‘’Since I wanted to win the fight at all costs. I am happy to do that. I want to aim at winning a title (better than the Asia-Pacific title).’’

  With the win, Yasuda improved his record to 11 wins, including seven KOs, against a loss, while the previously undefeated Apichet fell to a 15-1 win-loss tally with five KOs.