Phil D. Jay WBN Editor Five belts on the line in Japan Two world titles were successfully defended in Japan, whilst one changed hands and two other vacant championships were claimed in an end of year Asian blockbuster on New Year’s Eve. Firstly, WBA super-featherweight champion Takashi Uchiyama retained his WBA super-featherweight belt with an eighth round stoppage win over previously undefeated Costa Rican Bryan Vasquez at the Ota-City Gym in Osaka. Uchiyama, 33, improved his own unbeaten record to 19-0-1 as the long-time title holder proved to be a step too far for 25 year-old Vasquez, who drops to 29-1 and returns home empty handed. Also on the bill, Yota Sato kept a firm grip on the WBC super-flyweight title belt with a successful second defence to out-point Ryo Akaho with scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 117-112 . The surprise of the night came when nearly-man Kohei Kono won the world title at the third time of asking by knocking Tepparith Kokietgym down three ...
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