Unbeaten champion Takashi Uchiyama of Japan fended off a challenge from Israel Perez of Argentina on Wednesday to defend his WBA super featherweight title for the ninth time.
The veteran Japanese, 35, remained in control throughout the bout, sending a barrage of body punches towards his challenger, also 35, who kept his guard high. In the eighth and ninth rounds, Uchiyama showed off furious charges, putting Perez into a corner.
Perez was not able to return to the fight in the 10th round, awarding a technical knockout to the charismatic champion. The headline bout was a part of the WBA tripleheader at Ota Ward Gymnasium in Tokyo that also saw Ryoichi Taguchi of Japan rise to become the new light flyweight champion with a unanimous decision, dethroning Alberto Rossel of Peru.
Taguchi, making his first attempt at the world title, sent Rossel to the floor twice with a sizzling left body punch.
“It is truly incredible. I don’t have words to describe how I feel,” he told local media.
In the super flyweight category, Kohei Kono of Japan retained his belt by drawing with Norberto Jimenez of Dominican Republic.
“With my first defense of the title, I can continue boxing. I am so glad,” Kono told Japanese media.
In a western metropolis of Osaka, Katsunari Takayama of Japan beat compatriot Go Odaira with a seventh-round technical knockout to claim the minimumweight belts for both the IBF and the WBO at the Bodymaker Colosseum.
Also in Osaka, Cuban fighter Guillermo Rigondeaux survived two seventh-round knockdowns to retain his WBA-WBO super bantamweight belts with an 11th round technical knockout against Hisashi Amagasa of Japan, who was making his first attempt at the world title.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
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