Home Fight Results Fight Report: Tokyo, Japan: Takuya Kogawa vs Hiorki Saito

Fight Report: Tokyo, Japan: Takuya Kogawa vs Hiorki Saito

Tokyo, Japan: Bantam: Takuya Kogawa (24-4) W PTS 10 Hiorki Saito (9-5).

Kogawa wins the vacant Japanese title with hard fought victory over Saito. It was Saito pressing the action with Kogawa forced to fight on the retreat using counters from both hands. The first round was close but edged by Kogawa and a right from Saito had Kogawa shaken in the second. From the third Kogawa stuck to his boxing using good movement fast hands and quick combinations to edge in front and also opened a cut on the left eyelid of Saito.

At the half way mark the judges had it 49-46 twice and 48-47 for Kogawa. From there he was in control. Saito was trying to make up the leeway and piling forward with Kogawa able to box and pocket the rounds.

By the start of the tenth Saito needed a knockout. He did manage to land a right that had Kogawa wobbling badly but by holding and boxing Kogawa survived the crisis. Scores 98-92 twice and 97-93.

Former national champion Kogawa,30, has had two shots at winning a version of the world flyweight title losing to Pongsaklek Wonjongkam for the WBC title in 2011 and to Yodmongkol for the interim WBA title in March last year This is his second win since then. Saito, 28, had won his last three fights and was JBC No 2 but this was his first ten round fight and he did not pace it well.