Boxing In Asia: Weekend Results

Just two cards of note happened this weekend in Asia and on Saturday, the focus was on Archaic Hall in Amagasaki, Japan which featured a good contest for the Japanese light middleweight title.

After a nine year career filled with ups and downs, Amagasaki southpaw Yuki Nonaka, 17-7-2 (6), finally hit paydirt in September by stopping former Japanese welter title challenger Akihiro Furukawa for the vacant domestic light middle championship.

Last night the 31 year old Nonaka lit up the ring in his hometown with a sterling performance against durable Tokyo slugger Takao Onda, 19-7 (14), to retain the Japanese belt for the first time by scores of 99-92 and 98-92 twice.

Nonaka could be heading into a unification bout with OPBF titlist Kazuhiko Hidaka, who defeated Nonaka by points in a close fight last year, or a high profile scrap with former Japanese titlist Nobuhiro Ishida, who won a WBA title eliminator in September and might be looking for a tough bout to keep busy before a world title clash.

An excellent super flyweight bout highlighted the undercard as Takeshi Honda, 12-3-4 (8), got past Yudai Matsumoto, 7-5-2 (1), after eight rugged rounds on marks of 78-76, 78-75 and 77-75.

On Friday the fights took place in Singburi, Thailand where Filipino southpaw and former IBO minimumweight title challenger Arman dela Cruz, 21-11-3 (8), crushed chinny Bangkok banger Samransak Singmanassak, 34-20-1 (26), in the very first round to capture the vacant IBF Pan Pacific Light Flyweight crown.

Durable Filipino featherweight Amor Tino, 4-5-1 (1), engaged local Thai and former IBF Youth Light Welter Champ Decha Bankluaygym, 27-10-2 (15), to a first round technical draw and the IBF Pan Pacific lightweight crown remains vacant.

PABA Light Flyweight kingpin Wisanu Pornobnum, 28-7-2 (9), kept busy by posting a six round non-title verdict over ex-WBO Asia Pacific Youth Flyweight titlist Javier Malulan, 12-5 (7).