4,000 rabid fans packed the Country Club Resort in Windhoek, Namibia to see hometown hero Paulus Moses retain his WBA lightweight title for the first time.

The local stylist had things generally go his way after challenger Takehero Shimada of Japan slipped to the canvas and injured a leg in the second round.

The 37 year old Shimada continued on however and used his long experience and guile to make a fight of it, luring the champion in to score with sharp counters and a quick right hand.

But Moses had too much skill and sheer quickness as the rounds went on and after 12 frames was awarded the unanimous decision, 119-109 (twice) and 118-110.

The Windhoek native retains the WBA belt on his maiden defense, improving to 25-0 (17), while former Japanese champ Shimada drops to 23-5-1 (16). More...

The biggest show to hit Namibia in years takes place tonight at the Country Club Resort in Windoek as WBA Lightweight Champ Paulus Moses makes the first defense of the belt he won in January.

The last two bouts of Moses, 24-0 (17), took place in Japan and the theme continues in his hometown tonight as the 31 year old "Hitman" faces Tokyo's Takehiro Shimada, 23-4-1 (16).

At 37, former Japanese lightweight titlist Shimada has had a long career but showed recently he still has the goods by lasting seven rounds with absolutely murderous punching Edwin Valero for the WBA super feather belt a year ago, following that up with a stoppage of Panama's Ameth Diaz in March.

Shimada could have difficulty coping with the younger and faster Moses however and will likely have to pull off a career best performance to unseat the 31 year old rival, who will enjoy a packed hometown venue.

Chief support for the bill is provided by a clash for the WBA Pan African welterweight title between the champ, local man Bethuel Ushona, 17-0 (6), and the very experienced South African, Welcome Ntshingila, 16-8-3 (5), who formerly held the belt.

WBA Super Feather kingpin Edwin Valero and WBC Bantamweight Champion Hozumi Hasegawa were in action at the Nihon Budokan in Tokyo on Thursday night and both retained their titles.

Valero, 24-0 (24), kept his magnificent knockout streak alive with a seventh round pasting of former Japanese Lightweight titlist Takehiro Shimada, 22-4-1 (15).

Shimada used his considerable experience to evade the brunt of the Venezuelan southpaw's firepower and was only down by two rounds on one of the scorecards but the 36 year's luck ran out at 1:55 of the seventh frame when Valero found the target with a crisp right hook, straight left combination to the head.

Valero retains his title for the fourth time and continues his campaign to engage Manny Pacquiao in a high profile showdown but the multi-weight Filipino legend is on a trajectory to face world light welter champ Ricky Hatton later this year. More...