Boxing News Boxing News
Yesterday at Differ Ariake in Tokyo Japan, championship boxing headlined the card as Jose “Quiebra Jicara” Alfaro 20-4 (18) made the first defense of his WBA Lightweight Title against Japanese native Yusuke Kobori 23-2-1 (12). The title defense had the feel of a coming out party for the newly crowned champion who had just won the vacant belt in Germany this past December via split decision over Thailand’s Prawet Singwancha.
Alfaro who was making only his third appearance outside of his native Nicaragua and his second outside of South America felt confident defending his WBA strap on the road leading up to this fight. After all, the 24 year-old had won the belt in Germany five months earlier and had beaten tough veteran DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley just a year earlier giving him little reason not to be confident.
Kobori the reigning Japanese Super Featherweight Champion who was on a 14 bout win streak and had never stepped inside a professional ring away from home in his 25 fight career had different plans for the Nicaraguan titlist.
As the fight began champion Jose Alfaro seemed to have things under control with a fairly good first round. In round two all seemed over but the celebrating when Alfaro dropped Kobori to the canvas for an eight count, the challenger, down but not out made it back to his feet and survived ready to fight on.
During round three the tables turned suddenly when Kobori landed a brutal left hook sending Alfaro back to the ropes stunned and defenseless. The referee soon stepped in, wisely saving the champion from any further punishment at 2:08 of round three.
On the undercard hard-punching Paul “The Hitman” Moses 23-0 (17) stopped opponent Yauhen Kruhlik 7-10-2 in round two via TKO due to cuts over both of Kruhlik’s eyes. The win put Moses in the mandatory challenger position for new champion Yusuke Kobori’s newly won WBA Lightweight Title.
