By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
WBA#4 Yuni Takada (14-8-3, 6 KOs), 105, was a huge prefight favorite due to his latest surge, but had a very tough time coping with fleet-footed speedster JBC#1 Shunsuke Isa (13-6-1, 2 KOs), 105, and managed to keep his Japanese minimum belt by a unanimous decision (96-92 twice, 97-91) over ten speedy rounds on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. After the fifth, the open scoring system indicated Takada widely leading on points: all 49-46 in his favor. Takada, handled by three-time world 140lb challenger Lion Furuyama, decked the soft-punching challenger with a solid right in round six. But it was Isa that amazingly displayed a last surge, battered the champ and dropped him with a furious combination in the closing seconds of the final tenth. The champ Takada was barely saved by the bell that came to his rescue. Isa deserves a rematch. Continue reading “WBA #4 Takada barely keeps Japanese 105lb belt”