Pictured: OPBF Minimumweight Champion Tsubasa Koura


Yesterday, in Tokyo, Japan, two fighters ranked by the participating members of TTR as being among the best currently campaigning in their respective weight classes were in action. Both, Tsubasa Koura and Shingo Wake, scored TKO victories.

OPBF Minimumweight Title-
Champion Tsubasa Koura (WBC #4, IBF #4, WBA #9, Transnational #10, TTR #12; 13-0, 9 KOs)
TKO-5 2:38
Norihito Tanaka (16-7, 9 KOs)
- Tanaka, ranked #10 by the JBC and #13 by the OPBF, dropped Koura in the opening stanza and was leading by three 38-37 scores after four rounds.
- Koura hurt Tanaka badly in the fifth round and then decked him. Seeing Tanaka was in no condition to continue, referee Michiaki Someya waved the bout off without issuing a count.
- This was Koura's second successful defense of the OPBF title.

Featherweight Bout-
Shingo Wake (Transnational #5, TTR #6, IBF #8, WBO #13- all at 122; WBA #13 at 118; 24-5-2, 16 KOs)
TKO-4 2:50
Roman Canto (12-11-3, 7 KOs)
- Wake weighed in at 126; Canto at 125 1/2.
- Wake dominated the stay-active bout and his shots to Canto's head caused a nasty cut by the Filipino journeyman's left eye.
- The ringside physician advised the referee to halt the contest.