On Thursday, January 10 in Osaka, Japan, champions Hozumi Hasegawa and Wladimir Sidorenko successfully defended their titles in a world bantamweight title doubleheader.

Sidorenko fought first, retaining his WBA title with a hard-fought but clearcut decision over the WBA's 4th ranked contender Nobuto Ikehara. The accurate punching and defensively sound Sidorenko improved to 21-0-2 with 7 KOs. He was awarded the decision by scores of 116-112, 118-110, and 119-110. TTR scored the fight 118-111 in favor of the Hamburg, Germany-based Ukrainian. Ikehara slipped to 27-2 with 19 KOs.



During the first 5 rounds, the taller Ikehara had his moments but was, overall, outfought by the champion. Siorenko was responsible for the highlights of the opening 5 cantos. Near the end of the second round, he landed a hard right which hurt Ikehara. In the 4th, he opened a nasty cut by the challenger's right eye, and in the 5th, scored with an excellent uppercut.



Ikehara did come back in the 6th. Cheered on by his fans, he went on a 3-minute offensive, causing the champion to go into a defensive shell.



The 7th round, though, found Sidorenko slipping Ikehara's punches, especially his jab, and countering effectively.



In the 8th round, both combatants fought well, taking turns landing on the inside.



The 9th was only the second, and proved to be the last, round TTR gave to Ikehara. He was much busier. He out punched Sidorenko, even if many of his shots were blocked or slipped.



Sidorenko swept the final 3 stanzas, landing an emphatic right in the 10th that again shook up the game challenger.



When the final bell rang, Ikehara dejectedly walked back to his corner. The outcome was not in doubt.



 



Ikehara's corner does deserve praise. They did a great job keeping the cut from becoming a factor in the fight.



Sidorenko's defense was his 6th. He won the vacant title with a UD 12 over then interim champion Julio Zarate in 2005 and has successfully held on to the belt with a UD 12 over Jose de Jesus Lopez, a 12-round draw with Ricardo Cordoba, a UD 12 over previously unbeaten interim champion Poonsawat Kratingdaennggym (the only man so far to defeat Cordoba), another 12-round draw with Cordoba, and a KO-7 over overmatched Jerome Arnould.



In the second bout of the doubleheader, Hasegawa retained the WBC title by defeating the WBC's #1 ranked contender and mandatory challenger Simone Maludrottu of Italy. Hasegawa upped his record to 23-2 with 7 KOs, winning by scores of 117-111, 118-110, and 116-112. His challenger saw his record drop to 26-2 with 10 Kos. TTR agreed and was in the same range as the judges, scoring the bout 118-112 in favor of the Japanese southpaw.



During the first four rounds, Hasegawa only encountered difficulty after a clash of heads in the second round, sustaining a cut by his right eye which would bother him throughout the bout. Otherwise, he was in total control.



Maludrottu took the 5th round with effective aggressiveness only to be frustrated by the champ in the 6th.



The challenger again started the 7th like the 5th but had to settle for an even round as Hasegawa landed with authority during the second half of the round.



The 8th was not a good round for the former European champion. He sustained a cut above his left eye and bruises and swelling by his right eye.



Hasegawa's combination punching won him the 9th and 10th rounds but Maludrottu rebounded in the11th once again taking the round with his effective aggression.



The 12th was exciting. Both fighters were fatigued but Maludrootu retained his aggressiveness only to be answered by quick punches from the champion. TTR scored the final stanza a stalemate.

 

The defense was Hasegawa's 5th of the title he won with a 12-round, unanimous decision over long-reigning Veeraphol Sahaprom (AKA Nakornluang) in 2005. Since then, he's also turned back the challenges of Gerardo Martinez (UD 12), Sahaprom (TKO-9 in their rematch), mandatory challenger Genaro Garcia (UD 12), and South African champion Simpiwe Vetyeka (UD 12).