Pictured: Donnie Nietes, whose win Monday moved him back into TTR's rankings (See "TTR's End-Of-The-Year Rankings Posted)


During the two-day period of Sunday, December 30 and Monday, December 31, seven boxers ranked by the participating members of TTR as being among the best currently fighting in their respective weight classes were in action. Five, Ken Shiro, Takuma Inoue, Masayuki Ito, Hiroto Kyoguchi, and Moruti Mthalane, were victorious while two, Hekkie Budler and Kazuto Ioka, suffered defeats.

Ioka lost a 12-round, split decision to Donnie Nietes in a bout in which both fighters were trying to win recognition as a world champion in a fourth weight class. Ioka previously held the WBC World title at 105 and WBA World titles at 105, 108, and 112. Nietes had held WBO World titles at 105 and 108, The Ring Magazine World title at 108, and the IBF World title at 112.


Sunday, December 30, 2018-

Tokyo, Japan-

WBC World Light Flyweight Title-
Champion Ken Shiro (TTR #1, Transnational #1, The Ring #1; 15-0, 8 KOs)
Unan. Dec. 12
Saul "Baby" Juarez (WBC #7, IBF #11; 24-9-2, 13 KOs)
- The scores were 120-108, 119-109, and 119-109.

Vacant WBC Interim World Bantamweight Title-
Takuma Inoue (WBC #5, Transnational #7, TTR #8, The Ring #9; 13-0, 3 KOs)
Unan. Dec. 12
Petch CP Freshmart (birth name: Tasana Salapat; AKA Petch Sor Chitpattana; WBC #2; 48-1, 33 KOs)
- Inoue won by three 117-111 scores.

WBO World Junior Lightweight Title-
Champion Masayuki Ito (Transnational #6, The Ring #6, TTR #8; 25-1-1, 13 KOs)
TKO-7 2:11
Evgeny Chuprakov (WBO #1, IBF #6; 20-1, 10 KOs)
- Ito dominated. Chuprakov, Ito's mandatory challenger, was the recipient of serious punishment.

Monday, December 31, 2018-

Macao, Macao S.A.R., China-

WBA Super World Light Flyweight Title/Ring Magazine World Junior Flyweight Title-
Hiroto Kyoguchi (WBA #1, IBF #4, Transnational #6, The Ring #6, TTR #8; 12-0, 9 KOs)
TKO-10 3:00
Super Champion/Champion Hekkie Budler (TTR #2, Transnational #2; 32-4, 10 KOs)
- Hyoguchi, who was leading by the scores of 98-92, 96-94, and 97-93, was awarded a TKO victory when Budler retired in his corner after the tenth round.

IBF World Flyweight Title-
Champion Moruti Mthalane (The Ring #1, TTR #2, Transnational #7; 35-2, 25 KOs)
TKO-10 3:00
Masahiro Sakamoto (IBF #14; 13-2, 9 KOs)
- Referee Ignatius Missailidis stopped the contest after the completion of the tenth round. Mthalane was leading by the scores of 100-90, 99-91, and 98-92 when the bout was stopped.

Vacant WBO World Junior Bantamweight Title-
Donnie Nietes (WBO #1, The Ring #7, The Ring #10 P4P; 42-1-5, 23 KOs)
Split Dec. 12
Kazuto Ioka (TTR #2, Transnational #2, The Ring #3, WBO #3; 23-2, 13 KOs)
- The scores were 118-110 for Nietes, 116-112 for Ioka, and 116-112 for Nietes.