Pictured: Hiroaki Teshigawara


Yesterday, at the famed Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, Hiroaki Teshigawara retained the OPBF super bantamweight title and 38-year-old veteran Kenichi Horikawa regained the Japanese light flyweight title.

Teshigawara stopped countryman Yuki Iriguchi in the 8th round. Horikawa, who reigned as champion for three months in 2015, won the title recently vacated by Tetsuya Hisada, when the corner of Satoru Todaka rescued their tired and beaten fighter after the completion of the eighth stanza.

In other bouts on the card, junior lightweight prospect Yoshimitsu Kimura knocked out Allan Vallespin of the Philippines in the second round, former Japanese flyweight title challenger Yusuke Sakashta halted former OPBF flyweight champion Keisuke Nakayama in the fourth round, lightweight Kosuke Arioka scoed a three-round TKO over Filipino veteran Leonardo Doronio, and lightweight Ribo Takahata stopped Indonesian journeyman Gusti Elnino in the 5th frame.

OPBF Super Bantamweight Title-
Champion Hiroaki Teshigawara (WBO #2 at 118; IBF #11, WBC #14- both at 122; 19-2-2, 12 KOs)
TKO-8 1:56
Yuki Iriguchi (10-3-1, 4 KOs)
- Iriguchi is ranked #7 by the OPBF.
- Teshigawara was leading by three 69-64 scores going into the eight round.

Vacant Japanese Light Flyweight Title-
Kenichi Horikawa (WBC #6; 39-15-1, 13 KOs)
TKO-8 3:00
Satoru Todaka (9-3-4, 3 KOs)
- Horikawa came into the bout ranked #1 by the JBC and #2 by the OBF while Todaka came in ranked #2 by the JBC and #11 by the OPBF.
- Horikawa was leading by the scores of 79-73, 79-73, and 78-75 when Todaka was retired by his corner.

Super Featherweight Bout-
Yoshimitsu Kimura (11-1, 6 KOs)
KO-2 1:17
Allan Vallespin (12-4, 9 KOs)

Super Flyweight Bout-
Yusuke Sakashita (17-8-3, 12 KOs)
TKO-4 1:11
Keisuke Nakayama (WBC #34 at 112; 11-4-2, 5 KOs)
- Sakashita weighed in at 113 3/4; Nakayama at 113 1/2.

Lightweight Bout-
Kosuke Arioka (9-3-1, 8 KOs)
TKO-3 2:18
Leonardo Doronio (16-16-3, 11 KOs)

Lightweight Bout-
Ribo Takahata (15-8-1, 6 KOs)
TKO-5 1:33
Gusti Elnino (4-15-1, 1 KO)