LARIOS DEFENDS TITLE IN JAPAN

(By Dennis PRINCIPE, with reports from Japan)

AKIHIKO Honda of Teiken Promotions, Inc. announced a tripleheader at Ryogoku Sumo Arena, Tokyo, on April 26.

WBC 122-pound champ Oscar Larios, Mexico, will put his belt on the line against an ambitious Japanese Shigeru Nakazato, 23-5, 18 KOs, in an encounter of hard-punchers.

Larios, 47-3-1, 33 KOs, was once the WBC interim champ, but became the legitimate leader by blasting out Willie Jorrin in the opening session last November.

The pugnacious Mexican displayed his awesome power-punching in stopping Manabu Fukushima in 8 lopsided rounds at the same venue in Tokyo in August of the previous year.

Nakazato, former OPBF champ who lately renounced his belt, has scored six consecutive KO wins to show his rapid progress, and he may have a puncher?s chance.

Also, WBC #10 ranked OPBF 140-pound champ Masakazu Satake, 17-2-4, 10 KOs, will risk his regional belt against top contender and Filipino champ Dindo Castanares, 12-0-1, 9 KOs, in a highly competitive bout.

Satake, making his 9th defense, recently defeated such formidable opponents as Rick Yoshimura (W12) and Hiroyuki Sakamoto (TKO12) to his credit.

Castanares, ex-Philippine national amateur champ, remains unbeaten since entering the paid ranks to display his steady progress. This is a long-anticipated mandatory fight, which must entertain the crowd.

Another OPBF title bout will be fought by ex-world challenger, WBC #17 ranked Manabu Fukushima, 23-5-1, 17 KOs, and OPBF top contender and Korean champ Jaekwang Chung, 9-0-2, 4 KOs.

Though annihilated by Oscar Larios last year, Fukushima disposed of Filipino Roberto Oyan in 6 rounds in a fine comeback bout.

The unbeaten Korean also showed his strength in keeping his national belt on four occasions. It will be an also competitive regional title bout.

TOKYO, JAPAN-Unheralded Shuichi Kobayashi, 146.75, captured the Japanese national welter belt by winning an upset decision over WBA #15 ranked defending champ Teruo Nagase, 147, over 10 heats in Tokyo, Japan.

Scored: 97-95, 98-94 and 96-95, all for Kobayashi, 13-2, 6 KOs. Nagase, who had entered the WBA?s top 15 thanks to his victory over Hiroyuki Maeda last year, fell to 21-6-2, 12 KOs.

They mixed it up toe-to-toe in the first four rounds. Kobayashi connected well with right uppercuts to the onrushing champ in the 5th. Though Nagase won the 6th, Kobayashi swept the 7th through 9th sessions and withstood the champ?s last surge in the 10th.