Kyosuke Takami added his name to the growing list of title claimants in Japan’s golden era.
The unbeaten junior flyweight overpowered the Dominican Republic’s Erick Rosa via tenth round, technical knockout to claim the WBA 108lbs titlist. Rosa was dropped late before the fight was stopped at 2:48 into the tenth round in the opening bout of a DAZN/U-Next title fight tripleheader Wednesday from Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan.
Rosa came out poised for his first career fight outside of his Santo Domingo hometown. The 25-year-old southpaw worked his jab and found early success with his straight left hand. Takami was at his best when he forced the action to take place at center ring, where landed with right hands upstairs as well as a right uppercut.
Both fighters let their hands go early in the second. Rosa threw and landed in combination but quickly regretted his decision to go punch for punch with his heavier handed challenger. Takami took over late in the round and briefly stunned Rosa with a left hook to the chin. Rosa took the shot well and continued to return fire but missed with a counter right hook.
Takami opened the third with a vicious body attack. Rosa tightened up his defense and returned to his southpaw jab. A right hook to the body by Rosa caught the attention of Takami, who responded with a flurry of power shots. Rosa’s legs briefly buckled as Takami swarmed with left hooks and long right hands. Takami cornered Rosa and landed a right hand to close the round.
Rosa intensified his attack in the fifth after he spent much of the previous round attempting to evade his unbeaten challenger. Takami waded through the defending titlist’s early storm and quickly regained control of the action. Rosa was still effective to the body but outgunned at close quarters. Takami playfully threatened with a bolo punch just before the bell.
Body shots landed for both Rosa and Takami at the start of the sixth. Rosa remained committed to the attack and also caught Takami with an uppercut from close range. However, he left himself open long enough to get clipped by a left hook late in the frame.
Takami came out with a spring in his step to begin the seventh. Rosa stood in the pocket and continued to target the body. Takami landed long right hands and left hooks up top, followed by a left hook to the body. Rosa was briefly wobbled after Takami landed a right hook upstairs midway through the round. His offense all but shut down as Takami was on the attack.
There were no signs of slowing down from Takami, who entered the eighth round of a fight for the first time in his career. Rosa largely played defense as Takami controlled the distance and went on the hunt whenever the defending titlist attempted to employ lateral movement.
Concerns began to set in over Rosa’s well-being by the tenth round as he was reduced to show his mettle. Takami pummeled Rosa and forced him to the canvas with a right hand at the end of a barrage of power shots.
Rosa beat the count but found himself on the deck moments later. It appeared to be a slip, but the break was just long enough for referee Mark Nelson to call a halt to the contest.
Takami advanced to 10-0 (8 KOs) with the win as he became the sixth active titlist from Japan. His win was never in doubt as he won nearly every round on all three scorecards (90-81, 89-82, 89-82) at the time of the stoppage.
Rosa, 8-1 (2 KOs) suffered his first defeat and the end of his title reign after just seven months. He claimed the belt in 12-round, unanimous decision over Neider Valdez Aguilar last December 19 in Santo Domingo. Rosa also previously held the secondary WBA 105lbs title before he moved up in weight.
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene
