TOKYO, Japan – Jin Sasaki, with a split decision victory over Sora Tanaka at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, recorded his best win since a stoppage loss to Brian Norman Jnr last June.
Sasaki, 21-2-1 (18 KOs), was knocked out brutally by Norman, and was pitted against standout amateur Tanaka for the Oriental and Pacific welterweight title. The bout was fought at a frantic pace, and although Tanaka was the one who consistently outlanded his foe, it was Sasaki who was awarded the victory. The scorecards read 97-93 and 96-94 to Sasaki, and 94-96 to Tanaka, 5-1 (5 KOs).
The pair wasted no time in getting to know each other, with Sasaki, 24, frantically firing a left hook that whistled past the chin of his rival. Tanaka, also 24, responded by pushing his man back, cracking Sasaki with a left hand to the ribs followed by one upstairs. Sasaki was not deterred by the shots coming his way, wildly swinging a right hand that grazed the gloves of Sasaki. Tanaka then pierced through with two left uppercuts through the guard of Sasaki and landed a further five more before an action-packed first session came to a close.
The pace showed no sign of slowing down, with both men electing to sit in the pocket and take turns hammering away.
Takama was having the better of it, with Sasaki neglecting any sign of defense or head movement, but he continued to wave Takama on. Sasaki lay on the ropes in the third, almost dancing at times, but Takama was finding the target hard and often.
The pair went head-to-head in the fourth – literally – and Sasaki was wildly swinging his shots into the ribs of Takama. Sasaki was having success, but not as much as Takama, who kept his work short and continued to knock the head back of Sasaki with his left uppercut. Takama found real success in the fifth, trapping Sasaki in the corner and letting his hands go. Takama couldn’t miss, landing a near 10-punch combination which was answered with a wild left hook from Sasaki that missed by miles.
Open scoring was in place, with two of the cards strangely reading 49-46, 48-47 to Sasaki at the halfway point, with just one edging Takama by 48-47.
Sasaki seemed to be spurred on by this and now had no respect for the power of Takama. He pushed the pace, landing his wild hooks, and Takama seemed to be fading. Takama, perhaps, felt the fight slipping from his grasp and pushed forward to claim a vital round. He dominated Sasaki in the eighth, thumping him with both hands to the head and body, and bloodying his nose.
Takama had another dominant session in the ninth, with Sasaki now starting to come apart. Sasaki was fading but it seemed that Takama had got his second wind, and let his hands go on Sasaki with little coming back. Sasaki was stumbling around the ring in exhaustion, but pulled himself together for the final session. He and Tanaka stood in the center ring, firing away, as their heads bounced violently from the shots coming their way.
The bout finished and the pair embraced after a terrific encounter. The cards were going to be close – when they probably shouldn’t have been – and both awaited the verdict.
Sasaki got the nod by split decision, but if the welterweight from Tokyo continues to fight with so little respect for defense, one worries for his future.
