Yudai Shigeoka (7-0, 5 knockouts) dropped former world champion Wilfredo Mendez twice en path to scoring a seventh spherical knockout to win the vacant WBC interim strawweight belt (not acknowledged by The Ring) at Yoyogi #2 Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan.
Shigeoka had been on account of face WBC titlist Petchmanee CP Freshmart just for the Thai to drag out by means of damage. Mendez stepped in at late discover to face Shigeoka.
The motion was comparatively gradual for the primary few rounds with neither giving a lot away. Nonetheless, the combat sprang into life when Shigeoka dropped Mendez with a left hand late within the fifth spherical, the Puerto Rican obtained to his ft and was in a position to proceed. The 26-year-old was in no temper to let his benefit go and completed off the Puerto Rican at 0:25 of the seventh spherical.
Shigeoka entered the competition unranked by The Ring however can count on a wholesome transfer up after beating The Ring-rated No. 5
Within the undercard, Yudai’s youthful sibling Ginjiro Shigeoka (9-0, 7 KOs) needed to get off the canvas earlier than rallying to cease teak-tough Rene Mark Cuarto (21-4-2, 12 KOs) in 9 rounds to assert the vacant interim IBF strawweight title (additionally not acknowledged by The Ring).
The 23-year-old southpaw didn’t begin very properly and was dropped by a proper hand within the closing seconds of the opening spherical. Cuarto, who beforehand held the IBF title, clashed heads with Shigeoka within the second spherical and got here off worse with a reduce underneath his proper eye.
Shigeoka used his expertise, boxing behind a wise jab and started to show the tide. His famed bodypunches began to take their toll by the mid-rounds. It appeared as if the Japanese fighter had dropped Cuarto, rated No. 7 at strawweight by The Ring, within the sixth-round just for the decision to be reviewed and overturned by the native fee who watched the replay.
Nonetheless, there was no debate when when a left to the ribs dropped the Filipino within the seventh spherical. It proved to be the start of the top, Shigeoka was firmly in management and dropped Cuarto twice within the ninth to attain the stoppage at 2:55.
This combat proved Shigeoka, rated No. 8 at strawweight by The Ring, continues to be a piece in progress however deserves credit score for adapting after struggling the early adversity and storming again to win the combat in thrilling and definitive style. Hopefully Shigeoka can face full IBF titleholder Daniel Valladares subsequent, in a rematch after their January combat ended on account of a reduce rendering their combat a third-round no-contest.
Shigeoka can count on to maneuver up in The Ring scores, whereas Cuarto confirmed his mettle in defeat can come once more.
MORE ON RINGTV:
With Daniel Valladares in his sights, Ginjiro Shigeoka faces Rene Mark Cuarto, Sunday – The Ring (ringtv.com)
Ryan Songalia has written for ESPN, the New York Every day Information, Rappler and The Guardian, and is a part of the Craig Newmark Graduate Faculty of Journalism Class of 2020. He might be reached at [email protected].
Observe @ryansongalia
