OSAKA, Japan – WBC minimum weight champion Kazuto Ioka beat WBA champ Akira Yaegashi by unanimous decision in the first unification title bout between Japanese boxers on Wednesday.
Ioka dominated the early rounds and survived a late flurry of punches by the resilient Yaegashi to improve to 10-0 (6 KO).
Yaegashi put up a strong challenge despite a swollen left eye but couldn't overcome his younger opponent and dropped to 15-3 (8 KO).
The judges scored the bout 115-114, 115-113, 115-113 for Ioka.
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