FORMER World Boxing Organization world minimum weight champion Merlito Sabillo of the Philippines lost by a split decision in an Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation title fight in Sanda, Japan.
Sabillo figured in 12 hard-fought rounds, but succumbed to 18-year-old WBO No.6 ranked 10-1-1, 5 KOs) Riku Kano, who grabbed the Silver OPBF belt from the WBO No. 1-ranked Filipino (25-3-1, 12 KOs) with a well-received decision (117-111 twice and 113-115).
Boxing writer Joe Koizumi reported: “The shorter southpaw Kano made a good start and took the initiative, whipping the highly regarded Filipino veteran, 14 years his senior at 32. He also opened a gash over the left eyebrow of Sabillo in the fourth, after which the open scoring system indicated Kano leading on points, 40-36 twice and 39-37.”
Sabillo came back fighting in the middle of the contest to make it close as shown by open tallies after the eighth round, 78-74, 77-75 for Kano, and 77-75 for the Filipino.
Kano, however, took back the leadership by concentrating on body attacks in later rounds that apparently weakened Sabillo.
Kano aims to break the Japanese record of Hiroki Ioka, having acquired the world belt at the youngest age—18 years and nine months—in 1987.
Meanwhile, two Filipino boxers, Jimmy Borbon and Joel Taduran, were beaten easily in two mismatches in Tokyo.
Koizumi reported that former WBC super-feather champ and Japanese
No. 1 southpaw Takashi Miura (30-3-2, 23 KOs) needed just 161 seconds into the initial round to dispatch Borbon (5-2-2, 3 KOs), with a single left leather on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.
Having been dethroned by Francisco Vargas in a grueling battle in Las Vegas last November, Miura participated in his first bout since then and made short work of the overmatched Filipino opponent by displaying his awesome power.
His rematch with Vargas is highly anticipated byJapanese fight fans.
In another bout, former WBC flyweight champ, lefty ex-Olympian Toshiyuki Igarashi (22-2-2, 11 KOs) swept almost all rounds, winning a lopsided verdict (100-90, 99-91, 99-92) over Filipino Joel Taduran (7-2-1, 1 KOs) over 10 rounds.
