By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Boxing Beat Magazine, Joe Koizumi
Veteran campaigners of Japan and Australia furiously competed with the vacant OPBF super middleweight title at stake on Saturday in Sakai, Osaka, Japan. Japanese southpaw, ex-OPBF 160-pound champ Yuki Nonaka (38-12-3, 11 KOs), 167.5, seized the regional 168-pound belt by pounding out a close but unanimous decision (115-114, 115-113, 118-110) over former IBF world middle ruler Sam Soliman (49-19-1, 19 KOs), 166.5, over twelve hard-fought rounds.
It was a close affair with each seldom catching the opponent with precision. Nonaka, however, was a bit more aggressive, occasionally scoring with southpaw straight lefts to the tricky and unorthodox Aussie. Sam tasted his first setback here despite his previous victories in a couple of bouts in 2003.
Promoter: Mitsuki Promotions.
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