Former Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation middleweight champion Kazuto Takesako of World Sports Boxing Gym and Japanese and World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific middleweight champion Riku Kunimoto of Muto Boxing Gym won their first-round bouts, respectively on July 15 in Osaka vis-a-vis the ‘’PRIZE FIGHTER’’ middleweight boxing tournament organized by Matchroom Boxing Inc., a major British boxing promotion entity,
Fighting at Yamato Arena in Osaka Prefecture’s Suita, the 33-year-old Takesako earned a 10-round unanimous decision over Mark Dickinson of Britain and advanced to the semifinals.
With the win, Takesako now has a record of 17 wins, including 15 knockouts, against two losses and a draw, while the 25-year-old Dickinson fell to a 6-1 win-loss tally with one KO. There were no knockdowns in the fight.
The 27-year-old Kunimoto stopped Eiki Kani of T & T Boxing Sports Gym in the fifth round and will square off with Takesako in the semifinal match scheduled in October.
It was Kunimoto’s second straight victory over the 22-year-old Kani as he also earned a TKO win over Kani last march to defend his regional titles. Kunimoto improved his record to 12 wins, including a KO, against a loss (to Takesako), whereas Kani fell to an 8-5-3 win-loss-draw tally with four KOs.
Kunimoto said after the fight, ‘’Since I’ve always wanted to fight with Mr. Takesako, I will show everything I have in my arsenal in the coming fight.’’ Takesako knocked out Kunimoto in May 2021 to retain his then Japanese middleweight crown.
Other first-round bouts were Aaron McKenna of Ireland stopped Jeovanny Estela of the United States in the 10th and final round, while Kieron Conway of Britain stopped China’s Ainiwaer Yilixiati in the seventh round.
The boxer who won in the first round will get the purse of 150,000 dollars (75,000 dollars for a loser), while the winner in the semifinal match will receive 250,000 dollars (125,000 dollars for a loser).
The winner of the tournament will take home 1 million dollars, while the loser in the final will get 250,000 dollars. The knockout prize is also at stake for each round with the total prize of 100,000 dollars.