By Daily Sports on January 1, 2018
Lanky Japanese speedster Ryoichi Taguchi (27-2-2 12 KOs), 107.75, unified the WBA and IBF 108-pound belts when he displayed a late surge to pound out a unanimous decision over Filipino Milan Melindo (37-3, 13 KOs), 107.5, twelve hard-fought gory rounds on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.
The official tallies were as follows—Gustavo Jarquin (Nicaragua) 116-112, Francis Jackson (US) and Ignacio Robles (Panama) both 117-111, all in favor of Taguchi. The referee was Mark Nelson (US) who handled the fast-paced unification bout very well.
The WBA ruler Taguchi had a tough time coping with the shorter but sharper IBF titlist in earlier rounds, but the Japanese almost swept the second half by utilizing his advantageous height and reach.
They often made head collisions to see Melindo bleeding from gashes over both eyebrows and Taguchi from a cut on the forehead. In later rounds, Melindo was visibly fading and slowing down only to have Taguchi take the initiative to pile up important points down the stretch.
•Photo shows Ryoichi Taguchi.
Source Daily Sports
Posted January 1, 2018
You may also like...
Meshref Wins ITTF Women’s Title
Sand Eagles back in contention at Beach World...
Jack Harrison Hat-Trick Stuns West Ham To Fire...
NFF inducted into FOI Hall of Shame’
Victor Moses Scores First Goal For Spartak Moscow...
Lallana hands Allardyce first England victory
World Cup: Morocco edge Scotland, USA march into last 32, Brazil beat Haiti
AFN shifts Commonwealth Games trials over delayed arrivals
Asaba to host President Federation Cup final
2026 World Cup: Nigerian-American Balogun wins second Man of the Match award
Finalists emerge at 47th CBN Senior Tennis tourney
US waives visa fees for Cape Verde keeper’s mother
World Cup: African teams concede 16 goals, score seven in first round
Eagles must move forward, Osimhen on Mundial miss
Women’s top seed reaches CBN tennis q’finals
Adeshina doubtful for Commonwealth Games
Oshoba, Ibeabuchi, Esepo lead 2026 FGM award nominees
Why I cried after first goal in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria — Messi
Most Read
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,890 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,220 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,147 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,742 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,632 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,512 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,386 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,920 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,118 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,595 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (48,062 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,476 views)