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...
Pellegrino replacement sacked after fourth defeat
Bayern Munich Spank Cologne To Regain Top Position...
Salah promises more goals
Arise TV Hosts Lagos SWAN Executive
Nigeria yet to have a football team –...
Salah Looks to Fire Liverpool to Super Cup...
All three World Cup co-hosts eliminated from tournament
CAF confirms Rangers, Rivers United, others for 2026/27 Champions League qualifiers
Paraguayan senator demands apology from Mbappé, threatens legal action
2026 World Cup will be my last tournament, says Cristiano Ronaldo
Okonjo-Iweala hails African teams’ impressive World Cup campaign
Belgium vows to ‘defend football’ after FIFA overturns Balogun suspension
FIFA ‘crossed a red line’ in Balogun reprieve — UEFA
W’Cup qualifiers: D’Tigers end perfect window with Rwanda rout
Cape Verde proved anything is possible at World Cup — Pico Lopes
Norway pin hopes on Haaland against Brazil in World Cup last 16
It feels like victory, Cape Verdeans celebrate heroic World Cup defeat
D’Tigers revive World Cup hopes with Tunisia win
Most Read
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,939 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,277 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,183 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,792 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,680 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,547 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,436 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,957 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,171 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,637 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (48,117 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,508 views)