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...
Wolves come from behind to beat Chelsea
D’Tigress demolish Rwanda 79-48, reach AfroBasket final
Chelsea Given Champions League Final Boost As Kante,...
Kante strike gives Chelsea 1-0 win at Crystal...
Arsenal are stronger under Unai Emery — Kolasinac...
Real Madrid, Barcelona Face Off In El Clasico...
Messi is pure history, says Argentine coach ahead of World Cup final
Trump says England’s Tuchel ‘made a mistake’ with Kane in Argentina World Cup defeat
World Cup final: Messi may equal Ronaldo’s unique football record
D’Tigers star Eric to hold basketball camp in Lagos
Commonwealth Games: Amusan arrives Team Nigeria camp
Oloko’s Falcons dream comes true with Nnadozie
WAFCON worth fighting for, says Oshoala
Ashe praises world-class Nigeria camp ahead of C’wealth Games
World Cup: Argentina face FIFA sanction over Falklands banner display
World Cup English FA backs Tuchel despite semi-final loss
Messi, Argentina finds Pickford’s penalty cheat sheet – Report
Argentina punished England after sensing weakness, doubts, says Scaloni W’Cup semi-final win
Most Read
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,961 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,303 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,212 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,817 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,700 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,571 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,460 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,975 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,194 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,663 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (48,139 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,525 views)