| |
|
Lito Dante's Fantastic OPBF Win in Photos from the Camera of Naoki Fukuda (FIGHT PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa PhilBoxing.com Tue, 02 Apr 2019

Sunday night in Yokohama marked one of Filipino Lito Dante's most rewarding victories in his long boxing career.
A knock out win over an undefeated promising boxer, ranked by the WBC as the world's # 3 fighter, claiming the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title in the land of Japan are the ingredients of a fantastic, laudable achievement for the veteran warrior from Bohol.
The Filipino Lito Dante (16-10-4, 8 KO's) overpowered the heavy-handed Japanese champion Tsubasa Koura (14-1, 9 KO's) in the twelve and final round to capture the OPBF Minimumweight Belt Sunday, March 31, in Yokohama, Japan, and fight fans here in the Philippines are still delighted and appreciative for the stunning win.
The climax of the dramatic battle unfolded in the combat's last round when Lito Dante unleashed a serious of violent unanswered right hooks over Koura, propelling the Nippon boxer wounded and groggy backwards towards the ropes near Japanese own red corner.
Right there, Lito Dante intensified his furious attack, giving it all, hurting the Koura even further with more damaging blows, all of them to the head, which prompted third man Tetsuya Iida to waive the fight off to spare Koura of unnecessary punishment. Official time of the stoppage was 1:18 in round 12.
All the while, award-winning boxing photographer Naoki Fukuda -- in my humble opinion the best boxing photographer in the world -- was at ringside taking photos of the exciting action, and here is his phenomenal work.
Thank you for sharing with Filipino Boxing fans your fantastic, dramatic photos of the victory of Boholano Lido Dante. Dōmo arigatō, どうもありがとう, sir!
Isn't the triumph of Lito Dante in Yokohama awesome? And, isn't Naoki Fukuda one heck of an amazing boxing photographer, perhaps the best in the planet?
Photos courtesy of Naoki Fukuda
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 6 OCTOBER 2025: Cecilia Braekhaus Retires After Defeating Ema Kozin By Eric Armit, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025SAVE THE DATE: MATCHROOM BOXING ANNOUNCES MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI FOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 – LIVE ON DAZN , Tue, 07 Oct 2025Team Cebuana Lhuillier Finishes Strong in PCA Men’s Team Tennis Championship Finals By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025Three Heavyweight Champs Were Ringside for the Thrilla Event By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025Cutman Excellence Shines in Dubai: Denis Kolesnir and Jose Mohan Lead Groundbreaking Cutman Seminar By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025BEN WHITTAKER JOINS MATCHROOM BOXING: LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SENSATION SIGNS LONG-TERM DEAL AND WILL FIGHT ON DAZN , Tue, 07 Oct 2025What’s Gervonta “Tank” Davis' Next Move After Jake Paul Fight? By Ralph Rimpell, , Mon, 06 Oct 2025Jino Rodrigo recovering from hospital after TKO loss to Cain Sandoval By Carlos Costa, , Mon, 06 Oct 2025Global Stars Set to Shine as 2025 Hanoi Open Pool Championship Breaks Off in Vietnam By Dong Secuya, , Mon, 06 Oct 2025Riyadh Season and Matchroom announced partnership By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Mon, 06 Oct 2025IM Datu rules first leg of Daily Fantasy Chess Grand Prix By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 06 Oct 2025Crawford Camp Demands $100 Million for Next Fight By Dong Secuya, , Mon, 06 Oct 2025MATCHROOM SPORT ENTERS INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH RIYADH SEASON ACROSS MAJOR BOXING, DARTS AND SNOOKER EVENTS , Mon, 06 Oct 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 17: JOE FRAZIER WINS WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP By Maloney L. Samaco, , Sun, 05 Oct 2025Manny Pacquiao Eyes Ring Return in January with Talks Advancing for a Hot Showdown Against WBA Champ Rolly Romero By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 05 Oct 2025Weights from Washington, PA , Sun, 05 Oct 20252026 Ironman 70.3 is back in Davao By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 05 Oct 2025Cebuana Lhuillier Sweeps Semis, Gears Up for PCA Men’s Team Tennis Finals By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 05 Oct 2025Kalimudan Festival games starts Oct. 9 By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 05 Oct 2025The Filipino American Center at 100 Larkin: A Sanctuary of Story, Spirit, and Memory (Special Series 4 of 5) By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Sat, 04 Oct 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 16: JOE FRAZIER’S FIGHTS IN THE MID TO LATE 1960’S By Maloney L. Samaco, , Sat, 04 Oct 2025Riyadh Season and Boxxer forms an alliance in the British boxing By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 04 Oct 2025Lorenzo Parra Vs Elijah Pierce and Jimuel Pacquiao Pro Debut Featured in Manny Pacquiao Promotions Nov. 29 Inaugural Event at Pechanga Resort Casino , Fri, 03 Oct 2025Villar and Astuvilca Make Weight for Title Rematch at All Star Boxing: Seneca Fight Night , Fri, 03 Oct 2025Allan Villanueva vs. Jyl Wright Headlines Peter Maniatis Event in Melbourne Oct. 3 , Thu, 02 Oct 2025 |

|
|
|
|
|