| |
|
MTHALANE TKO SAKAMOTO IN 10, RETAINS IBF FLYWEGHT BELT
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 31 Dec 2018
MACAU ? Wily veteran IBF world flyweight champion Moruti Mthalane of South Africa gave his upstart challenger Masahiro Sakamoto a boxing lesson by dominating the Japanese the whole night en route to a 10th round stoppage to retain his belt at the Grand Theater of the Wynn Palace Cotai Monday evening here.
Mthalane (37-2-0, 25KOs) used his outstanding boxing skill to outpoint Sakamoto (13-2-0, 9KOs) every round in a toe-to-toe fight that happened mostly in the center of the ring and without clinching, just plain throwing strategic in your face punches. It was this kind of exchanges that the fighter from South Africa, who captured his first world title in 2009, excelled and homed in lefts and rights to Sakamot's body and head eluding Sakamoto's defenses.
Mthalane piled up points as the rounds progressed but Sakamoto refused to surrender and tried very hard to penetrate Mthalane's solid defenses and sometimes connecting with lefts to the body and rights to the head but these were few and in between.
By the sixth round Mthalane was looking to stop his opponent by landing heavier and crisper blows but the Japanese refused to die and kept on going forward. By the eight round, Mthalane's punishments left marks on Sakamoto's body, inflicting a cut on the right eyebrow and his right eye almost closed. Referee Ignatius Missalidis had the ring physician checked Sakamoto after the 8th round and at the beginning of the 10th round. After Sakamoto received more heavy punches in the 10rh round, the referee decided he had seen enough and stopped the fight for a TKO victory for Mthalane.
Next up.. the main event between Donnie Nietes of the Philippines against Kazuto Ioka of Japan for the vacant WBO world super flyweight championship.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
'The Comeback' Weigh-In results and confirmed Fight Night running order as AJ faces Prenga
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Sat, 25 Jul 2026Errol Spence vs Tim Tszyu: Do or Die Down Under
By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 25 Jul 2026SYDNEY WEIGH-IN REPORT: Spence and Tszyu On Weight; Co-Main Event Cancelled After Fulton Blows Weight
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Sat, 25 Jul 2026Fury Halts Wach in Thailand, Leaving Ball in Joshua’s Court for Mega-Fight
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Sat, 25 Jul 2026Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Great First Half of the Year for the WBC
By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Sat, 25 Jul 2026CK Ingles to Host Open 2x2 Team and Open Individual Rapid Chess Tournaments with ₱100,000 Prize Pool
By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 25 Jul 2026Magnificent 7 boxers gird for Asiad
By Joaquin Henson, , Sat, 25 Jul 2026Arca wins silver in Asian Youth in Shenzhen, China
By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 25 Jul 2026Anthony Joshua and Kristian Prenga exchange final words at Press Conference ahead of 'The Comeback'
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Fri, 24 Jul 2026SYDNEY SHOWDOWN: Spence and Tszyu Exchange Final Verbal Barbs; Undercard Weight Drama Unfolds at Press Conference
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Fri, 24 Jul 2026Spence vs Tszyu Fight Analysis and Prediction
By Ralph Rimpell, , Fri, 24 Jul 2026“BUTTERFLY BRAWL” MARKS RETURN TO ICONIC SANTA MONICA PIER
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Fri, 24 Jul 2026AIM Jerick Faeldonia vying for Bangkok chess tilt
By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 24 Jul 2026PHILBOXING.COM THURSDAY ROUNDUP: Scale Shock in Pattaya, Red Sea Staredowns, and Final Countdown to Sydney
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Thu, 23 Jul 2026USA Boxing Sends Eight Boxers to Italy for International Duel
, Thu, 23 Jul 2026P248k prize on the line in Moon Cake Festival Pro Amateur 10-ball tournament at Pacman's Cue Club
By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 23 Jul 2026Super Lightweight Contender Frank “The Ghost” Martin Inks Promotional Pact with Top Rank
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Thu, 23 Jul 2026DUELING TUNE-UPS: Joshua and Fury Play High-Stakes Chicken Across Asia with November Mega-Fight Hanging in the Balance
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Wed, 22 Jul 2026Chavon Stillwell and Izaiah Dent Put Their Perfect Records on the Line in a Can't-Miss Main Event at BiYu Promotions' "Fights Under the Lights"
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Wed, 22 Jul 2026Unbeaten Bizhamov faces Mironchikov in IBA Pro 20 main event in Naberezhnye Chelny
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Wed, 22 Jul 2026Cuarto ready to fight Paradero
By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 22 Jul 2026CHAVES DEFENDS WBO LATINO TITLE AGAINST GARCIA AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER IN NEWARK, NJ ON SEPT 4
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Wed, 22 Jul 2026Undefeated Middleweight Prospect Sebastian Juarez Returns August 8 Against Rance Ward
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Wed, 22 Jul 2026WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán and WBC Cares visits Pedro Fiorito Hospital in Avellaneda, Argentina
By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 22 Jul 2026COLD SHOULDER IN SYDNEY: Spence and Tszyu Trade Snubs and Staredowns at Grand Arrivals Launch
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , , Tue, 21 Jul 2026 |
|
|
|
|
|
