TUNACAO STOPS HONDA; DEFENDS OPBF TITLE

Malcolm "Eagle Eye" Tunacao successfully defended his OPBF bantam title yesterday with a fifth-round stoppage win over Japan's Hidenobu Honda at the Bunka Hall in Kobe, Japan.

Tunacao was making the second defense of the title he won back in February this year, which he also defended the first time last July in Nagoya.

According to sketchy reports from Japan, Tunacao stopped Honda and proved the stronger and more skillful fighter all throughout. Prior to the fight, Tunacao had sparred with former WBC bantam champion Hozumi Hasegawa and apparently gained much from that experience.

Both Tunacao and Hasegawa train at the popular Shinsei Boxing Gym in Kobe.

With the loss, Honda, who twice challenged for the world title (WBC and WBA) slipped to 33 wins, 8 losses with 15 KO's.

Tunacao, who is set to return in the country next month, improved to 27-2-3, 15 KO's and solidified his chance for a possible crack at the WBC title against Fernando Montiel.