WBA #14 LAURENTE DEFEATS NAGASE

TOKYO, JAPAN--WBA#14 ranked PABA lightweight champ Dennis Laurente (28-4-5, 13 KOs), 137.25, a puzzling southpaw Filipino, displayed his persistent body attack and defeated OPBF#5 Japanese top 140-pound contender Shinya Nagase (14-2-1, 8 KOs), 138, by a unanimous decision (98-94 twice and 96-95) over a non-title ten rounder on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.

It was a nearly lopsided affair, as Nagase took only the second and Laurente swept almost all rounds from the third on by effectively battering the game but limited Japanese, whose combinations were perfectly blocked by the Filipino｡ﾇs very tight guard. Laurente, notorious for his usual hit-and-grab tactics, didn｡ﾇt clinch many times and maintained the pressure to the less experienced opponent all the way. This reporter saw it 99-93 for the 30-year-old Filipino.

Undercard:

Japanese #6 middleweight Yuzo Kiyota (13-2-1, 11 KOs ), 160, swarmed over an overmatched Thailander Chokchana Soonkilanoynai (5-4-1, 1 KO), 152.5, and floored him for the count at 2:18 of the second round in a supporting ten.

Promoter: Global Kyoei Promotions.

(9-2-07)