By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) lightweight champ Taiga Imanaga (11-1, 5 KOs: amateur 113-13, 26 stoppages), 134.5, retained his regional belt in his initial defense as he defeated Korean ruler Min-Ho Jung (19-7-2, 5 KOs), 135, by a unanimous decision (97-93, 98-92, 99-91) over ten sizzling rounds on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. The 5’10” tall southpaw, ten-time amateur champ Imanaga maintained the initiative all the way, but Jung gamely refused to go down and occasionally fought back hard with solid but sporadic shots to the stiff but physically strong champ. Imanaga tasted his sole setback to late substitute Eridson Garcia via split decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last December. Imanaga, 27, needs more flexibility and sharpness should he zoom up higher internationally.
Promoter: Dangan Promotions.
