Watanabe flattens Suzuki, wins WBO AP 130lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In just eighty-nine seconds a trick happened. In quest of the vacant WBO Asia Pacific 130-pound belt Kai Watanabe (13-1-1, 7 KOs), 130, scored a shocking stoppage of previously unbeaten Toshihiro Suzuki (5-1, 4 KOs; amateur mark 82-22), 130, at 1:29 of the opening session in a scheduled twelve on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan. Toshihiro, the younger brother of former OPBF lightweight champ Masahiro Suzuki (10-2-1, 7 KOs), maintained the pressure from the start...