Yudai Shigeoka returned to the win column, but not to his previously noted level of dominance.
The former WBC strawweight titleholder bounced back from his first career defeat with a unanimous decision victory over the Philippines’ Samuel Salva. The scores were 97-93, 97-93 and 96-94 for Shigeoka in their ten-round ABEMA-TV bout Saturday at Yamato Arena in Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Shigeoka (9-1, 5 KOs) was fighting for the first time since his stunning loss to Melvin Jerusalem on March 31st. This kicked off a family freefall; younger brother Ginjiro Shigeoka lost his IBF title to Pedro Taduran in Otsu last month.
Salva – whose lone defeat came against Taduran – traveled to Japan like a fighter who forgot the script. The visiting Filipino opened strongly as he landed a straight right hand on an unsuspecting Shigeoka. This set an uneasy tone as Shigeoka was forced to put in the work to finally move forward.
Shigeoka, The Ring’s no. 5-rated straw weightfound a home for his left hand to the body. Salva took the shots well, contrary to the scouting report that suggested it would be his downfall.
Two-way exchanges were frequent throughout the second half of the fight. Salva briefly stunned Shigeoka in round seven, but the threat of a knockout quickly evaporated. Shigeoka charged with his right hook over the top as well as his left hand over the top. The 26-year-old southpaw fought through a Salva rally early in the tenth to close out the round and fight hard.
Salva (20-2, 13 KOs) snapped a three-fight winning streak but was brave in defeat.
Shigeoka held the full WBC strawweight title for less than six months. He won an interim title last April and upgraded when he dethroned Panya Pradabsri (43-2, 27 KOs) last October. Ginjiro won his IBF title on the same show.
Also on the show, Kenbun Torres scored his second straight upset against a WBO no. 1 rated competitor achieved.
This time it was undefeated KJ Cataraja (now 17-1, 13 KOs) who was removed from a title shot as Osaka’s Torres (15-5, 10 KOs) picked up a win. Cataraja was the No. 1 contender to the WBO 115-pound title, Kosei Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs).
Torres previously knocked out Reymart Gaballo, the WBO’s No. 1 ranked bantamweight, in the first round on May 10 in Pasay City, Philippines.
Both matches were broadcast on the undercard of the Lerato Dlamini-Tomoki Kameda rematch.
