Yoshiki Takei Survives Jason Moloney To Win WBO Title
At the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, Jason Moloney (27-3, 19 KOs) put the WBO bantamweight title on the line against local Japanese hopeful Yoshiki Takei (9-0, 8 KOs). Moloney is the definition of a veteran who has had his share of tests in the lower-weight ranks.
He ventured into enemy lines to face a Takei who came in highly touted. A former highly-regarded kickboxer, the hard-hitting challenger has been moved at a rapid pace, and was looking to make Moloney his latest knockout victim.
IN CONTROL EARLY
Takei was warned multiple times in the opening round for low blows. In the second round, referee Steve Willis deducted a point from the challenger. But upon replay, the shots seemed on the belt line, if not legal blows to the body.
That aside, Takei was sharp. The lefthander set the tone with his jab and landing with combinations. He was the superior fighter from the outside during the first half of the fight.
HANGING ON
Round six saw Moloney begin to make some headway. He started to close the gap and land with hard right hands on the head and body. At the end of the eighth, Takei was showing signs of fatigue.
After Takei seemed to gain a second wind to capture rounds ten and eleven from Takei, Moloney rallied in the final round. Looking for the knockout, he had the challenger tiring in retreat. But time ran out as the Japanese fighter lasted to the final bell.
Ultimately, Takei dominated most of the action, and the judges scored the fight in his favor by a unanimous decision (117-110, 116-111, 116-111). With Takei’s victory, a Japanese fighter now holds all four major titles in the bantamweight division.
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