Kinapos si dating Australia-New South Wales State welterweight ruler Joel dela Cruz ng Pilipinas kontra kay Japanese titlist Suyon Takayama sa kanilang sagupaan para sa Interim OPBF welterweight belt, kamakalawa ng gabi sa Tokyo, Japan.
Nakipagsabayan si Dela Cruz, ngunit natyempuhan siya ng Hapones sa panga na nagpagroge sa kanya sa ika-anim na round. Dahil sa panalo, inaasahang kakasa si Takayama kay Australian Jack Brubaker na nakuha ang bakanteng OPBF welterweight crown via 4th round TKO kay Chinese Xing Xin Yang noong Agosto.
“Japanese champion Suyon Takayama seized the interim OPBF welterweight belt when he disposed of game Filipino Joel Dela Cruz with a vicious body shot at 2:53 of the sixth session on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan,” ayon sa ulat ng Fightnews.com.
“Dela Cruz, despite his mediocre credentials, fought well, exchanging hot rallies toe-to-toe in the close quarter, but Takayama had the upper hand, piling up points steadily. After the fourth, the open scoring system showed Takayama leading: 40-36 twice and 39-37,” dagdag sa ulat. “The sixth witnessed the Japanese dig a wicked right uppercut to the belly of Dela Cruz, who succumbed on all fours in agony for the count.”
