YOKOHAMA, Japan, 21 September 2004 — Japan’s Katsushige Kawashima floored Rual Juarez of Mexico three times to retain his World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight title after a unanimous points decision yesterday.
Three judges scored it 113-111, 114-110 and 117-107 in favor of the defending champion, who knocked Juarez down in the second, sixth and seventh round. After a cautious first round, Kawashima excited the home crowd by firing a right cross-counter to the face to send Juarez down in the second round.
The Mexican challenger hit back in following rounds, but Kawashima connected with frequent right hooks to his face in the fourth and fifth rounds to pile up points.
After hitting another sizzling right hook, the Japanese floored Juarez at the end of the sixth round with a left-fist blow to the body. The same punch felled Juarez again in the following round. The Mexican was penalized one point when he spat out his mouthpiece in hopes of a brief rest. The title-holder tried hard to score a knockout victory and never allowed Juarez to fight back after that. It was Kawashima’s first defense of the title he wrested from Japan-based North Korean Masamori Tokuyama (Hong Chang-Soo) in June. The fight stretched his record to 27 wins, including 18 knockouts, against three defeats.
Hopkins Knocks Out De la Hoya
to Keep Crown
In Las Vegas, American Bernard Hopkins connected with a left hook to the body to knock out compatriot Oscar de la Hoya in the ninth round and retain the undisputed world middleweight title. Hopkins, the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation champion, made a record 19th successful defense of the title and even picked up De la Hoya’s lightly regarded World Boxing Organization belt.
He became the first fighter to knock out De la Hoya, connecting with the left just under De la Hoya’s ribcage in the middle of the ninth.
De la Hoya went down with a groan and couldn’t respond before referee Kenny Bayless completed the 10-count. The knockout, at 1min 38sec of the round, lifted Hopkins’ record to 45-2-1 with 32 wins inside the distance. De la Hoya, who has held titles at 135, 140, 147 and 154 pounds before moving up this year to the 160-pound middleweight ranks, fell to 37-4.
At the time of the knockout, judges Dave Moretti had Hopkins ahead 79-73. Paul Smith made it 78-74 for Hopkins, while Keith McDonald had De la Hoya leading 77-75.
On the undercard, Juan Manuel Marquez retained his World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation featherweight titles with a unanimous, if lackluster, 12-round decision over fellow Mexican Orlando Salido. Marquez improved to 43-2-1 and stayed on track for a rematch with Manny Pacquiao. The two fought to a draw on May 8. Two of the judges made it 117-111 for Marquez, while the third gave it to him 118-110. Salido fell to 23-9.
