Riku Kunimoto W10 Uzbek Nuri ... On October 5th, Japanese middleweight Riku Kunimoto (15-1, 8 KOs) collected the vacant OPBF belt as he eked out a split decision over Korea-based Uzbek Nuri Ye a/k/a Egamberdi Nuriddinov (8-1-1, 5 KOs) over ten close rounds in Osaka. Official scores were 97-92 and 98-91 for Kunimoto, overruling a 95-94 tally for Ye.  Kunimoto, age 28, nullified Ye’s solid attack with his tight peek-a-boo guard and occasionally retaliated with strong counters to the aggressor.  But it was Ye, age 23, that scored a sole knockdown in the bout with a vicious left jab, dropping the home boxer on the seat of trunks in the tenth and final round.  Though Kunimoto was awarded a hairline verdict, the game warrior Ye deserves a rematch.