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Wins back WBC title... Navarro next?
18/07/2005
Compiled By Scott Shaffer
In a bout of major significance in Tokyo, Masamori Tokuyama reclaimed the WBC junior bantamweight title from Katsushige Kawashima by scores of 118-109, 115-112 and 117-110. Tokuyama cut Kawashima over his eye in the fifth round and scored well with rights to the head and body shots. But Kawashima, always a hard puncher who refuses to quit, knocked Tokuyama down in the last round. It was the third bout between the two, and the first time in that two Japanese fighters had fought against each other with a world title at stake in all three bouts. Tokuyama was the long-reigning champion and won his first bout against Kawashima in 2003 but Kawashima got a rematch and knocked Tokuyama out in the first round last year. The trilogy was of great interest in Japan because Tokuyama, although born and raised in Japan, is of North Korean heritage, while Kawashima is seen as the "true" Japanese. Next up for Tokuyama should be Jose Navarro, who lost a controversial decision to Kawashima in a January title bid. source: Kyodo