FEROCIOUS puncher Jin Sasaki edges closer to a world title shot after securing a unanimous decision victory over seasoned veteran Shoki Sakai.
The pair locked horns on the undercard of Naoya Inoue vs Ye Joon Kim, treating fans to a thrilling 12-round spectacle at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Dangerous welterweight contender Sasaki, 19-1-1 (17 KOs), is ranked number three by the WBO and IBF, while the WBC and WBA both have him placed at fourth.
Against Sakai, 29-15-3 (15 KOs), though, the 23-year-old was forced to overcome a stern test.
After a strong start from Sasaki, Sakai soon began to close the gap, absorbing his opponent’s hellacious attacks while landing several combinations of his own.
The game plan of Sasaki swiftly became clear, however, with the prolific knockout artist digging away to Sakai’s body at short range.
Through four rounds, both combatants appeared to have their spells of success, with Sakai opting to trade with the younger man at close quarters.
Sasaki, though, continued his work to the body, refusing to be deterred by his opponent’s remarkable durability.
As the rounds progressed, Sakai managed to find a home for his flicking jab, taking some of the sting away from Sasaki’s explosive flurries.
But then, in the championship rounds, Sasaki’s thudding shots finally started to have an effect on Sakai, who was forced to take a backwards step for the first time in their enthralling battle.
The 12th round saw another promising burst from Sasaki, though the 23-year-old’s six-fight stoppage streak was ultimately put to an end, with scorecards of 117-111, 118-110 and 116-112 all swinging in his favour.
Nevertheless, in his post-fight interview, Sasaki called out Jaron Ennis, Mario Barrios, Brian Norman Jr and Eimantas Stanionis – the four titlists at 147 lbs.
