TSUBASA Narai edged a fiercely contested split decision against Kai Watanabe, with two judges scoring the 10-round contest 96-94 in his favour.
The pair squared off in a catchweight contest on the undercard of Naoya Inoue vs Ye Joon Kim, meaning that Narai’s domestic strap was not up for grabs.
It was a cagey start to their clash at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, with Watanabe, 13-2-1 (7 KOs), enjoying brief pockets of success after finding a home for his sharp right hand.
Narai, 15-2 (10 KOs), though, began to find his range in the second round, landing a series of short combinations at close quarters to nullify his opponent’s jab.
In round three, Watanabe continued to unleash his attacks at long range but, in doing so, left himself open to a chopping left hook from Narai.
And yet, while the well-timed shot undoubtedly put the 22-year-old on unsteady legs – seeing him tumble to the canvas – the referee controversially ruled no knockdown.
Nevertheless, Narai resumed his ruthless onslaught, once again sending Watanabe to the canvas but, that time, it appeared to be caused by a clear entanglement of the legs.
The next few rounds then saw Watanabe restore a degree of control, utilising his long levers to keep Narai at bay while, at the same time, avoiding any fierce exchanges.
But towards the end of their fight, Narai began to pile on the pressure and, in the ninth round, knocked his opponent off balance with another clean left hook.
In the end, the 25-year-old’s aggression proved to be decisive, with the young lightweight contender claiming a contentious split decision on the judges’ scorecards.
In his post-fight interview, Narai spoke highly of his opponent before apologising to his parents for going the distance, promising that he will continue to work on his craft at the gym.
