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KAMAMOTO WINS IN OSAKA,
IMPROVES TO 2-0
Friday 4 October 2002
Promising 19 year-old Middleweight Hiromi Kamamoto has followed up his impressive debut showing with a hard-earned majority decision victory against Argentina's Juan Rivero in Future Contender series action tonight. Energised by an excited crowd at Osaka's Municipal Auditorium Kamamoto overcame a determined opponent to take a 58-56, 57-57, 58-57 verdict. Rivero actually had a slight edge through the first two rounds but the crowd favourite came home strong over the final four, dominating proceedings in the 3rd and then to an even greater degree in both the 5th and 6th. He landed a fantastic 210 punches during the fight.
Kamamoto appears to be a real star of the future for Japanese boxing. He was treated like a champion by the crowd and had his return to the dressing rooms delayed by close to an hour as he stayed in the arena to sign autographs and pose for photos with some of the audience.
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Earlier on the card Nigeria's Tebiro Diaw was surprisingly held to a draw by the Brazilian fighter Mariano Ronaldo (57-57, 58-56 (Diaw), 57-57). After a slow start Diaw appeared to be in the driver's seat with some solid work in rounds two, three and four. However, Ronaldo rallied strongly in the 5th and 6th, two judges scoring both rounds in his favour to bring about the unexpected result.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
INTERNATIONAL BOXING LEAGUE FIGHT CARD
FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER 2002
MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM, OSAKA, JAPAN
IBL FUTURE CONTENDER SERIES
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION - GROUP TWO, SERIES TWO
OPENING BOUT
Diego Kempes TKO3 Charley Joseph
PRELIMINARY 1
Tebiro Diaw D6 Mariano Ronaldo
PRELIMINARY 2
Steve Belloise D6 Lomana Wamba
SUPPORT BOUT
Coley Welch UD6 Don Fullmer
CO-FEATURE
Guillermo Carriles SD6 David Gibbs
MAIN EVENT
Hiromi Kamamoto MD6 Juan Rivero
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