Friday 1 January 2016 15:15, UK
Jose Argumedo is the new IBF minimumweight champion after shocking Katsunari Takayama via technical decision.
Takayama (30-8-KO12) was fighting in front of his home fans in Japan's second city, Osaka, and attempting to make the third defence of his title having previously held all four versions of the crown.
Although a pre-fight underdog, Argumedo (16-3-1-KO9) was quickly to work in establishing himself. He will have gained more heart from Takayama's seemingly inferior conditioning and the fact the champion was cut by an accidental head clash in the second round.
Takayama showed glimpses of former glories in the third and fourth as he took the fight to the Mexican challenger but although he continued to try and force the pace in six and seven, Argumedo was picking his spots well and appeared to score a knockdown in the ninth.
I accept this result. I had my left optic badly swollen and bleeding so badly that the blood entered my eyes to prevent me from watching Argumedo well.
Although the referee thought otherwise, it proved merely a stay of execution as Takayama sustained another gash near his right eye. That prompted referee Takeshi Shimakawa to stop the fight and go to the scorecards, where two judges scored it 87-84 for Argumedo and a third 86-85 in favour of Takayama.
Takayama said of defeat: "I accept this result. I had my left optic badly swollen and bleeding so badly that the blood entered my eyes to prevent me from watching Argumedo well.
"Sometimes his punches came flying from invisible angles to me. His punches also came with his head at the same time."
Argumedo added: "As Takayama was terribly bleeding from both eyes, I attempted to hurt his cuts more so that it would end in a TKO. I'd like to come back to Japan."
