34-year-old Japanese jabber Nobuhiro Ishida (21-5-2, 7 KOs), 154, acquired the WBA interim super-welter belt as he kept sticking left jabs all the way to avert rough and roundhouse attacks of Marco Avendano (27-7-1, 19 KOs), 154, from Venezuela, winning a unanimous decision over twelve monotonous rounds on Sunday in Osaka, Japan. The official tallies read: Ruben Garcia (US) 119-109, Roberto Ramirez (Puerto Rico) 118-110, and Chalerm Prayadsab (Thailand) 117-111, all for the 6’2” Japanese speedster. The referee was Guillermo Perez Pineda (Panama).

WBA#4 Avendano, a year his senior at 35, was the aggressor throughout the contest, while #3 Ishida kept moving around and throwing jabs exclusively without utilizing his right hand. As the contest progressed, the Venezuelan, 4.5 inches shorter, went forward to catch the much taller footworker more positively. The fourth saw Ishida score a countering left hook to the reckless warrior who almost cornered the Japanese dancer. Avendano sustained a cut over the left eyebrow midway in the sixth, which became a nuisance for the Venezuelan for the remainder of the bout. Aware of being behind on points, Avendano furiously attempted to finish the local favorite, but Ishida responded to his desperate attack in the final session. It was their rematch with Ishida having emerged victorious by a controversial split verdict in Osaka last September.

Undercard: Once-beaten Daiki Kameda (15-1, 11 KOs), 116.75, scored an easy KO win over Jose Alberto Cuadros (reportedly 11-10, 5 KOs), an overmatched Mexican, at 0:30 of the fourth round in his tune-up go prior to his world title shot at the WBA flyweight belt against Denkaosen Kaowichit in Osaka on October 6. Promoter: Kanazawa Promotions. PHOTO AFP.