The new WBA super featherweight champion Takashi Uchiyama (14-0, 11KOs) is riding a big wave after stopping Juan Carlos Salgado on Monday to capture the title in Tokyo, Japan. He says the win over Salgado was tough and he wasn’t sure if he was the clear winner until he dropped the champion in the twelfth and final round.

“Just when Salgado fell to the canvas in round twelve, that’s when I knew I had won. Only when I saw him on the floor was when I knew I was champion,” Uchiyama said. “I worked with great care, despite being the one who always took the initiative. I had to be careful with Salgado’s punches. My corner kept telling me to keep striking with combinations to the face and body, and use the jab. The main thing was to strike without being caught.”