Seigo Yuri Akui needed to sweat out a break up choice in his newest title struggle.
The reigning WBA flyweight titleholder edged Thailand’s Thananchai Charunphak on two of the three playing cards to retain his title. A decided Charunphak got here out forward on the cardboard of decide Guillermo Perez (115-113). He was overruled by judges Robert Hoyle (115-113) and Kwan Ho Jang (117-111), who awarded Akui the choice.
Akui retained his WBA flyweight title with the win Sunday at Ariake Enviornment in Tokyo.
“This was not a satisfying efficiency in any respect,” Akui admitted to in-ring translator Mizuka Koike. “My opponent made it very powerful for me. I used to be joyful to have received however I can do higher.”
Okayama’s Seigo Yuri Akui (21-2-1, 11 knockouts) jumped out to an early lead with crisp energy photographs. The defending titleholder was notably efficient upstairs along with his straight proper hand.
The lack to place away his opponents, nonetheless, noticed Akui in a harder than anticipated battle, notably within the second half.
Charunphak (25-2, 15 KOs) was nonetheless round and preventing robust within the later rounds. Akui was typically capable of get the higher of the exchanges however Charunphak scored with physique photographs.
Akui put collectively his punches nicely within the twelfth and ultimate spherical to seal the victory. True to character, Charunphak raised his arms at struggle’s finish, as if he pulled off the upset in his first profession title struggle.
His response wasn’t farfetched as he did sufficient on one scorecard. The opposite two scores allowed Akui to prevail in his third consecutive title struggle, all in 2024.
“It was an excellent struggle. My opponent was very powerful. I heard my daughter’s voice within the crowd. That motivated me to maintain pushing ahead.”
Akui dethroned unbeaten long-reigning WBA beltholder Artem Dalakian through unanimous choice on Jan. 23 in Osaka. The win was adopted by a equally scored factors win over countryman Taku Kuwahara on Could 4 on the famed Tokyo Dome.
His third struggle of the yr was the one one the place he wasn’t assured of victory by struggle’s finish. A lot, that Akui didn’t even hassle to name out any names for his subsequent struggle.
“My thoughts is telling me to simply hold coaching,” famous Akui. “So I’ll return to the health club and simply hold coaching.”
Akui-Charunphak was considered one of 4 title fights on Saturday’s ESPN+ telecast.
