05-09-2021, 04:50 PM
Soto stops Takayama, retains WBO 108lb title
By Jeff Zimmerman at ringside
WBO light flyweight champion Elwin Soto (19-1, 13 KOs) scored a controversial ninth round stoppage over nearly 38-year-old former five-time minimumweight champion Katsunari Takayama (32-9, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Takayama walked through fire in the early rounds and kept fighting hard. He was still very much in the fight when the fight was prematurely stopped by referee Lawrence Cole in round nine. Takayama put on a shadowboxing exhibition in the ring afterward to prove he was still OK. Time was 2:44.
By Jeff Zimmerman at ringside
WBO light flyweight champion Elwin Soto (19-1, 13 KOs) scored a controversial ninth round stoppage over nearly 38-year-old former five-time minimumweight champion Katsunari Takayama (32-9, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Takayama walked through fire in the early rounds and kept fighting hard. He was still very much in the fight when the fight was prematurely stopped by referee Lawrence Cole in round nine. Takayama put on a shadowboxing exhibition in the ring afterward to prove he was still OK. Time was 2:44.