Jezreel Corrales Wins a Split Decision Over Takashi Uchiyama to Defend His WBA Super Featherweight Title in Japan
By Jeffrey “Italian Medallion” Cellini
Last Saturday night, at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Toyko, Japan, Jezreel Corrales, 21-1, 8 KO’s pulled out a split-decision victory over Takashi Uchiyama, 24-2-1,20 KO’s to successfully defend his WBA World Super Featherweight title (117-110, 115-112, 113-114). Last April, the 23-year old Corrales pulled off a stunning upset by knocking out the 37-year old Uchiyama to take the crown.
Uchiyama knocked Corrales down late in the fifth round, though it didn’t seem to do a lot of damage to the champion. Not surprisingly, “Knockout Dynamite” had a hard time landing blows against the athletic, unorthodox fighter Corrales. In the later rounds, Uchiyama seemed to adjust to the Panamanian’s speed and began landing some punches, but could not hit “El Invisible” with any big shots before the bell in the final round.
“I’m disappointed, but Corrales accepted this return match and it’s all on me for coming up short,” said the 37-year-old Uchiyama, who defended his WBA super featherweight title 11 times in a row before a stunning second-round technical knockout loss to Corrales on April 27, which was arguably dubbed “the upset of the year” in the sport, at the same venue. “He was competitive today.”
After the fight, Corrales said he felt that his dedication in training for the fight paid off.
“I was able to win because of all the training I did,” Corrales said through an interpreter. “I wasn’t sure I’d definitely win before the judgment paper was read. But I felt I did enough to win. “Uchiyama practiced well, but I think I practiced even more than he did.”
“I never felt comfortable fighting against him and it bothered me,” said Taguchi, who fought for the sixth straight time at the Ota City gym, reflecting on the match. “The way (Canizales) came at me was different from how we thought he would, so I was perplexed a little.”
As the WBA “Super” Super Featherweight Champion, Corrales ought to be facing regular champ Jason Sosa sometime next year.
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