Masamori Tokuyama Regained His WBC Crown in a Decisive
Masamori Tokuyama won the WBC super flyweight championship by unanimous decision over In-Joo Cho in Osaka on August 27, 2000. His career included two reigns and a three-fight rivalry with Katsushige Kawashima.
Eight successful defenses
Tokuyama’s first reign included victories over Akihiko Nago, Cho in a rematch, Gerry Peñalosa twice, Kazuhiro Ryuko, Erik López, Kawashima and Dimitri Kirilov. Those results gave him eight successful defenses.
Kawashima ended the reign with a first-round technical knockout on June 28, 2004, reversing the result of their first meeting.
Winning back the championship
Tokuyama defeated Kawashima by unanimous decision in their third contest at Osaka’s Central Gym on July 18, 2005. Despite a knockdown in the final round, he completed twelve rounds and regained the belt.
He defended the recovered title against José Navarro by unanimous decision on February 27, 2006. Tokuyama finished his professional career with thirty-two wins, three defeats and one draw.
His earlier development included All-Japan flyweight rookie honors and an OPBF super flyweight championship. Tokuyama won the regional belt in September 1999 and defended it twice before facing Cho. He had also stopped former world champion Hiroki Ioka in December 1998. Those results helped carry him from domestic competition toward the sustained world championship run that followed in the next decade.
Sources
- World Boxing Council: Tokuyama’s August 2000 championship victory
- Boxing Meikan: Tokuyama’s complete professional record and title defenses
- BoxRec: Tokuyama regains the title in July 2005
