Medina’s Uppercuts Took the WBO Crown From Takei in Nagoya
Christian Medina stopped Yoshiki Takei on September 14, 2025, at IG Arena in Nagoya, Japan. The WBO bantamweight championship changed hands at 1:21 of the fourth round after Medina’s heavy punches overwhelmed the previously unbeaten titleholder.
An early right hand changed the championship fight
Medina attacked the body from the start and created openings for his right hand. A powerful right dropped Takei during the opening round, immediately forcing the champion into a recovery effort.
The knockdown established that the challenger could hurt him. Medina continued applying pressure rather than allowing the successful first round to become an isolated scoring moment.
Takei’s attempts to rally met continued pressure
The second round brought more heavy punches that again troubled Takei. He produced a brief response in the third, but could not consistently interrupt Medina’s attacks to the head and body.
The challenger kept advancing and eventually trapped Takei near the ropes. The sustained pressure created the close-range position from which the final attack developed.
A fourth-round barrage completed the upset
Medina landed a series of uppercuts with Takei unable to escape the corner. Referee Ramon Peña intervened, ending the contest and awarding the challenger a technical-knockout victory.
The result gave Medina the WBO title at 118 pounds on the same Nagoya card headlined by Naoya Inoue and Murodjon Akhmadaliev. For Takei, the first professional defeat also ended his championship reign, while Medina’s early knockdown and persistent body work supplied the path to a decisive breakthrough.
Sources
- Boxing News: body attacks, knockdown and round-by-round pressure
- The Ring: September 14 date, uppercuts and 1:21 stoppage
- WBO: championship succession
