Nishioka retains title in Japan

Jan 3, 2009 - 3:18 PM YOKOHAMA, Japan (Ticker) -- Toshiaki Nishioka retained his WBC super bantamweight title on Saturday with a 12th-round technical knockout of Mexico's Genaro Garcia.

Nishioka (33-4-3, 20 KOs) was making his first title defense since claiming the belt last September. The 32-year-old southpaw became the first Japanese boxer to defend the title.

Nishioka hit Garcia (38-7) with a barrage of left-hand upper cuts before the referee stepped in the stop the fight 57 seconds into the final round.

"I really wanted to score a knockout victory because of the so many fans who came to watch my fight although it was the beginning of the new year," Nishioka said. "Probably it was a frustrating fight for the spectators but I'm really happy that I was able to score a knockout in the end."

Nishioka had sent Garcia to the mat twice earlier in the match, doing so in the fourth and ninth rounds.

The card also saw Paulus Moses of Namibia decision Japan's Yusuke Kobori, 115-113, 115-113, 119-109, to win the WBA lightweight title.

It was the first defense for Kobori - who won the belt from Jose Alfrao last May - and first title challenge for Moses (24-0).

"(Moses) was just stronger than me," said Kobori, who fell to 23-3. "When it came to a decision, I knew I was beaten. He didn't allow me to fight from my favorable distance. He has studied my fight really well."