Japanese boxer Kenichi Ogawa dropped Azinga ‘Golden Boy’ Fuzile three times on his way to winning the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-lightweight title at the Hulu Theatre in Madison Square Garden, New York City, United States, on Sunday morning (South African time).
Ogawa, who had been quiet all week building up to the fight, won the clash on all judges’ scorecards, which read 115-110, 115-110 and 114-111.
It was clear that Ogawa went into the fight with one thing in mind – hit Fuzile with big shots. It was then no wonder that the Japanese decked Fuzile with a big right hand in the fifth round. The 33-year-old Japanese dropped Fuzile twice in the 12th round.
The verdict of the fight means that Fuzile failed in his bid to follow in the footsteps of Brian Mitchell, Cassius Baloyi, Malcom Klassen and Mzonke Fana, who once held the IBF junior-lightweight title.
The 25-year-old Fuzile also failed to become the first South African boxer to win a world title at the famous Madison Square Garden.
