Lightweight star Taiga Imanaga retains title in Tokyo

Taiga Imanaga retains OPBF lightweight crown in Tokyo after overcoming Min Ho Jung

On a thrilling night at the iconic Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, local fighter Taiga Imanaga (11-1, 5 KOs) successfully defended his WBC Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Lightweight Championship for the first time, securing a unanimous decision victory over South Korean contender Min Ho Jung (19-7-2, 5 KOs).

Promoted by DANGAN Promotion and supervised by Tsuyoshi Yasukochi, the southpaw Imanaga utilised his strategic boxing and dominant stance against 33-yuear-old Jung, the OPBF’s no.6-ranked contender, who delivered a highly competitive effort from bell to bell.

The Japanese champion took control in the early rounds backed by a powerful jab, relentless ring generalship, and sharp left-hand combinations. The South Korean challenger fought back gallantly, landing well-timed right hooks and crisp counters that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats.

After five rounds, the open scoring highlighted just how competitive the bout was, split at 48-47 for Jung, 48-47 for Imanaga, and 50-45 for the champion.

Adjusting his pace for the second half of the fight, 27-year-old Imanaga dictated the tempo, closing strongly with impressive physical conditioning and boxing skill to secure the win on all three judges’ scorecards.

With this emphatic performance at the cathedral of Japanese boxing, rising lightweight star Taiga Imanaga solidifies his reign over the regional 135-pound division, where he has lost just once to Dominican star Eridson Garcia. an eighth-round knockdown went against Imanaga on the split decision scorecards last December in Saudi Arabia.