It proved to be well worth the wait for Ginjiro Shigeoka.
A title consolidation rematch several months into the making saw the Japanese southpaw dethrone IBF strawweight beltholder Daniel Valladares in a victory. Valladares was dropped in round one and left defenseless along the ropes to force a stoppage at 2:15 of the fifth round of their title fight Saturday at Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.
The second act came with several delays more than nine months after their first affair ended in a No-Contest. A clash of heads left Valladares unable to continue after three rounds of their January 6 meeting in Osaka.
Shigeoka since added the interim IBF title while he awaited his second title shot, for which he was fully prepared.
Valladares was dropped less than 90 seconds into the contest. A straight left hand deposited the visiting Mexican onto the canvas, though he was able to beat the count. Referee Charlie Fitch warned Valladares for leading with his head, a command he would have to repeat twice more before he deducted a point just one minute into the second round.
Shigeoka continued on the attack as he was dialed in with his power shot. The left hand continued to land clean and the 23-year-old Tokyo-based knockout artist connected with a combination off a clinch in round three.
Valladares’ best moments came when he was able to catch Shigeoka coming in and drop a right hand down the middle. The defending titlist from Monterrey, Mexico connected with a left hook to the body late in round four and also found proper distance with his jab. Shigeoka ended the round with a left hand to the chin.
Another warning for leading with his head was issued to Valladares early in round five, though he avoided a second point deduction. He could not, however, avoid the incoming attack of Shigoeka who landed a right hook to the body which set up a series of lefts upstairs that left Valladares on unsteady legs.
Shigeoka stunned Valladares with a right hook to set up the fight ending sequence. Valladares was pinned along the ropes as Shigeoka landed a barrage of power punches before the referee intervened and halted the contest.
Valladares fell to 27-4-1 (15KOs) with the defeat. His title reign lasted 15 months dating back to his disputed points win over Rene Mark Cuarto last July 1. Injuries sustained in his first fight versus Shigeoka left him unable to honor an ordered mandatory title fight rematch with Cuarto earlier this year.
The development allowed Shigeoka to take his place in the bout. He suffered his first career knockdown but regrouped to stop Cuarto in the ninth round of their interim IBF title fight. The win set up his mandatory rematch versus Valladares, though an injury earlier this summer caused a two-month delay.
Shigeoka didn’t squander the second chance opportunity once the two finally made their way back to the ring. He improved to (10-0, 8KOs) with the win, which comes on the same card as older brother Yudai Shigeoka who challenges WBC strawweight titlist Panya Pradabsri.
Also on the show, Osaka-based heavyweight Mitsuro Tajima (10-0, 8KOs) remained perfect with a first-round knockout of Venezuela’s Williams Ocando. The brief affair saw the very knockoutable Ocando driven into the ropes, where he endured a barrage of right hands before he collapsed to the canvas for the full ten count.
By Jake Donovan