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Report, Photos by Joe Koizumi –

This reporter sometimes wonder why such pretty girls exchange punches in the ring, but such an impression repeated at the weigh-in yesterday. WBO female flyweight champion Nana Yoshikawa (7-1, 4 KOs) will make her initial defense against Mexican national titlist Monserrat Alarcon (8-3-2) today (Saturday) in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Yoshikawa, who turned professional late after her long amateur career, acquired the world belt in her eighth bout by defeating Korean Eun-Hye Lee in the title bout for the vacant championship. Yoshikawa, trained by her husband Shinji Nogami, tipped the beam at the 112-pound class limit, while Alarcon a quarter pound lighter at 111.75.

Yoshikawa said, “I wish to show a good performance to respond to my supporters and defend my belt.” Alarcon, also a cute girl, expressed her ambition, saying, “I’d like to bring back the world belt to Mexico.” Monserrat is accompanied by her promoter Hector Garcia and trainer Agustin Vazquez.

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The officials are as follows: referee Danrex Tapdasan (Philippines); judges Surat Soikrachang (Thailand), Edward Ligas (Philippines) and Takeo Harada (Japan); WBO supervisor Leon Panoncillo (US). This show is presented by Sakai Higashi Mitsuki Promotions.

www.fightnews.com/Boxing/wbo-female-112lb-champ-yoshikawa-face-mexican-alarcon-today-402402