JAYSON Vayson of the Philippines delivered a commanding performance in Osaka, Japan over the weekend, retaining his World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific light flyweight title.
In a hard-fought bout against the 10th-ranked challenger, Takeru Inoue of Muto Boxing Gym, Vayson emerged victorious in a 10-round unanimous decision.
The pivotal moment came in the 10th round when Vayson landed a crucial knockdown against the Japanese to secure the unanimous win.
Throughout the fight, Vayson faced illegal hits to the back of his head from Inoue, prompting warnings from the referee. However, no deductions were made, allowing Vayson to continue his pursuit of victory.
The judges scored the contest 97-93, 96-94, and 96-94, all in favor of Vayson, marking his first successful title defense.
With this win, Vayson’s professional record improved to 12 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw, with six knockouts.
Vayson was accompanied by his veteran trainer-coach, Alan Alegria, a former Philippine welterweight champion.
He bagged the WBO regional title last December with a second-round technical knockout win against Ryuya Yamanaka in Kobe, Japan.
He is currently ranked No. 3 in the International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) light flyweight division, as well as No. 8 in the WBO and No. 10 in the World Boxing Association (WBA).
His opponent, Takeru Inoue, not related to world champion Naoya Inoue, is a former policeman with the Osaka Prefectural Police.
Despite a valiant effort, Inoue suffered his first defeat after turning professional in October 2022, following four consecutive wins, two by knockout.