Will
01-04-2007, 02:16 AM
TOKYO (AP) -- Defending champion Edwin Valero of Venezuela defeated Mexican challenger Michael Lozada on Wednesday to retain the WBA super featherweight title.
Valero, making the first defense of the title he won last Aug. 5, beat Lozada with a technical knockout in the first round of their bout at Ariake Coliseum.
Valero improved to 21-0, including 20 knockouts -- with his first 18 bouts finished in the opening round. Lozada fell to 29-4-2 with 10 knockouts.
In a later bout, Cristian Mijares of Mexico defeated Japan's Katsushige Kawashima to defend his interim WBC super flyweight title.
Mijares beat the one-time super flyweight title holder with a technical knockout in the 10th round.
It was Mijares' second defense of the interim title he won on Sept. 18 in a split decision over Kawashima.
Mijares improved to 30-3-2, with 11 knockouts, while Kawashima's record fell to 30-6 with 20 knockouts.
Valero, making the first defense of the title he won last Aug. 5, beat Lozada with a technical knockout in the first round of their bout at Ariake Coliseum.
Valero improved to 21-0, including 20 knockouts -- with his first 18 bouts finished in the opening round. Lozada fell to 29-4-2 with 10 knockouts.
In a later bout, Cristian Mijares of Mexico defeated Japan's Katsushige Kawashima to defend his interim WBC super flyweight title.
Mijares beat the one-time super flyweight title holder with a technical knockout in the 10th round.
It was Mijares' second defense of the interim title he won on Sept. 18 in a split decision over Kawashima.
Mijares improved to 30-3-2, with 11 knockouts, while Kawashima's record fell to 30-6 with 20 knockouts.