Ano-os wins by split decision in Japan
RJ Ano-os of the RWS Gym of Cebu beat Kuninobu Shimamura of Japan by split decision last Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Their eight-round, non-title bout was on the undercard of the WBA world bantamweight championship fight which saw champion Koki Kameda of Japan beating his Filipino challenger John Mark Apolinario by unanimous decision.
Two judges had it for Ano-os at 77-75 and 76-75, while one had it for the Japanese at 76-75.
Ano-os’ win was his first since 2011, when he beat Joan de Guia in Liloan by first round knockout and allowed him to bounce back from his twin losses last year – a 6th round KO loss in Dumaguete City at the hands of Joseph Von Minoza of the ALA Gym and the unanimous decision loss to Takashi Miura in Japan.
The 22-year-old Ano-os improved to 8W-4L, 2 KOs while the 28-year-old Shimamura dropped to his third loss at 15W-3L, 10 KOs. Ano-os was accompanied by RWS Gym trainer Juanito Ablaca in this fight.
Meanwhile, Kameda won by a wide margin over Apolinario – 119-107, 118-108 and 117-109.
The youngest Kameda boxing brother, Tomoki Kameda, will be challenging WBO bantamweight champion Paulus Ambunda of Namibia here in Cebu on August 1 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. /correspondent Rene Bonsubre,Jr