TOKYO (AP) Japanese boxer Ryota Murata defeated France’s Hassan N’Dam by technical knockout on Sunday to win the WBA middleweight title.
Murata stopped N’Dam after seven rounds to become the first middleweight champion from Japan in 22 years.
Murata dominated the early rounds at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan. He stunned N’Dam with a series of combinations before the bout was stopped after the seventh round.
Sunday’s fight was a rematch of a bout in May when N’Dam won on points despite being sent to the canvas several times by London Olympic gold medalist Murata.
WBA President Gilberto Mendoza called for the rematch and apologized for the decision. Two judges were suspended as a result.
